‘Champagne’ Charlie Manby takes on Gian van Veen at the World Darts Championship on Tuesday with a quarter-final spot on the line.
‘Champagne’ Charlie Manby takes on Gian van Veen at the World Darts Championship on Tuesday with a quarter-final spot on the line.
Manby made an Alexandra Palace debut to remember after edging Cameron Menzies 3-2 to announce his arrival on the Worlds stage.
He followed it up with a 3-0 demolition job against American Adam Sevada with a 90.88 average, 47 per cent checkout with 114 and 100 checkouts and he booked his spot in the last 16 by reeling off three sets in a row from 2-1 down to knock out Ricky Evans, firing in 11 180s along the way.
Who is Charlie Manby?
Age: 20
Nationality: England
Hometown: Huddersfield
Nickname: Champagne
Darts: 22 Gram Target
Total Titles: Five
PDC World Ranking: 166
Highest Average: 130.70
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Huddersfield bricklayer Manby is guaranteed a £60,000 pay cheque and is now one win away from winning a PDC Tour Card, but he now has European champion Van Veen standing in his way.
The Yorkshire slinger was the talk of darts when he threw just 47 darts, racking up a staggering 130.70 average on the Winmau Development Tour in February.
It was the best in the tour’s history, obliterating reigning world champion and good friend Luke Littler’s record of 115.22, but fame quickly left the 20-year-old flummoxed.
“I think when you have that sort of stat to your name, you’ve got a bit of a target on your back and people have that extra fight in them when they’re playing you to do well and beat you,” admitted Manby, who warmed up for Alexandra Palace by winning the MODUS Super Series.
“I think my confidence dropped a bit after that so it was just finding your confidence where it needs to be and I think I managed to do that quite sharpish.
“People are playing their A-game against you all the time because they just want to beat you. It was just confidence, where I think it just dropped off a bit, but I built my way back up.
“Littler also has a target on his back, but he seems to relish it. People are different, aren’t they? Everyone’s different in darts. Nobody’s the same.”
Manby’s mettle did return as he emerged through a 278-player field – including Beau Greaves and Tour Card holder Owen Bates in a last-leg decider – to clinch his maiden Development Tour title in September.
A month later and Manby went toe-to-toe with Littler in arguably one of the greatest games in World Youth Championship history. He came within millimetres from stunning the Warrington teenager in a memorable encounter, missing two darts to win the match, including the bull on a 130 attempt.
MODUS Super Series champions
Conan Whitehead
Raymond Smith
Luke Littler (x2)
Jim McEwan
Scott Taylor
Andreas Harrysson
Marvin van Velzen
Darius Labanauskas
Jenson Walker
Jeff Smith
Charlie Manby 🆕
Manby’s big breakthrough
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Cameron Menzies furiously smashed the water table with his fist after suffering a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Manby
He headed to north London and the bright lights of Ally Pally with his form, confidence and reputation on the rise as he prepared to face Scottish star Cameron Menzies in the opening round – not an easy contest in the race to three sets – but one Manby was relishing on the big stage.
Manby announced himself to the world by defeating Menzies in a five-set epic – battling from 1-0 and 2-1 down, averaging 90.62 with five 180s – after which he declared it was “the greatest thing I’ve ever done in darts!”
He later added: “It’s a bit overwhelming, but it felt amazing up there!”
His victory against Arizonan Sevada was equally as impressive before becoming just the seventh ever non-Tour Card Holder to reach the last 16 with a stunning victory over ‘Rapid Ricky’.
It was an even contest until Manby levelled the match at 2-2, with Evans suffering a dramatic loss of form.
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Manby defeated Ricky Evans to set up a clash against Gian van Veen
Manby, who landed just four of his first 30 double attempts, warned his rivals: “I haven’t even got out of second gear yet, that’s the scary thing.”
Van Veen eased into the last 16 with a 4-1 win against Latvia’s Madars Razma on Sunday and Manby added: “I like Gian, I like the way he plays, quick and young player.
“He’s doing well but so am I. I’m just waiting for my A-game to come. I’ll be here all the time if my A-game comes.”
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Take a look as Ricky Evans lights up Alexandra Palace and delivers another iconic walk-on ahead of clash against Manby
Humble beginnings for young Manby
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A bricklayer by trade, Manby works for a construction company in his native Huddersfield and is on the books of Zeal Sports. His talent was first spotted at his local working men’s club, with his first tournament coming at just 12 years of age as he began to lay down foundations for a future in the sport.
Manby went on to play for Bradford Darts Youth, beating fellow talent Maison Wilson, who became under-18s Yorkshire Youth Classic Champion at 12.
“Everyone sort of looked at me and said ‘I’ve never seen him, who’s he’? And that’s when I sort of realised, ‘yeah, I can play a bit’,” said Manby, who went on to play at the WDF Youth England Grand Prix before heading to the JDC circuit and then the Development Tour at the age of 16.
“The Dev Tour it’s definitely the place to be as you’re starting off as a young player because you find out where your level is at and then you just work on that and progress and progress.”
‘Consistency is the hardest part of the game’
Manby is full of admiration for world No 1 and reigning world champion Luke Littler
It was all about finding consistency with Manby, who planned on putting in the hard yards in order to take some of the limelight away from Littler at Alexandra Palace – he’s certainly done that!
“I think finding that level of consistency is the hardest part of getting there,” he said. “I think if Luke needs to hit a 12-darter to break through, he will hit a 12-darter – it’s as simple as that! He can just switch it on like that and just kill players off. There is a bit of natural ability but he’s done all the hard work.”
But can Manby reach the same heights as world No 1 Littler? “Luke [Littler] is number one in the world, I get that. People see him completely differently to how I see him.
“I’ve grown up with Luke; I played for England with him and going through all the JDC England events growing up as a really good mate.
“We have a good relationship and it does feel good because obviously he’s done what he’s done for the game, and I think it’s great.
“It’s good knowing that he knows where I’m at and acknowledges it. And how good of a player I am.”
Best bullseye throwers with more than 25 attempts (finishes only) in TV & streamed matches in the last 6 months
Up to December 6:
1. James Wade – 40% hit rate
2. Charlie Manby – 35% 👀
3. Wessel Nijman – 33%
4. Chris Dobey – 31%
5. Josh Rock – 30%
Manby goes by the moniker ‘Champagne Charlie’ but it’s not a salute to former Arsenal forward Charlie Nicholas. It is in fact the brainchild of Chris Coles – the manager at his local football club.
“He said, ‘Oh, Champagne Charlie sounds mint. Walk on to ‘Champagne Supernova’ and everything! So it just sort of started from there really.”
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live all the way through until January 3 on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407 from December 10). Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.
