With millions watching on TV at home, a former Kirklees College Bricklaying apprentice stunned the sporting world as he reached the fourth round of the World Darts Championships.
Charlie Manby, an apprentice at the college between 2021 and 2024, has always had a passion for the sport and became famous last February on the Winmau Development Tour. During that tournament, he racked up a 130.70 average, beating the now two-time world champion and good friend Luke Littler’s previous record.
Then this December, at the iconic Ally Pally, he further announced his arrival on the world stage, beating seasoned professional Cameron Menzies 3-2.
He followed it up with a 3-0 victory against American Adam Sevada and then booked his spot in the last 16 by winning three sets in a row to come back from 2-1 down and knock out Ricky Evans.
Charlie ultimately lost in the last 16 match against the eventual runner-up Gian van Veen, but clearly gained a lot from this experience.
Since the start of his rise to fame, Charlie has featured in a range of local and national news reports, including a story on the SkySports website, showcasing his career journey so far.
Patrick Maylett, Bricklaying tutor at Kirklees College, spoke with pride about the former student:
“It was so great to see him on the screen performing at the highest level of the sport. During the recent tournament, he displayed many of the personality traits that we saw from him at college. The whole Construction team wishes him all the best as his career develops, and we can’t wait to see what happens next!”
Calling all former Kirklees College students!
If you’re a former student with an interesting story to tell about your adventures since leaving Kirklees College, please join our alumni network by filling out our KC alumni form and we’ll be in touch!