Luke Littler went against darts icon’s advice who humbly admits ‘he proved me wrong’

Darts improvement Luke Littler won the Premier League Darts rubric connected his debut play connected the PDC circuit - but 1 darts fable admits helium would person advised against it

Dennis Priestley was proved incorrect regarding his proposal for Luke Littler to shun the Premier League earlier his debut victory.

The 1994 PDC world champion voiced interest implicit Littler's Premier League eligibility and suggested the prodigy mightiness person been biting disconnected much than helium could chew. Despite the reservations from darts seasoned Priestley, 'The Nuke' Littler defied expectations with a stunning show successful his Premier League debut.

He exacted saccharine revenge connected Luke Humphries successful the final, scooping up a chill £315,000 prize money and silencing immoderate doubters. His haul included £275,000 for his last triumph and an further £40,000 from his 4 victories successful the regular season.

Now Littler is poised to marque his World Grand Prix debut connected Monday erstwhile helium faces Rob Cross. And Priestley is lone excessively blessed to judge helium erred successful his worries implicit the 17-year-old being capable to vie against the darts elite.

In an interrogation with the Daily Express connected behalf of BoyleSports, who sponsor and connection the latest World Grand Prix odds, Priestley said: "Obviously he's not done atrocious truthful far. He's gone against what my proposal would person been. I would not person enactment him successful the Premier League truthful quickly.

"I would person utilized him arsenic an other game. . .but helium proved maine wrong. He went connected and won it, truthful who americium I to criticise putting him successful truthful quickly? I thought it mightiness person been excessively much."

Littler's achievements are each the much singular considering his property and the rarity of specified players his property making waves connected the nonrecreational darts circuit. Beyond the Premier League, Littler besides bagged £80,000 aft his ascendant triumph against Michael Smith successful the World Series of Darts final.

The up-and-comer is acceptable to people different milestone arsenic helium faces disconnected against Cross successful the archetypal circular of the Grand Prix. The victor of their lucifer volition determination connected to vie against either Brendan Dolan oregon Martin Schindler successful what could beryllium a useful way to the past eight.

Priestley, 74, had cautioned The Nuke against plunging into Premier League waters instantly pursuing his breakout astatine Alexandra Palace past year. His superior interest was the aggravated schedule, which helium disquieted mightiness hinder Littler's progress.

But alternatively than impede his evolution, Littler seems to beryllium thriving nether the accrued responsibilities successful his breakout campaign. And that makes the teen a unsafe imaginable coming into his archetypal World Grand Prix, wherever Priestley was a semi-finalist connected 3 occasions.

That mentation volition look a stern introspection erstwhile helium squares disconnected against 'Voltage' successful his curtain-raiser astatine the Morningside Arena. A hefty £120,000 first-place prize awaits the victor successful Leicester, with Littler astatine the acceptable to impressment among his elders erstwhile again.

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