FROM THE Golden Boy to a pantomime villain – Luke Littler’s relationship with darts fans may have changed forever following his angry, adrenaline-fuelled rant.
It was out of character for Littler to behave the way he did during and after his fractious last 16 4-2 win over Rob Cross on Monday night.
Annoyed by a section of abusive fans, whom SunSport understands were from Germany, the teenager unexpectedly lost his cool and reacted emotionally in his on-stage interview with Sky Sports.
With his blood pumping and hackles up, The Nuke told the jeerers: “I’m not bothered. Really not bothered.
“Can I say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize money. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Come on!”
While we should never knock personality out of our sportsmen, once this tournament is over, Littler may end up regretting such a shock heel turn in the cold light of the day.
This was, after all, the first time he had behaved in such a negative manner against the ticket-paying supporters.
We should not forget, of course, that he is just 18 years old and still learning, following only two years on the circuit.
I mean how many 18-year-old Premier League footballers could be interviewed immediately after a match in a hostile environment and still give a good account of themselves?
Yet making it all about the money, focusing on the £1million top prize, could alienate some, especially those in the audience who are not so well off.
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And Littler – who has no regrets over his actions – is fearing a possible fans’ backlash when he plays Pole Krzysztof Ratajski on New Year’s Day.
Once they used to “walk in a Littler wonderland”, now the Ally Pally fancy-dress pack might be booing Littler’s Blunderland.
Just ask Gerwyn Price how hard it is to play your best when the fans are against you.
Littler joked: “I think I lost it (my head) – I think it’s still on the stage!
“It’s one of the things, the fans, I just got to leave it all in there.
“You can give out the odd little ones for the checkouts and the breaks of throw. But yeah, should leave it to that winning dart.
“They want the underdog to win. They want the favourites to go out. And yeah, I just had to get out of the way and get my job done.
“I think two years ago if that had happened, I’d have started throwing my darts left-handed, to be honest.
“But that’s how much I’ve grown. That’s how much I’ve matured. And yeah, people might not say I’m mature – but try and be in my position.
“Obviously, all us darts players, we’re always going to show emotion. We have every right to do so.
“When you’re in a game like that, the hostile crowd, you’ve just got to let it out. That’s what I’ve done at the end when I won the game.”
One thing Littler did acknowledge was that he perhaps reacted a bit too soon in the proceedings, cupping his ears to the abusers when he clinched the first set on double tops.
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LUK OUT!
But like the Hulk character in the Marvel comics, if you make Littler mad, he tends to get madder and supernaturally raise his level.
In another extraordinary display, despite all the anger he felt, Littler hit seventeen 180s and averaged 106.58 as dropped his first sets of the tournaments.
If he continues to play like that, he should retain the Sid Waddell Trophy on Saturday – the question is whether he will now be cheered or jeered?
The world No.1 said: “Obviously the fans, they’ve done what they’ve done. I’ve reacted as any other player would really.
“I think I might have reacted a bit too early after that first set and then when I came on for the second set, they’re still at it.
“I’ve done it a bit too early. But I just had to get on with the job.
“I think that’s a test that I needed and I’ve proved once again when someone tests me I can get them out the way.
“Rob definitely really pushed me. He said to me he found his feet and I said ‘you definitely did’.
“Obviously, I’m only a few games away from lifting the trophy once again.
“But the performance really doesn’t feel like a 106-and-a-half because it was just that much adrenaline going through me, that much emotion, the anger.
“I can say I’m glad that I won. I can learn a lot.
“I can learn how to deal with the crowds a bit better, not let as much emotion out. Just keep it all in me until that final dart.”
