Manby reveals plan to return to building trade if he loses Tour Card

CHARLIE MANBY insists he will always have a way back into bricklaying despite making his breakthrough on the PDC circuit.

The world No83 gave up his job with GBV Builders after securing his Tour Card at the start of the year as the demands of professional darts made it impossible to juggle both.

Manby, 20, has gone on to reach the reach the fourth round of both the World Championship and the UK Open in his early career on the oche.

But Manby has no plans to let the skills he learned on the building site go to waste.

He told the Tops and Tales podcast: “I went straight from school, so I was 16, and did a two-year apprenticeship course. I passed that, then went and worked full-time through GBV Builders.

“I did that right up until I got my Tour Card and then jacked it in because the Tour is that busy now.

“Even stuff like this that I am doing. It is hard work sometimes to keep on the trowel as well as the darts.

“It was better for me as well because I had more time to practise. I loved it. It took me a while to get into it.

“All the lads on site were a good laugh. You actually enjoyed getting up and doing a bit of physical work.

“It is hard as well as fun. Some days are worse than others. It depends what you are doing because it was a bricklaying course but it was all sorts of building work.

“So it ranged from building a house, just wall in stone or blocks, but the next day you could be doing a roof or something.

“There is a completely different side to it.”

Manby's decision to learn a trade was partly driven by the uncertainty surrounding his future in the sport.

He added: “I never really knew what I wanted to be. I always wanted to be a darts player obviously but when it didn’t work fresh from school.

“I didn’t go to Q-School until I was 18. So I always wanted to do something just in case, like now, in two years' time, if I lose my Tour Card, then I always have work behind me.

“Instead of going out looking for a job when I always know I have got one there. So that is what I needed.

“I always have something to fall back on. The motivation passed from bricklaying to the darts.

“They are both hard-working in their different ways.”

Words: Aaron Nijjar