Charlie Manby, who enjoyed a dream debut run to the World Championship round of 16 in December, has joined Target Darts after leaving Unicorn and told ESPN he had conversations with Luke Littler ahead of making the switch.
Manby, 20, has spent years playing world champion Littler -- who is also signed to Target -- on the youth circuit, with both now having made the step up to become senior professionals.
'Champagne Charlie' was first the talk of darts when racking up a 130.70 average on the Winmau Development Tour in February 2025. He followed that up by beating the likes of Cameron Menzies and Ricky Evans on his way to the last 16 at Alexandra Palace where he was eventually beaten by Gian van Veen.
While the finer details of Manby's "multi-year" Target deal have not been disclosed, Littler's agreement with the darts supplier is thought to be worth a record £20 million.
In an interview with ESPN on Thursday, Manby revealed that while conversations with Littler were not necessarily the overriding factor in his decision to join Target, he did speak to two-time world champion before deciding on the move.
"[I did speak to him] a few, a couple times," Manby told ESPN. "I went for a meeting with him and were asking me where I'd been today and when he knew full well where I was! We get on and it's a good laugh.
Manby added: "We wouldn't be where we are now with the opportunities that we've got if it weren't for him, I suppose."
The pair's relationship goes back to their days playing together on the same England team on the youth circuit.
"We played in Wales for the British internationals in the youth and beat Scotland and Wales there and then went to Budapest for the Europe Cup. And yeah, Luke won the singles," Manby said.
"He was always heading shoulders above everyone else at that point. And then me and Thomas Banks won the pairs. So yeah, it was just good to be involved in such a good England team because I'm still convinced now there won't be a better team than that."
Manby reflects on Menzies' World Championship table incident
Manby's biggest win of his career to date came against Menzies in the first round of the World Championship, but it was his opponent's angry reaction to the loss that stole the headlines.
Menzies was left with a bloodied hand after repeatedly punching a drinks table after his defeat was confirmed. As Manby went off to celebrate, Menzies was unable to keep a lid on his frustration, turning to violently punch the underside of the table three times, causing the water bottles to fall off as the crowd booed.
The Scot was visibly upset while congratulating his opponent and held his hands up to apologise to the crowd before walking off stage.
Menzies later apologised and revealed that he had to undergo surgery and suffered nerve damage as a result of his self-inflicted injury.
"It got us much probably more media attention than if I just won 3-0 and just blown him away," Menzies reflected on Thursday.
"So it were good for me as well with all the media side of things. But like I say, I won at the end of the day and it is a tough and cruel sport to be involved in as well. So you've got a feel for him as well at the same time."
Manby's partner, with whom he is now expecting his first child, and her attendance at his matches in north London also became a storyline of his World Championship campaign.
He admitted that an increased focus on his private life is something he will have to get used to.
"It's going to come in. [It's] bound to happen. so I've got to take everything with a pinch of salt and just get on with it," Manby said.
Manby's new tools of the trade
Before earning his PDC Tour Card earlier this year and becoming a full-time professional, Manby spent four years as a bricklayer for a construction company in his native Huddersfield.
"I went straight from school, got a qualification in bricklaying and then worked doing that for about four years," Manby said. "It was just after the Worlds that I stopped. So about four years I was doing it and then darts took over. It's very busy now, so I don't really have time."
Are there any transferable skills from bricklaying to professional darts?
"Straight lines!" Manby joked. "Yeah, that's about it, not much really. The similar sort of laugh and a joke what you have with the lads on site and the lads in the practice room. So yeah, other than that, not really much."
