LUKE LITTLER says he has cleared-the-air with Raymond van Barneveld following accusations he had snubbed his hero’s text messages.
Last week, an interview in Dutch media published Barney’s withering putdown to Littler, suggesting the teen had showed a lack of respect and snubbed his phone messages.
The former Hague postman congratulated Littler on his recent Belgian Darts Open win in Wieze, which represented his inaugural triumph on the PDC European Tour.
The translation of the article into English suggested the Dutch five-time world darts champion had jokingly told The Nuke to “f*** off” for always being on his mobile at darts tournaments.
Yet in private conversations with manager Martin Foulds, the 56-year-old rejected the notion that he had been abusive in that conversation with a journalist.
Sources close to Van Barneveld told SunSport that he had indeed been unhappy about not getting a phone response from Littler this month despite multiple messages.
And that he would not continue to interact anymore with the youngster.
But his camp insist the darting icon was more making the point of ‘let it go’ – and did not drop the F-bomb.
Warrington-born Littler grew up idolising Van Barneveld and there is famous footage of him mimicking the orange-clad arrowsman’s arms-stretched-out oche celebration when he was a toddler in nappies.
Asked after his Premier League win in Belfast if he was disappointed by what Barney had said in the press, Littler replied: “He didn’t say it. No.
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“He messaged my manager Martin and said: ‘Don’t listen to them.’ He messaged us and said, I didn’t say anything…”
Littler, a huge Manchester United fan, will not be involved in the German Darts Grand Prix, which will take place this Easter holiday in Munich, after failing to qualify.
It means a rare weekend off before he prepares for a full day of media activity on Wednesday and then it is his homecoming in Manchester.
Well from fans on the red side of the city divide at least…
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