Nathan Aspinall lifts lid on darts’ dark side as he claims Luke Littler is the victim of bitter jealousy from fellow pros

Nathan Aspinall has revealed Luke Littler is the victim of bitter jealousy inside darts.

But the 17-year-old superstar brushes it aside and instead says he’s thrilled that rivals can jump on his big-time bandwagon. Littler has changed the game. In his first year, he won 10 titles, banked £1 million in prize money and rocketed the sport’s profile bringing riches to the game.

That has made the teenager the centre of attention with both media and public. At the same time, Aspinall says it has also drawn envious glances. Delighted colleagues such as Scott Williams have openly spoken about loving the Littler's effect with the sponsorship and opportunity which the kid's stardom is providing. Others, however, don’t appear to share that view as his pal gave a frank behind-the-scenes insight. Aspinall, who is in the last eight of the PDC World Championship, revealed: “He hasn’t got many mates on the tour because a lot of people are jealous of him. I am not.

“I like him. He’s a nice kid. I appreciate what he has done for the game, for himself and his family. Listen, we are all in his debt for what he has done in the game.”

Littler was asked straight out if he was aware of that jealousy and said: “I don’t know. I’d probably say some players do show it, mainly on the Pro Tour. It’s definitely not to my face. Not as soon as I walk in, but whenever I’m practising I can just feel that tension. And I just laugh at it.

“But I’ve seen Scott Williams’s interview, he’s getting sponsorship opportunities, people asking him because of myself. So it’s good to see what I’ve done, especially for the players and whatever sponsors they can get.”

Aspinall will stand by his buddy at all times, even if he wants to hammer him and book and Ally Pally