He's not the Luke we wanted to win - but he's a worthy champ

Self-confessed Mr Boring’ who ended 16-year-old Littler’s dream darts run has an inspirational story all of his own

- Matt Majendie

MOMENTS after landing the dart that made him the world champion, Luke Humphries was acutely aware he was the secondary story. Almost to the point of apologising to the crowd for ending their dreamed-of victory for his opponent Luke Littler, he singled out the 16-year-old for praise in the same breath that he celebrated his own dream come true.

In a few short weeks, Littler has taken darts to popularity levels not known since the action moved away from terrestrial television. The final was watched by 3.75 million people — more than a Ryder Cup or Ashes cricket and only eclipsed sports-wise by football.

The teenager’s story is a remarkable one, coming within a whisker of darts’ biggest prize on his debut at an age when most of his peers are pondering school the next morning.

But lost amid all that was the final’s other feel-good story, even if it wasn’t the fairytale that most had wished to become a reality.

In contrast to Littler, whose rise has been astonishing, Humphries is a relatively late bloomer — although, at 28, he has plenty of years ahead of him at the top of the game.

The past year has been his clear turning point, with a 49-day winning spree in which he won three major titles. The world title followed, a cheque for £500,000 and the No 1 spot.

Humphries was born to build and repair roofs. His father Mark did so and still does, so too his brother Stuart. But eating away at this particular member of the family was a sense that he was destined for something more.