LUKE LITTLER hopes Premier League Darts is not marred by nuisance whistling for a second week in a row.
Last week’s finale in Glasgow between Littler and Luke Humphries – the reigning world champion prevailed 6-5 to earn the £10,000 nightly cheque – was ruined as they were targeted by abusive supporters.
PALuke Littler was victorious last week in Glasgow[/caption]
PALuke Humphries had to pause during the last night due to whistling[/caption]
Cool Hand Luke was impacted and had to stop his throwing motion at times, Littler tried to calm the situation down and then the referee told fans to stop whistling.
Darts bosses have vowed to stamp out any future “inappropriate” behaviour.
But it might get to the point where a player takes actions into his own hands and walks off the stage before it stops.
On Thursday evening, there will be up to 9,000 fans in Dublin’s 3Arena for night three of the 17-week tournament.
The Nuke, 18, said: “Obviously, it’s not a good thing for any fans to be whistling, whether it’s against me or my opponent.
“For example, Rob Cross missed two at double 18 and then they whistled, and he missed.
“I’d probably say it was the crowd’s fault that he did miss those doubles because you never see Rob miss double 18. And then I just had to take my chance and go five each.
“We wouldn’t want it to happen to anyone.
“If a player does walk off stage, then the security have got to do their job and whoever it is, whoever’s whistling or whatever they are doing, just kick them out. And then I’m sure us players, we can get on with it.”
Littler battles Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals in the Irish capital but while he denies the Welshman has become his bogeyman, the stats tell a different story.
The Iceman, 39, has won the past FOUR matches against Littler and is unbeaten since a meeting in Liverpool 10 months ago.
Littler – who is second in the table with five points from the opening two nights – said: “He played out of his skin in Bahrain.
“I couldn’t do much against him.
“He’s played brilliantly against me near enough every time we have played.
“For myself, I’ve just got to make sure I win that first game and guarantee myself some more points on the board.
“See how it goes from there.”
Premier League Darts 2025: Dates and venues
Night 1 – Belfast: Humphries beat Dobey 6-1
Night 2 – Glasgow: Littler beat Humphries 6-5
Night 3 – 3Arena, Dublin – Thursday February 20
Night 4 – Westpoint Exeter – Thursday February 27
Night 5 – The Brighton Centre – Thursday March 6
Night 6 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham – Thursday March 13
Night 7 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff – Thursday March 20
Night 8 – Utilita Arena, Newcastle – Thursday March 27
Night 9 – Uber Arena, Berlin – Thursday April 3
Night 10 – AO Arena, Manchester – Thursday April 10
Night 11 – Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam – Thursday April 17
Night 12 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool – Thursday April 24
Night 13 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Thursday May 1
Night 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds – Thursday May 8
Night 15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen – Thursday May 15
Night 16 – Utilita Arena, Sheffield – Thursday May 22
Play-Offs – The O2, London – Thursday May 29
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
