The new Luke Littler? Wigan tot tipped for darts stardom
A nursery school-aged boy from Wigan is being predicted to rival Luke Littler’s success after showing off his incredible darts skills.
Three-year-old Stanley Price has been playing darts for a year now, following in his dad and grandad’s footsteps but is already hitting maximum 180s!
Stanley’s dad Neil is the captain of a local darts team and has his own board in the back garden at the family home in Ashton.
The youngest of four children, Stanley has his own board at a lower level as well as one at his grandad’s home.
Mum Rachael said: “My husband’s captain of the local darts team and his grandad’s really into darts so he’s always been around it.
"It was just before he was two and he just wanted to have a go so we set the board up for him and away he went.
"We tried him with the magnetic ones but he wasn’t really interested in them he wanted the proper ones.
"People think we’re crazy when we tell them but he loves it.
"He got loads of sets of darts and loves going to the dart shop.
"He plays here and at his grandad’s house.”
Rachael took a video of Stanley during a recent trip to a darts shop in Bolton where he hit a 180.
She says that he enjoys watching Michael van Gerwen, Luke Littler and Michael Smith and would rather watch darts than children’s TV programmes.
Rachael added: “He watches the darts every week when its the Premier League, he watches it all over Christmas, he knows all the theme songs.
"It’s not something were we’ve gone ‘oh here throw darts’ it’s just something he wanted to do.
"At the beginning I was a bit standoffish because they’re sharp but he knows what they’re for and is good with them.
“Michael van Gerwen’s his favourite.
"Most children his age are watching Peppa Pig but, no, he watches darts.
"Even when it’s not on we have to put it on YouTube for him and he watches it on his iPad.
"‘Stanley could absolutely be the next Luke Littler, he could even be better.
"For his age, he’s brilliant now.”