Luke Littler might be the current world champion but his dominance could soon be threatened by another teenage star. ‘The Nuke’ was just 17 when he made his Ally Pally debut in December 2023, embarking on an incredible run to the final before being beaten by Luke Humphries.
In the 12 months that followed though he won the Premier League Darts crown on debut, and this January went a step further in the sport’s biggest event by beating Michael van Gerwen in the final.
While his meteoric rise has taken darts by storm, those aware of Littler on the PDC Development Tour were privy to his supreme ability.
However, he may soon have to be aware of another rising star coming through the same ranks. Charlie Manby, 19, produced an astonishing 130.70 average in his latest PDC Development Tour win.
Patrick Williams was the unlucky recipient of his blitz, with Manby winning 4-0. He started the match with a 180 and took the opening leg in 13 darts – his worst effort of the contest.
A 10-dart leg followed and he needed just 12 shots at the board in the two legs that followed. His average also obliterated Littler’s previous best effort on the tour before he joined the senior ranks.
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Manby’s one-match average is the highest ever in the 15-year history of the development tournaments. Littler’s best was 115.22, which he racked up in a match in 2023.
The closest figure to Manby was 120.24. Three different players, Bradley Brooks, Gert Nentjes, and Owen Bates, have achieved that marker, with Littler’s average only good enough to be the seventh best on tour records.
However, the Warrington-born star does know all about setting records. During his first-round match in the latest World Championship, he recorded a set average of 140.91 against Ryan Meikle.
This was the highest ever at the tournament, and the star duly broke down in tears after an emotional win. But at this rate, he could soon be joined on the big stage by Manby.
The Englishman has tour title wins to his name, and is currently sixth in the PDC Development rankings. He’s thus far won just short of £12,000 in career prize money, a figure which will soon rise rapidly if he continues at this rate.
