As 16-year-old Luke Littler spoke to Sky Sports following his debut victory at the World Darts Championships on Wednesday evening, the crowd chanted 'You've got school in the morning!' Those chants, which were again heard throughout his 3-1 victory over Andrew Gilding in the second round on Thursday evening, are not factually correct.
"I did a few of my GCSE's and then I just never got into college because I won my pro tour card off the development tour," Littler explained to Sky Sports.
"I don't know where they've got that from but it is funny to listen to them and just know that I've not got school in the morning. From the start of next year, it's just darts, darts, darts for me.
"It's funny to hear. It doesn't put me off. It does make me smile. Throughout the legs, throughout the sets, they're just always chanting my name, 'There's only one Luke Littler', the Kolo and Yaya Toure chants, it's just unbelievable to hear."
"You've got school in the morning!" 😂
16-year old Luke Littler "over the moon" with his dominant win on his World Darts Championship debut 🤩 pic.twitter.com/gu8G3WdPs8
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 21, 2023
On Wednesday, the teenager from Warrington defeated Christian Kist 3-0 while averaging 106, the highest ever number for a World Championship debutant.
Asked how he'd celebrate his debut victory, Littler said: "I'll probably just treat myself to a kebab, treat myself to some bottles of Coke, some bottles of Fanta."
READ MORE: William O'Connor Hilariously Avoids Trash Talking Second-Round Opponent
"I think he's probably the most naturally gifted player I've ever seen in my life" 🤩
Sky Sports' Wayne Mardle on 16-year-old Luke Littler 👏 pic.twitter.com/01U3J3ePKI
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 21, 2023
Throughout his debut, Littler was not afraid to engage with the Ally Pally crowd.
"Walking on, everyone wanted me to sign everything," he said.
"I couldn't sign everything. It was crazy to see little kids with my top on.
"Walking on, I was nervous but when I got onto the stage, I just said 'Wow'. I didn't want to go into my own shell. I had to be myself.
"I engaged with the crowd and it just got me fired up. That's what I needed to do. If I hit a 180 or a big checkout, I had to give some to the crowd and they'll be on my side. That's what I did."
Littler, the fourth youngest player ever to compete in the tournament, went 2-0 up against Gilding before losing the third set 3-0.
"I was nervous yesterday," he said.
"I went 2-0 up and then took loads of emotions out of myself, went off stage, came back and Andrew beats me 3-0 for the third set.
"I'm just thinking to myself, 'You need to find some energy here because you have none'. In the fourth set, I just had to drag myself over the line.
"I’ve overachieved once again. I just wanted to come here to win and then to come back after Christmas, and I am doing that."
Littler will face Canadian Matt Campbell in the third round.
Luke Littler interview
"I've not got school in the morning - it's just darts, darts, darts for me" 🎯
16-year-old Luke Littler laughs off the chants at Ally Pally after ANOTHER win in the Darts World Championships. pic.twitter.com/SUJW1wsMC6
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 22, 2023
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