Charlie Manby has insisted there can be "no friends on the oche" as fallout continues from Luke Littler's Premier League clash with Gian van Veen. The 20-year-old, who made a breakthrough run to the last 16 of the World Championship in December, says such confrontations are inevitable in high-stakes matches.
Littler and Van Veen squared off in Manchester a fortnight ago, with the world champion appearing to celebrate his opponent missing a match dart and later engaging in a frosty handshake and social media exchanges. Both have since said they are ready to move on. Manby, who clashed with James Hurrell during the recent UK Open, believes it is all part of the sport.
"I suppose it could be good for the sport," Manby told the Press Association. "Those sorts of things can happen in the heat of the moment. You're playing for a lot, a lot is on the line and at stake. On the oche, you've got no friends anyway. Backstage, you can be how you like with everyone and be all right, but when you are up there you shouldn't really care who you are playing, how close you are off stage."
Manby, from Huddersfield, has joined Littler in the Target Darts stable after winning his PDC Tour card in January. He has stopped working as a bricklayer and is determined not to return. "The motivation is not to have to go back. For now I just want to keep my tour card, get in the top 64 after two years," he added.
During his World Championship run, Manby made headlines by calling out his girlfriend's employer for not granting her time off to watch him. That issue has been resolved, with Manby reporting she has more holiday days this year. He will release his upcoming Target Darts product in September.
