Charlie Manby has issued a stark warning to the darts world, insisting that Luke Littler's meteoric rise is a one-off phenomenon that will never be repeated. The 20-year-old English talent, who recently signed a contract with Target Darts—joining Littler, Josh Rock, Rob Cross, and Phil Taylor—spoke out to urge fans and parents to stop comparing young players to the world champion. Manby believes Littler's success has created unrealistic expectations, telling The Sun: "That will never happen again though. I think people have got to understand that."
Manby, who broke through internationally at the last World Darts Championship with wins over Cameron Menzies and Ricky Evans before being eliminated by finalist Gian van Veen, emphasized the uniqueness of Littler's journey. He pointed to Littler's unprecedented ascent, which saw him reach the World Championship final at age 16 on his debut and become one of the sport's biggest names. "Parents can't just buy Luke Littler darts and expect them to do it straight away. It's not going to happen ever again," Manby stated, adding that he does not expect any future 16-year-old debutant to replicate such a sensational entrance: "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."
Despite his cautionary tone, Manby expressed admiration for Littler's achievements, admitting he 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," he said. Manby also acknowledged Littler's positive impact on darts' popularity, noting, "It's done good for the game. But it is a long working progress." For young talents, his advice is clear: follow your own path without imitation. "I think they need to do it their own way. I've done it my own way and it's working now," Manby explained. "Kids have got to understand it can't just happen overnight. As long as kids do it their own way, it'll be original, their own person."
