"He's world number one, behave like one": Criticism of Littler’s 'heel turn' after Ally Pally win

Luke Littler booked his place in the quarterfinals of the World Darts Championship on Monday night, but not without controversy. After his 4-2 win over Rob Cross, the 18-year-old world champion criticized the Alexandra Palace crowd on stage, after being repeatedly booed throughout the match. The remark went down badly, including within the darts community itself.

Littler reacted immediately afterwards on Sky Sports and let his emotions run free. "I'm not bothered. Really not bothered. Can I say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money," he said to Polly James.

The comment sparked plenty of debate, especially as Littler has now reached world number one status and is seen as the face of the sport. Former pro James Hubbard spoke out openly and was clear in his verdict.

Hubbard responded on social media, stressing there are limits to what a player can get away with, regardless of age or achievements. "Christ a lot of Luke Littler fans on here losing their minds. I'll reiterate.... You can't go on stage and tell the crowd 'you guys pay for tickets to pay for my prize money."

According to Hubbard, Littler’s position carries extra responsibilities. "He's world number one, behave like one, and represent the sport properly, end of. If a footballer came out and said that there would be uproar.."

At the same time, Hubbard also showed understanding for the context. "He's young, it's a learning curve and I can guarantee you he'll be advised not to do it again."

There is little debate that the remark stands apart from the sporting performance. Against Rob Cross, Littler again showed why he is the top favorite for the title. The Englishman averaged over 106 and hit no fewer than seventeen maximums. Cross, who averaged almost 99 himself, put up firm resistance but fell short.

Littler moved 3-1 ahead, saw Cross pull it back to 3-2, but closed out the match in the sixth set. That sealed his spot in the last eight of the tournament.

Afterwards, Littler said his reaction mainly stemmed from the tension and the atmosphere in the arena.

"It was a tough challenge," Littler said. "A tough test. The first set everyone got on myself a little bit. I gave it to the crowd. Throughout the game, they remember that. I had to get on with the job.

Littler felt he needed to let his emotions out. "I just had to let all my emotions out. I was up for it. I have no idea who they were. People in the stands, a few tables at the front. I just had to get on with it."