Who is darts’ best trash talker? Charlie Manby names James Wade: “He can get in my head as well as anyone”

Charlie Manby pointed straight to James Wade when asked about mind games, highlighting the veteran’s ability to unsettle opponents as he put together his version of the “perfect darts player” in a segment with talkSPORT.

The 20-year-old is still at the start of his PDC career, but his rapid rise over the past 12 months has already put him firmly on the radar.

That made his answer on Wade feel more revealing than throwaway. Asked to name the best trash talker, Manby said: “I feel like Wade - he can get in my head as well as anyone else’s.”

Manby’s own rise accelerated at the start of 2026 when he made a deep run on his debut at the PDC World Darts Championship, reaching the last 16 and picking up wins over established names before eventually exiting to Gian van Veen. The run not only underlined his scoring power but also showed a level of composure that has marked him out as one of the more intriguing young prospects on the circuit.

When it came to scoring power, Manby went directly to Luke Littler. “I’ll go Littler.”

The same name came up again when the focus turned to 170 checkouts. “It’s just Littler, isn’t it?”

For more traditional finishing situations, Manby instead pointed to Jonny Clayton. “He loves like a 121, doesn’t he?”

Manby’s own game has been built around that scoring base. During the 2025 Development Tour season, he produced a record-breaking average that immediately drew attention across the PDC pathway system, reinforcing the level of natural scoring power behind his rise.

The exercise moved beyond numbers into the entertainment side of the sport, where Manby highlighted Gian van Veen for his walk-on. “I like Gian van Veen’s walk-on. I think he gets the crowd going, but it’s not too much either.”

There was also a brief moment of self-belief when the topic shifted to aura. “Me.”

Style and appearance were also part of the conversation, with Manby giving a nod to Scott Williams. “I like Shaggy’s new hair, with that curly hair.”

Away from the segment itself, Manby’s progression has followed a sharp upward curve. He balanced darts with work as a bricklayer during his early rise, even around the time of his World Championship breakthrough, before committing fully to the professional circuit in 2026.

That shift was confirmed at Q School, where he secured a PDC Tour Card and stepped into his first full stretch on the ProTour. The results at senior level are still developing, but the combination of scoring power and early stage exposure continues to mark him out as part of the next wave of English talent.

Manby returns to action later today at Players Championship 14 in Hildesheim, continuing that adjustment period at ProTour level as he looks to convert early promise into consistent results.