I’m a UK Open champion – I was warned about Luke Littler at kebab shop before he was famous

ANDREW GILDING has revealed he was first warned about the talent of Luke Littler in a random kebab house in Blackpool – five months before he lost to him at Ally Pally.

Goldfinger was the first seed to lose to the then 16-year-old Littler at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship, going down 3-1 in the second round before Christmas.

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Andrew Gilding is worried Luke Littler could miss out on his teenage years[/caption]

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Littler is the youngest player to feature in Premier League Darts[/caption]

Had Gilding won that tie, then Littler, who has since turned 17, would not have made the Ally Pally final – there would have been no lucrative contracts and no Premier League spot.

Yet Gilding, 53, hopes the Warrington teen is able to enjoy his time growing up even though it will now be firmly in the spotlight.

The Ladbrokes UK Open champion said: “I caught his first-round match (against Christian Kist) when he averaged 106 and I thought: ‘Oh God, here we go, I’ve drawn a good one here.’

“I was a little bit nervous I suppose because I wasn’t sure what to expect.

“I narrowly lost the first and second set. I won the third set. I didn’t do myself any disgrace.

“There’s quite a storm around him now and he’s a great player.

“I mean people are worried about how it’s all going to affect him being so young. I wonder if he’s going to miss out on the teenage years.

“That’s the only worry for him. But good luck to him, I say.

“I remember when I got up on that stage. There were people booing me and I wondered: ‘Hang on, what was going on. Why are you booing me?’

“I was hoping to draw some youngster who’d never been here before but instead I got Luke Littler. It wasn’t the best draw in the world. He’s something special, that’s for sure.

“Before that game we shared a lift down to the hotel lobby together and my other half said: ‘I cannot believe he’s only 16 – I’ve got a daughter who’s 13.’

“When I was in Blackpool at the World Matchplay (last July), I went for a kebab after playing one night and a couple of people there were saying: ‘You should watch out for Luke Littler.’

“And I was saying: ‘Who’s that? I had never heard of him.’ Well, everyone knows who he is now.

“At the World Championship, he was having selfies with famous footballers – we had one outside a lift. I got in there early. It’s going to be interesting to watch how he gets on.”

Norfolk-born Gilding won £110,000 when he shocked Michael van Gerwen 11-10 in the final of the 2023 FA Cup of Darts.

He will head-bang for the majority of the six-hour, 300-mile plus drive from East Anglia to very loud heavy metal music.

Butlin’s Minehead is his favourite destination on the PDC map and he would not mind another crack at Littler in the open draw format.

World No.19 Gilding, who plays in the fourth round on Friday night, added: “I don’t know who I will play. Go on then, I’ll take Luke again.

“Have another bash at him. Why not? It was sort of meant to be at Ally Pally.

“It’s good for the sport because everyone is talking about him.

“Lots more youngsters are going to want to play. It’s going to be good in the long run.

“Minehead is a bit special to me. Obviously it’s my most successful place.

“I feel like there’s something about it that’s going to give me that little boost. Hopefully this gives me another kick.”