After taking to the stage to defend his Premier League title, Luke “The Nuke” Littler has stepped off the oche and onto the pitch to provide Specsavers’ Best Worst Team, Tunley Athletic with some much-needed coaching.
Following his record-breaking victory at the PDC World Darts Championships last month, there is perhaps no one better suited to teach “the worst team in the UK” how to perform under pressure.
The BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year put on a masterclass for the Tunley lads, demonstrating his pinpoint precision and ice-cold demeanour, even when blindfolded. Pitting himself against the team in a series of challenges, he won all of them comfortably, even when playing with a handicap.
Putting the training to instant use, Tunley’s manager Duncan Fear stunned his team and the World Champ when he casually hit a fabled 180, as he quizzed the darts star about his mental preparation.
After the intensive indoor training, Luke and the team swapped arrows for studs and took on a series of football challenges, where Tunley gained the upper hand.
Keen to see his training in action, Luke stayed on to watch from the sidelines as Tunley attempted to put what they learned into practice in their next league game.
Speaking about his trip to Tunley, Luke said: “I had a great laugh with the Tunley lads. I’ve always been a football fan myself, so it was nice to get on the pitch for a change and talk to them about how I prepare and block out the noise during a game.”
“In darts, if you’re up one-nil and it’s the first to five or six, you’ve always got to stay on the opponent and not give them any breathing room. It’s the same focus and composure that can really make a difference in football, so hopefully it helps them bounce back!”
After enduring a torrid season, consisting of 26 consecutive losses and a jaw-dropping -137 goal difference, the Somerset based club has struggled to perform under pressure amidst a relentless run of defeats that landed them last in the Uhlsport Somerset County League last season.
Duncan Fear, who has been the manager at Tunley Athletic for over a decade, said: “Having Luke here was a breath of fresh air for the team – he’s world-class. We’ve been through a tough few seasons, but bringing in someone who knows what it takes to succeed under pressure and block out the noise is exactly what we needed. Luke’s insights have been invaluable – not just for the lads on the pitch every week, but for the entire club’s mentality moving forward. We’re really starting to believe that we can turn it all around.”
This season, Specsavers and interim manager Harry Redknapp have stepped in to guide the squad to long-awaited victory and are calling on some of the biggest names in sport to lend their expertise along the way.
