Charlie Manby, a 20-year-old darts player from Huddersfield, has returned to his job as a bricklayer after earning £60,000 at the World Darts Championship. Manby reached the fourth round of the tournament at Alexandra Palace, where he was defeated by eventual runner-up Gian van Veen.
Despite the significant payday, Manby has not changed his lifestyle. He told ITV: 'For the past three years, I have been doing this job. It has been my main income and I actually enjoy it. It's a good laugh on the site and you are getting a good week's wage at the end of it as well. You've always got something to fall back on if the darts doesn’t go your way.'
Manby plans to spend his winnings on a new car and a watch. His boss, Sam Booth, praised his down-to-earth nature, saying: 'He's just a character. He's that guy who brings a smile to everybody's face. When things might be getting a bit tough, he will be there making everybody laugh.'
Manby's run included wins over Cameron Menzies, Adam Sevada, and Ricky Evans. He witnessed Menzies' fiery reaction after their match, where the Scot extinguished a pyro with his hand and punched his table. Manby said: 'It was a bit surreal to start with, then game by game I felt a lot more comfortable.'
He has since returned to the oche for Q-School, aiming to earn a place on the PDC Tour alongside stars like Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Michael van Gerwen.
