Eddie Howe’s surprise response to Newcastle stars’ night out and reason for Luke Littler boos
Luke Littler received a chorus of boos in Newcastle during Premier League Darts last year, while Eddie Howe’s men were spotted on an ‘unsanctioned’ team night out
Luke Littler is readying himself for the eighth night of Premier League Darts, which gets underway in Newcastle on Thursday night.
The 18-year-old prodigy will arrive at the Utilita Arena with the aim of edging one step closer to securing the £1million prize pot and retaining his Premier League title from last year.
Littler is fresh off a nine-dart finish and a victory over Michael van Gerwen in the final of last week’s Premier League Darts in Cardiff, where he boasted a stunning average of 112.5.
Yet, the Newcastle audience could make it difficult once again for the teenager, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise since reaching the final of the 2024 World Darts Championship.
The current world champion faced a hostile atmosphere last year in Newcastle, where he was eventually defeated by MVG in the semi-finals.
Aged just 17 at the time, Littler was met with boos from sections of the crowd whenever he took to the oche. But the reason behind the negative response on Tyneside was more tongue-in-cheek than malicious.
Fans inside the Utilita Arena were joking with Littler over some posts he’d made on X, which poked fun at Newcastle United. As a well-known Manchester United supporter, Littler had trolled the Magpies in a series of now-removed tweets, which the Newcastle faithful were keen to avenge.
There was also a significant Newcastle United contingent present at the darts that evening, with first-team players such as Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Harvey Barnes in attendance.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe claimed he was unaware of their team night out at a press conference the following day, jokingly saying: “You’ll need to give me a list of names please. Hopefully it wasn’t a late night? Maybe they should’ve been in fancy dress!”.
But Littler, who has so often displayed mental strength and skill beyond his years, wasn’t fazed by the crowd as he defeated Peter Wright in an electrifying 11th-leg decider during their quarter-final match last year.
The Warrington prodigy thrived amid the jeers, celebrating with his iconic ‘Big Fish’ gesture after a stellar 170 checkout.
That determined spirit paved the way for his Premier League triumph in his rookie season, ultimately silencing the booers. He capped off a sensational start to 2024 by beating Luke Humphries 11-7 in the final, hitting a nine-dart finish and becoming the youngest player ever to win a major PDC tournament.
His win in Cardiff last week marked his third Premier League win of the season, taking him six points clear at the top and putting him in a good position with 10 weeks left.
Meanwhile, second-placed Humphries will look to seize his chance to narrow the lead, while Van Gerwen lurks just behind in third place.
