Charlie Manby has singled out James Wade as the sport's best trash talker, pointing to the veteran's ability to unsettle opponents when asked to assemble his version of the 'perfect darts player' in a segment with talkSPORT. The 20-year-old, still early in his PDC career but rising rapidly over the past 12 months, said: 'I feel like Wade - he can get in my head as well as anyone else's.'
Manby's own breakthrough came at the start of 2026 when he reached the last 16 on his PDC World Darts Championship debut, picking up wins over established names before exiting to Gian van Veen. That run underlined his scoring power and composure, marking him as one of the most intriguing young prospects on the circuit.
When asked about scoring power, Manby went directly to Luke Littler, and also named Littler for 170 checkouts: 'It's just Littler, isn't it?' For traditional finishing situations, he pointed to Jonny Clayton: 'He loves like a 121, doesn't he?' Manby's own game has been built around scoring, highlighted by a record-breaking average on the 2025 Development Tour. He recently signed with Target Darts.
On the entertainment side, Manby praised Gian van Veen's walk-on: 'I like Gian van Veen's walk-on. I think he gets the crowd going, but it's not too much either.' He showed self-belief when asked about aura, answering 'Me,' and gave a nod to Scott Williams for style: 'I like Shaggy's new hair, with that curly hair.'
Manby balanced darts with work as a bricklayer during his early rise, even around his World Championship breakthrough, before committing fully to the professional circuit in 2026 after securing a PDC Tour Card at Q School. He returns to action later today at Players Championship 14 in Hildesheim as he continues his adjustment to ProTour level.
