"I don’t know if he says the same thing if it’s Gezzy or Michael van Gerwen doing it": Charlie Manby looks back on Hurrell UK Open row

Charlie Manby looked back to his fracas with James Hurrell at the UK Open during his 20 questions with Harry Durham for talkSPORT in which they had to be separated after the match back in March.

They clashed on the oche back in March as the pair squared-up after a 6-4 third round win was sealed on the outer boards in March. Officials had to step in to separate them and boos rang around the arena as to what was going on. Manby by now is well known as a player who let's his emotions show on the oche and he let them out he sadi at 2-1 ahead which seemed to wrankle Hurrell and send him the wrong way.

"When I went 2-1 up and broke throw, I celebrated because I thought it was deserved. I needed to get that emotion out," said Manby to Harry Durham for talkSPORT. "He then said, “We’re giving it the big one, are we?” So after that I barely celebrated for the rest of the game. Afterwards he said, “We’re meant to be mates, what’s with the big one?” But it’s a major tournament. You’ve got no friends on the oche. You’re allowed to show emotion on stage." But when asked if Hurrell reacted that way due to him being young, he said that he likely "Maybe. I don’t know if he says the same thing if it’s Gezzy or Michael van Gerwen doing it."

Manby grew up with Luke Littler and also admitted that he knew he would be special and that they jousted a lot in finals growing up as well as playing for England with him as a teenager. "There were loads of tournaments where me and Luke would end up playing each other in finals. What he’s done for the sport is unbelievable.

"I always knew he was special, especially when I played for England with him when I was 16 or 17. I didn’t think it would happen this quickly, but I knew he was going to go far. That England team was unbelievable, me, Luke, Thomas Banks and Archie Self, and we’re all still playing now."

But he admitted that he wasn't a patch on Littler while they were growing up. "He was miles ahead of everyone. I played him loads of times and I don’t think I ever beat him in singles." While he says that though, he did average 130.70 on the Development Tour and said a fellow high flier now in Beau Greaves even came up to him shocked at what happened. "Not really. You know when you’re playing well, but I didn’t realise the numbers were that high. Beau Greaves actually came up to me afterwards and said, “Is that real?” That’s when I realised how big it was."

When he had his run at the World Championship, he said that despite it being his debut he thought he could win the tournament and that the belief has to be there. He also got caught up in the Cameron Menzies incident which he said wasn't a huge issue for him and they're good friends. "You’ve got to think like that. You have to go into every game believing you can do it.

"There were moments where I thought, “Imagine if I really do this,” but at the same time that’s the mindset you need if you want to go far. I get on really well with Cammy. He’s a great guy and just full of energy. He actually reached out to me the following week to check everything was alright between us. Fair play to him because he handled everything really well."