Bray tells fans to enjoy Littler brilliance after “boring” claims

RUSS BRAY has dismissed claims Luke Littler is making darts “boring”.

The legendary ref insists fans should appreciate watching one of the greatest talents the sport has ever produced rather than take his incredible success for granted.

Littler, 19, has already lifted the World Championship, Masters, UK Open, Premier League, World Cup and World Matchplay this season.

The teen sensation is now bidding to become the first player in history to complete a clean sweep of all the major titles in a single year.

But with Littler dominating on the oche, some supporters have questioned whether his trophy-laden spell has made darts predictable.

Bray believes Littler should be celebrated for his incredible run rather than criticised for winning so often.

He told talkSPORT: "What we tend to do is build sportsmen up.

“Look at Frank Bruno. Poor old Frank had two or three unsuccessful world title fights and everybody loved him.

“The minute he became world champion, people suddenly wanted to find as much dirt as they could on him and knock him down.

"That's what tends to happen. When you've got someone who's successful and winning all the time, people start saying, 'Oh, it's boring.'

“It's not boring. It's fantastic to watch. Praise the lad for what he is, because he is an absolutely wonderful talent."

Littler’s incredible rise has turned him into a crossover star and he will now headline his own Netflix show.

The live event on October 30 will see the world No1 face 20 amateur players in one-leg 501 shootouts, with anyone who beats him claiming a life-changing £501,000 prize.

However, Bray reckons even Littler’s brilliance does not make him unbeatable.

He added: “I'm not saying Luke won't beat most of them—he probably will—but I don't think he'll necessarily go 20-0 against all 20 players.

"The odds and percentages say somebody will have a chance.

“There are kids out there aged nine, ten and eleven throwing nine-dart legs.

“If you've got someone like that up against Luke, then he's going to be in trouble. It also depends who throws first. That's another important aspect."

Words: Aaron Nijjar

Image: Taylor Lanning