“I was poo and I’m still better than you” – Ricky Evans hits back at critics after Ally Pally exit to Charlie Manby

Ricky Evans did not wait long to respond after one of the most uncomfortable afternoons of his PDC World Darts Championship career.

Just hours after his last-32 exit at Alexandra Palace, Evans took to social media with a blunt and defiant message, directly addressing the wave of criticism that followed his 4-2 defeat to debutant sensation Charlie Manby.

“Today wasn’t my day, I gave everything I could,” Evans wrote. “Keep going Charlie, smash it up young man!!!! Thank you to the not so nice people for the death threats, hate & fat jokes…..I was poo and I’m still better than you❤️ I’ve got the best parents & my girlfriend is an absolute worldie can’t wait to spend my winnings x”

The post arrived after several hours in which Evans had become a focal point of online debate, following a match where his visible frustration late on drew as much attention as the result itself.

Until deep into the contest, the tie had remained finely balanced. But as Manby edged ahead in the final two sets, Evans’ body language shifted noticeably. Exaggerated reactions at the board and a flashpoint involving a fallen dart quickly circulated on social media, fuelling accusations that he had lost his composure once momentum swung against him.

On X, fans questioned whether Evans mentally unravelled after falling behind, with some describing the scenes as classic “headloss” and others suggesting he appeared to throw in the towel once the match slipped away. What might otherwise have been a narrow defeat instead became one of the most dissected moments of the afternoon session.

Evans’ post made clear that the reaction went far beyond scrutiny of his performance.

Alongside criticism of his behaviour on stage, he revealed that he had received death threats, personal abuse and fat jokes in the aftermath of the match. Rather than downplaying it, Evans confronted it head-on, pairing self-criticism with a pointed reminder that online attacks often say more about the sender than the player.

Notably, he also chose to publicly back Manby, encouraging the youngster to continue his remarkable debut run at Ally Pally as he prepares for a place in the quarter finals.

For Evans, the defeat means another World Championship ends short of the last 16, extending a frustrating trend on the sport’s biggest stage. This time, however, the post-match discussion shifted away from averages and doubles, centring instead on composure, temperament and the fine line between personality and frustration.

His response framed the episode on his own terms: owning a poor performance, rejecting the abuse that followed, and refusing to apologise for his identity or emotion on stage.

As Manby’s tournament story continues to gather momentum, Evans ensured that his own Ally Pally exit would not pass quietly, delivering one of the most raw and unfiltered reactions of this year’s championship.