Published On: Tue, Dec 16th, 2025
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Darts star avoids bricklaying job after sealing World Championship upset | Other | Sport

Charlie Manby has been spared a return to his bricklaying job after pulling off the biggest upset of this year’s World Darts Championship. The youngster from Huddersfield sprung a major surprise by defeating Cameron Menzies in the opening round on Monday. He will now be given a week to prepare for his second-round meeting with either Matt Campbell or Adam Sevada.

Most players would spend their time working hard in practice, but Manby was initially planning to put in a very different type of shift. Speaking after his win over Menzies, he revealed that he would be going back to his day job as a bricklayer. He explained that he wanted to restore a sense of normality after completing a career highlight at Alexandra Palace.

Quizzed on his plans between now and next Monday, Manby told talkSPORT: “Just go back home, chill out and my boss will probably want me back in work tomorrow, no doubt. So I might go and do a bit.”

Asked if returning to his manual job would be a wise move, he replied: “Maybe not, but I’ll just take it as it comes. I might want to get back to a bit of normality.

“If I do, I do. If I don’t, I’ll hit that practice board like I normally do. I don’t want to change anything, that’s the main thing. I’ve come into this on my debut and I haven’t changed anything I’ve done all year.”

However, the 20-year-old returned to talkSPORT on Tuesday morning and revealed that he had been given the day off by his manager.

“He’s fine with it,” said Manby. “He came down with us yesterday and was on the train back last night and I said, just to let you know, mate, I’m not working tomorrow.”

Manby’s big moment at Alexandra Palace was somewhat overshadowed by Menzies’ furious reaction, with the Scotsman appearing to burn his own hand on a pyrotechnic before repeatedly punching his table, leaving himself bloodied.

He went on to apologise for his bizarre actions in a statement, explaining that he had been going through a family bereavement.

Menzies wrote: “First of all, I would like to apologise for what happened. I am sorry that I reacted in the manner that I did. It’s not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind recently and I suppose it all just became too much at the end.

“It has not been an easy time for me with my uncle Gary passing away recently. I saw him four days before he died and he gave me a look which told me how much he thought of me.

“Had I won the game against Charlie, my second match would have been on the day of Gary’s funeral and that hasn’t been lost on me.

“Let me say again, that’s no excuse for what I did on the stage. It was the wrong thing to do and I don’t want it to take anything away from Charlie. He played well.”