“Parents can’t just buy Luke Littler darts and expect them to do it straight away” - Charlie Manby adamant no one will complete rise similar to Luke Littler

Charlie Manby has a clear message for the darts world. According to the 20-year-old talent, fans and parents must stop comparing young players to Luke Littler. He calls the world champion’s rapid rise unique, and Manby believes a story like that will not happen again.

The Englishman spoke out shortly after signing a contract with Target Darts, where Littler, Josh Rock, Rob Cross, and darts icon Phil Taylor are also under contract. For Manby himself, it marks another step forward in a rapidly growing career. The Huddersfield player broke through internationally at the last World Darts Championship, where he defeated Cameron Menzies and Ricky Evans before being eliminated by finalist Gian van Veen.

Despite his own rise, Manby chiefly wants realism when it comes to young talents. He believes Littler’s success creates unrealistic expectations. “That will never happen again though. I think people have got to understand that," Manby tells The Sun. “Parents can’t just buy Luke Littler darts and expect them to do it straight away. It’s not going to happen ever again."

By that he refers to Littler’s unprecedented rise, who at sixteen went straight to the World Championship final and has since become one of the biggest names in the sport.

According to Manby, the key for young players is to follow their own path without looking too much at others. “I think they need to do it their own way. I’ve done it my own way and it’s working now," said the Englishman. “Kids have got to understand it can’t just happen overnight.”

He also does not expect a young debutant to make such a sensational entrance on the biggest stage again. “There’ll be no 16-year-old dart player that will reach the final of the Worlds on their debut. It just won’t happen again, simple as that really.”

At the same time, Manby speaks with admiration about his compatriot’s achievements. He too did not foresee how quickly Littler would develop. “The way it happened for Luke, I didn’t think it would happen the way it did. So fair play to him. He’s just really kicked on from there.”

According to Manby, Littler has also had a huge impact on the popularity of darts. “It’s done good for the game. But it is a long working progress.” For young talents, Manby therefore has a clear piece of advice: stay yourself and don’t try to be a copy of someone else. “As long as kids do it their own way, it’ll be original, their own person.”