Charlie Manby has suffered a blow in his bid of getting a PDC Tour card.
‘Champagne Charlie’ reached the fourth round at the World Darts Championship before falling to eventual finalist and runner up Gian van Veen.
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He was just one win away from securing a Tour Card had he reached the quarter-finals at the Ally Pally.
Manby returned to the building site just days after winning a life-changing £60,000 at the tournament.
And despite winning the five-figure sum, the 20-year-old swiftly returned to his job as a bricklayer.
Manby had hoped to win his Tour Card through the notoriously tough Q-School.
But he lost in Round One on Day One to Jack Aldridge in a last-leg decider.
He will still have a chance with the players who reach the final on each day up to Sunday getting a Tour Card.
‘4,000 people shouting my name a great feeling’
Manby opened up on his experience on the grand stage and life on the building site to ITV.
“It was a bit surreal to start with, then game by game I felt a lot more comfortable,” the rising darts star told ITV News.
“I was very nervous at the start but I got used to it. It was a great feeling and the crowd were always on my side which is always a good thing.
“There was 4,000 people shouting my name. It’s a great feeling.”
On his role as a freelance bricklayer, Manby said: “For the past three years I have been doing this job it has been my main income and I actually enjoy it.
“It’s a good laugh on the site and you are getting a good weeks wage at the end of it as well.
“You’ve always got something to fall back on if the darts doesn’t go your way.”
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When asked if he’d had any thoughts on what he’ll spend the £60,000 on, Manby replied: “Not quite. Maybe when it hits the bank I will have a think.
“I need a new car, so probably look at one of them and maybe a watch.”
Manby’s boss on the building site, Sam Booth, went on to say of the young darts player: “He’s just a character. He’s that guy who brings a smile to everybody’s face.
“When things might be getting a bit tough, he will be there making everybody laugh. That is what he is like. Just a good all-round guy.”
And when quizzed whether Manby is a better bricklayer or darts player, Booth jokingly said: “Good question. I’d say throwing darts. He’s still got some work to do.”
Manby fell to a 4-1 loss to Van Veen in the fourth round at the Ally Pally over the festive period.
The Dutchman reached the final of the World Championship, but was trounced 7-1 by world number one Luke Littler at the weekend.
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