MANBY BALANCES BRICKS AND DARTS

CHARLIE MANBY swaps his trowel for tungsten when the weekend arrives. 

The Huddersfield thrower works as a bricklayer during the week before stepping onto the oche to compete in professional darts. 

‘Champagne Charlie’ could secure a PDC Tour Card if he reaches the quarter-final of the World Championship after beating Cameron Menzies and Adam Sevana thus far. 

The 20-year-old has already turned heads on the Development Tour, finishing an impressive fourth in the Order of Merit this year.  

But for now, darts alone cannot pay the bills. Manby was still grafting on a building site between the first and second rounds, starting work at 8am. 

There is no chance of pulling a sickie either as his boss just happens to be his girlfriend’s dad. 

He told SunSport: “I’m not working over Christmas. But I went into work on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week. 

“It was all good. Most of the lads had been down here with me anyway, so they enjoyed it and they had a good time. 

“It’s a family-based business. They’ve helped me out. The sponsor on the back of the shirt, GBV (Construction). They’ve done a lot for me. 

“They’re top class for me and they still see me at work as Charlie Manby, not this champagne Charlie Manby on stage. It’s completely different. 

“We have got a young apprentice now, who’s 18, so he gets all the rubbish jobs! 

“I don’t worry about my hands at work. You know, the more you think about it, the more it’s going to happen. 

“So if you don’t think about it and crack on with what you’re doing, then it’s not going to happen. 

“My boss is also my girlfriend’s dad. He’s actually the one that suggested that he’ll sort tickets out because I can’t be bothered with people messaging me left, right and centre. 

“He’s been really good. He’s just top quality. I’m not a professional darts player. My main income for the past three years has been bricklaying. It’s as simple as that. 

“I’m self-employed. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid. If I have the opportunity to work, I’ll work. I’m not work shy. 

“You look at all the people coming through who might not have worked a day in their life. I’m not like that. I just want to crack on. I love going to work and I enjoy it.” 

Manby knows there will be no overindulging over Christmas with a showdown against Ricky Evans waiting for a place in the last 16 at Ally Pally. 

He added: “Obviously it might have to be a bit different this year. Normally it’d be Christmas Eve, just a few steady ones with family. 

“Christmas Day, at my house, grandma and grandad, my missus and then people come round. 

“Then Boxing Day, just go and see your mates and just enjoy it really. I want it to stay as simple as possible really. I don’t want to force things, I just want to do everything the same really. 

“I want to see my family, I want to see my friends, I want to have a good time. 

“It’s going to be hard and different now, but I want to keep everything as grand as possible.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.