LITTLER WON’T QUIT OVER THE BOOS

By Phil Lanning

LUKE LITTLER won’t quit darts over the boos – because he can earn too much money.

That’s the verdict of the 1983 world champion Keith Deller who believes the teen sensation will bounce back from the recent setbacks.

Littler had a spat with Gian van Veen in Manchester and then got a huge amount of crowd abuse in Brighton before delivering his worst-ever TV performance since turning pro.

On the jeers, Deller told talkSPORT: “I don’t think it was too bad.

“At the end of the day, we had it back in our day. Eric [Bristow] got booed in Scotland because he used to upset Jocky Wilson a few times. That’s just the way it is.

“But Eric loved it and that’s what you’ve got to do. Peter Manley, he was one of them again. He used to get booed sometimes and just laugh.

“I think you’ve just got to laugh it off really because if you start getting to it and the crowd knows that you don’t like it, then you’re in trouble. Because they know they’re going to do it.

“But if you just turn around [and ignore it]. I’m not sure about what’s the problem in all this.”

Darts legend Steve Beaton recently stated that Littler might step away from the game to begin a new career in gaming or be a YouTube star with pal Angry Ginge.

But Littler dismissed that theory. He added: “No, he’s going to earn too much money in the game. It’s going to keep going up and up.

“And he might do that just because he doesn’t practice much, does he? I mean, he’s got enough time to play the game inside of it with his mate, Angry Ginge.

“But no, I think maybe a true reflection in a way is how long will he carry on? Because he could be worth, I don’t know, £15million in five years or £20m in five years.

“Will the incentive still be there? Will the hunger still be there? I don’t know. I just hope.”

Deller believes the backlash Littler is now receiving is down to envy from fans.

He added: “I think there’s always a little bit of jealousy. I mean Luke’s now a multi-millionaire.

“They might think: ‘Oh, look at him now’. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to remember, Luke Littler’s done so much for our sport.

“How many youngsters are taking the game up? The viewing figures now are going through the roof. Companies are becoming involved. Arenas are sold out because of Luke Littler.

“In Germany, there’s a lot of whistling going on – he doesn’t like it. He’s not bothered about going to Germany very often.

“I think the fans are the ones who will lose out. You don’t want to see whistling and booing all the time. Let the pros show how good they are.

“But at the end of the day, people pay their money and if they might be having a little bet on the match. So you’ve just got to get on with it.

“I just think at the end of the day, Luke Littler knows that: ‘OK, if you’re going to keep booing me, who cares? I’m still going to win major titles’.”