"I would have beat Luke Littler" - Netflix challenger blames pre-match running for £501,000 defeat

Former PDC competitor Mark Pooke believes he could have beaten Luke Littler to claim £501,000 on Netflix, but has blamed the running around required before his appearance for disrupting his darts. The 57-year-old, who previously competed against Phil Taylor, has spoken out after missing a chance to defeat the world champion during Beat Luke Littler.

Pooke was the ninth challenger to face Littler at Manchester Central on 30 October. Having won the bull-up, he found himself with an opportunity to take out 138 and claim the jackpot, but failed to complete the checkout as Littler survived another scare.

"I do believe that I would have beat Luke Littler, I don't feel I let myself down or the people that supported me at home," Pooke wrote on Facebook.

Pooke took issue with the preparations contestants underwent before stepping onto the stage. "I actually feel there was too much running around before we all went on to play, you cannot play your good darts if you have just been running and then doing the walk on," he wrote. "My darts were pulling to the right, I had to try to adjust fast, but in one leg of darts this is very difficult."

With each challenger given just one leg of 501 against Littler, the first player to defeat the two-time world champion would collect the entire £501,000 prize and bring the competition to an immediate end.

The Facebook post drew a mixed response. When a commenter, Carole Morningstar, asked Pooke directly whether Sherrock had been required to run around, his response was a simple "no".

Others were less sympathetic. Andy Somers argued that Pooke had been given the same opportunity as everyone else, while another commenter, Mike Thackeray, dismissed his complaints and told him to get over the defeat.

Pooke's Netflix appearance came almost two decades after his previous involvement in PDC competition. The Londoner competed in Players Championships during the mid-2000s and recorded victories over Jason Crawley and Gary Noonan at the 2007 UK Open before losing 8-2 to Darren Johnson.

He also faced 16-time world champion Phil Taylor during his earlier darts career, having spent much of the intervening period away from the competitive circuit.

Against Littler, Pooke was among the challengers who threatened to end the competition before Sherrock eventually succeeded. Her 15-dart leg brought Littler's run of 14 consecutive victories to an end and secured the biggest payday of her career, leaving five remaining contestants without the opportunity to compete.

Pooke, meanwhile, has ambitions of returning to PDC competition and used his Facebook post to appeal for financial backing. "So to everyone that watched and supported me whether in your homes, pubs, clubs or at the venue, I am sorry I didn't perform how I can, if I can get a sponsor for the PDC tour card, you will see a difference," he wrote.

After nearly two decades away from the professional circuit, securing sponsorship for a potential return to PDC Q-School would give Pooke another opportunity to test his belief that he can still compete at a higher level.