"You should be happy he’s here" – Vincent van der Voort criticises Dutch crowd’s behaviour towards Luke Littler
PDCSaturday, 19 September 2026 at 11:00
Danny Noppert had a golden chance on Friday night to knock Luke Littler out of the World Series of Darts Finals, but failed to punish the world champion’s vulnerability. In the Darts Draait Door podcast, Damian Vlottes and Vincent van der Voort mainly saw a missed opportunity for the Dutchman. The Amsterdam crowd’s behaviour towards Littler was also a major talking point.
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Littler eventually edged it 6-4, but it was anything but straightforward. Noppert led 3-1 and had chances to pull away. According to Van der Voort, Littler was there to be taken at that stage.
“I think Noppert missed a golden opportunity to knock him out,” said the former professional. “It was a vulnerable Littler and he missed a lot of doubles by his standards. He was there to be got at from all angles. But then you also need a bit of the form of the day. And Noppert played below his usual level.”
Precisely because Littler did not reach his usual heights, the defeat will hit Noppert even harder, Van der Voort believes. “He didn’t get thrashed, but I think the disappointment might actually be even greater for Noppert.”
Van der Voort slams booing of Littler
It wasn’t just the on-stage action that drew attention. Throughout the match, Littler repeatedly clashed with the crowd in Amsterdam. When he recovered from 3-1 down to level at 3-3, the Englishman responded to the jeers from the stands by cupping his ears.
Van der Voort could understand that reaction. He felt part of the Dutch crowd went too far in their support for Noppert. “Why do you have to boo him so much as a crowd?”, Van der Voort wondered. “You’re not giving him enough respect for how big this lad already is. You should be happy he’s here. He’s a truly unique player. We’ve never seen this before.”
Littler was booed by the Amsterdam crowd for virtually the entire match.
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Van der Voort found it natural that the crowd backed Noppert en masse. But he said there is a difference between supporting your compatriot and trying to unsettle his opponent. “You know you’re for Noppert. Fine. But you don’t have to boo him like that. Just get behind Noppert fully.”
Van der Voort even felt the focus gradually shifted more to Littler than to Noppert. “They were more busy trying to get to him than cheering on Noppert.”
For a moment, that approach seemed to have an effect. Littler looked irritated and nowhere near as clinical as darts fans have come to expect. Noppert simply failed to capitalise. “Noppert just didn’t play well. And then you have to keep playing well,” Van der Voort concluded.
“Noppert should have been a bit more of a b*****d”
A striking moment followed after Noppert hit a 180. The Frisian celebrated his maximum next to Littler, who then stepped back. Van der Voort said there was no malicious intent from Noppert.
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“I know Noppert doesn’t do that on purpose to put him off, he just wanted some interaction with the crowd. Littler stepped back. But at that point Noppert actually drifted more off his game.”
Noppert then apologised, but Littler barely reacted, according to the duo. Vlottes therefore wondered whether Noppert should have been a touch tougher in that moment. “Actually, Noppert might have needed to be a bit more of a b*****d there.” Van der Voort agreed. “Yes, and then just say sorry after the match. Sometimes that’s just how it is.”
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At the same time, he said that simply doesn’t fit Noppert’s character. “He’s not someone who plays games with his opponent or tries to knock someone out of their rhythm. So on the one hand that does him credit, and you just hoped he’d be a bit more of a b*****d."
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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