Driven Luke Littler is ready to discard the L Plates as he motors back to Warrington for his big night with the Wolves.
There’s no respite for the World Champion after competing in Dublin in the Premier League. Littler will take the next steps towards a driving licence when he sits his Theory Test on Tuesday. The day before, he set to become a citizen of honour in his home town Warrington and tonight the rugby league club rename their stadium after him for their clash against Catalan Dragons.
Littler will need to depend on a plane before thinking about a car and hopes everything out of the Irish capital flies on time as he smiled: “Fingers crossed it’s okay. You’re the first person to say if there is a delay, so I’ll put it on you if there is a delay!” He was with the Warrington fans for their away game at Huddersfield last weekend, but this will be a different scenario.
He said: “It was just good to get out. Now the season has started again, I think there were 1600, maybe 1700 rugby fans. But, yeah, got in there, went straight up and obviously stood with all the crazy lot. I think we’re seated in some nice seats on Friday.
“I didn’t want to say it, but I think last season, we lost to Catalan at home as well. Maybe the season before as well. The home record isn’t the best there. So let’s just hope we do win.”
The citizen of honour ceremony will follow at the beginning of next week and he continued: “I haven’t heard anything of yet, but I’m sure that obviously, my social team will get in touch and tell us what is going on.”
It’s then the driving and Littler said: “I’ve got my theory test on Tuesday so, I hope that goes well. I won’t drive to darts events but everyone wants to drive.”
Littler is coping well with fame at a young age, but the issues involving Emma Raducanu this week show the dangers of the limelight. The tennis star was targeted by a man who “exhibited fixated behaviour” at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Littler, who burst onto the sporting scene as a teenager just like Raducanu, said: “Obviously the fans, they wait for us. They find out every hotel that we stay at. They want pictures and stuff like that.
“But when you’re getting stalked and followed, I think that’s just hitting a different level to be honest. Players and everyone, they will get pictures. Obviously, we all know we can’t take pictures with everyone. But I think following people, it’s a different level.”
Littler manages himself superbly with the darts demands on his time and the youngster takes it in his stride. Asked if the attention on him had grown even more since winning the World title, he said: “I wouldn’t say it’s changed.
“I’d say, for myself, my following’s just got even bigger. And as a darts player or anyone, you’ve just got to deal with it as it comes at you.”