Luke Littler’s mum lashes out at ‘vile t***s’ who booed son throughout World Champs tie
The darts wonderkid’s mum Lisa joined a host of top stars in condemning the booing Luke received during his classic encounter with Rob Cross in the World Darts Championship fourth round
Luke Littler’s mum Lisa has lashed out at the boo boys who targeted her son and labelled them “vile” and “t**ts”. The reigning world champ faced jeers from the audience at Ally Pally during his epic fourth round win over Rob Cross in the World Darts Championship.
Littler, 18, hit back at the gobby crowd and mocked them for “paying for his prize money” when he was booed by the baying mob. But his mother had far stronger words on social media as she rushed to the defence of her lad.
One person commented on why he wasn’t allowed to “call (Littler) a little pudding because he’s 18” since he was able to “financially ridicule a whole audience who’ve paid their hard earned money”.
Lisa replied: “So they buy tickets with there (sic) hard earned money to sit there like t**ts and boo (thumbs up emoji).”
Another user said “the more I watch Luke Littler, the more I hate him” – prompting his mother to respond: “Aww gutted for ya nottt (sic) (two laugh-crying emojis).”
And when darts fan told the world number one to “behave like one”, Lisa pulled no punches with her reply.
She said: “Behave like one (two laugh-crying emojis). Best comment so far am sure Luke will carry on behaving like one as he as (sic) done crowds were vile let’s all boo the world number one idiots man.”
Darts legends, including two former world champs, have also called on idiots to stop disrespecting Luke Littler after his beef with the crowd.
Dennis ‘The Menace’ Priestley – who lifted world titles in 1991 and 1994 – said: “They are looking for the underdog to win, but they’re all going to be underdogs when they play Luke Littler.
“When he’s up against it… he seems to find the answers. That’s a world star, a world number one and possibly a two-time world champion, which we will soon see in a few more days.
“He’s only a young lad and he’s not been on the scene that long. There’s a lot to learn and he realises that. It’s so remarkable the head he’s got on his shoulders, he’s got a man’s head that’s 40 years old with all of his experience that he’s packed in over the last 18 months.”
Former darts wonderkid Keith Deller, the 1983 world champion, also backed the teenage prodigy.
He said: “Shame the crowd turn on Luke Littler in such a short time, he has done so much for our sport. You have to admire he is a genius with a set of darts. Remember he’s 18.”
Littler had to conquer both Rob Cross and a hostile Alexandra Palace crowd on Monday night and said he is expecting more boos when he returns to the stage tomorrow (Thurs).
The defending champion beat Cross 4-2 in a brilliant match, which saw Littler hold off a fightback and book his spot in the quarter-finals with a 106.58 average.
But the arrows ace was met with boos over the contest with Ally Pally cheering on Cross in the hope of an upset, prompting him to roar “Now what?” at the crowd after clinching victory as his emotions poured out.
In a prickly interview on stage afterwards, he said: “I’m not bothered. Really I’m not bothered. Really not bothered. HAHAHA!
“Can I just say one thing? You guys pay for tickets and you pay for my prize so thank you for my money. Thank you for booing me. Come on! It was hostile, no one wanted me to win but I proved them wrong yet again.”
In a later media conference Littler said he believed the boos were because the fans were rooting for an upset in the battle towards the title and its bumper £1million prize – the biggest payday in darts history.
He said: “Obviously they want the underdog to win or they want the game to go on even longer than it should do.
“But it definitely fuelled me up and I’ve definitely played better then. We’ll just have to see what happens on New Year’s Day.
“It is what it is. They want the underdog to win, they want the favourites to go out. I just had to get it out the way and get the job done.
“Two years ago I think I would have started throwing my darts left-handed. But that’s how much I’ve grown, how much I’ve matured. People might not say I’m mature, but try and be in my position.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve been at the World Championship and the crowd haven’t wanted me to win. I expect the worst on New Year’s Day, whoever I do play, and whatever happens happens, I’m ready.
“All us dart players, we’re always going to show emotion and we have every right to do so. When you’re in a game like that, with a hostile crowd, you’ve just got to let it out and that’s what I did at the end.”
Welsh boxer Enzo Maccarinelli, a former world cruiserweight champion, also hit back at the Nuke’s critics posting on X.
He said: “Luke Littler is a youngster getting booed because he’s too good, visibly upset and let emotions get better of him, gives it back and people don’t like it.
“I thought he was spot on to give it back. I hope he don’t apologise and I hope good people are around him to help him mentally.”
