Luke Littler says it is going to take something special to stop him becoming the world champion after his amazing Alexandra Palace journey continued.

The 16-year-old has taken the World Championship by storm and became the youngest semi-finalist ever after he beat Brendan Dolan 5-1 in the quarter-final.

It was a new year but the same old brilliance from the precocious Littler, who is on the cusp of producing one of the greatest sporting stories of all time.

A semi-final against 2018 winner Rob Cross is next up before a likely meeting with Michael van Gerwen in the final, but he is a genuine contender to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy on Wednesday.

He has already proven he is ready to compete on the biggest stage after taking out UK Open winner Andrew Gilding and his hero Raymond van Barneveld on his way to the last eight and he maintained that form against Dolan.

And the teenager believes it is going to “take a lot” to stop his juggernaut.

“It feels unbelievable. I would never have thought I would have got to the semis on my debut year,” he said.

“Brendan was just another opponent in my way and I have brushed him aside and now I am into the semi-final.

“It’s going to take a lot to stop me, based on my performances so far. But it is about whatever Luke Littler turns up.

“I have got the ability to go all the way, if it’s not to be tomorrow night, it’s not to be.

“I know I have got a good chance and I have got a good feeling I could go all the way tomorrow.”

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Dolan had beaten former world champions Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson but could not compete with Littler, who finished with an average of 101.93 to thrill his adoring fans inside Ally Pally.

This performance will only heighten Littler’s celebrity status and his exploits have already transcended the world of darts.

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) will be coming under increasing pressure to hand him a place in the forthcoming Premier League.

But Littler is not expecting a call-up to the weekly event that runs from February to May.

“I have seen what the Premier League does, like Monday, Tuesday I’d be playing Pro Tours, Wednesday a Euro Tour qualifier, Premier League on a Thursday, then a Euro event at the weekend,” he said.

“I think the PDC will keep me out of it, it will be brutal like everybody said.

“If I do get picked I do, if I don’t, then I am not expecting it. I didn’t expect to get to the semi-finals, look at other some of the other pros, this is my first major, they deserve it more than me.”

He will meet Cross in the final after the 2018 champion produced one of the most memorable Alexandra Palace comebacks.

Cross looked dead and buried when he was 4-0 down after barely 45 minutes as Chris Dobey played one of the matches of his life.

However, the off-stage break worked wonders for Cross as the former electrician sparked into life.

He reeled off four sets of his own and then took out 130 to seal a famous win but Cross knows he will have to improve if he is to stop the Littler train.

“Everyone loves an underdog story,” he said. “As the public and people looking at the game, everyone loves an underdog story.

“I am not being rude, I am on his side, I love an underdog story.

“It took a bit of pressure off me winning it first time as well.

“He’s fantastic and he deserves all the luck in the world, he is a nice young boy. Tomorrow we play darts, though, and I have to go down to business.”

Teenage sensation Luke Littler is daring to dream after he continued his historic World Darts Championship journey by downing hero Raymond van Barneveld to reach the quarter-finals.

The 16-year-old has set the Alexandra Palace tournament alight on debut and is the youngest player ever to reach the last eight after a stunning 4-1 win.

He showed maturity and talent way beyond his tender years to get past the five-time world champion, who he used to imitate in front of the television as a three-year-old.

Littler, who has made the world sit up and take notice, will come back on New Year’s Day for a winnable quarter-final tie against Brendan Dolan and is dreaming of going all the way.

“It’s incredible beating one of my idols on the biggest stage of all, I still can’t believe it,” he said.

“I think I am daring to dream now, I have seen the draw.

“I am only three wins away now. I’m so young, only 16 and I have got nothing to fear, I have got no-one to fear, my game can be better than anyone’s on the day and I have shown it there against one of the greatest who have graced that stage.

“With performances like that I can go all the way.

“I’ve pictured myself winning it. I look at the draw and see Brendan next and then Chris Dobey against Rob Cross in the other quarter.

“I fancy myself. I do fancy myself.”

He was not even born when Van Barneveld won the last of his five titles.

Video footage has emerged of a three-year-old Littler copying ‘Barney’s’ celebration and has admitted it was a dream to play him on the Ally Pally stage.

He added: “It is unbelievable, 13 years ago I was doing his celebration throwing on my little board and I have just beaten him on the biggest stage.”

“Barney said to me at the end, ‘You can go all the way. I hope you go all the way’. I said, ‘Thank you’.

“He is a true gentlemen. I respect Raymond very well.

“Raymond was incredible. It was incredible to see his iconic walk-on, I am so glad I got the job done. It wasn’t easy.”

Next up is Dolan, who beat his second former world champion in three days when he ousted Gary Anderson 4-3.

It looked like the Northern Irishman, who dumped out Gerwyn Price in the third round, was heading out as Anderson rallied from 2-0 down to lead 3-2.

But Dolan composed himself and won the final two sets to reach the last eight.

“I’m over the moon,” he said. “I just think so much of Gary and how brilliant he is.

“It is not a bad couple of days. There has certain things that have happened that maybe make me think it’s meant to be.”

Pre-tournament favourite Luke Humphries again survived a scare as he prevailed in an epic thriller with Joe Cullen, winning a sudden death leg in the final set.

The pair were locked at three sets all and five legs all, with Humphries taking out 100 to win on his 10th match dart.

“It was one of the best games I have ever been apart of. Every time I looked around it was just treble after treble. No one deserved to lose, Joe did not deserve to lose that,” Humphries said.

Teenage sensation Luke Littler continued his historic World Darts Championship journey by downing hero Raymond van Barneveld to reach the quarter-finals.

The 16-year-old has set the Alexandra Palace tournament alight on debut and is the youngest player ever to reach the last eight after a stunning 4-1 win.

He showed maturity and talent way beyond his tender years to get past the five-time world champion, who he used to imitate in front of the television as a three-year-old.

He peppered the treble 20 nine times and finished with an emphatic average of 105.01.

Littler, who has made the world sit up and take notice, will come back on New Year’s Day for a winnable quarter-final tie against Brendan Dolan and will be dreaming of going all the way.

Life has changed immeasurably since ‘The Nuke’ came into the tournament on the back of winning the World Youth Championship last month.

He is now a recognisable name and has enjoyed celebrity status after bursting on to the scenes with wins over Christian Kist, Andrew Gilding and Matt Campbell.

Littler and his family received complimentary tickets to watch Arsenal in the Premier League on Thursday night, while players from his beloved Manchester United sent him good luck messages before the match.

He has catapulted himself into the mainstream and whatever happens between now and Wednesday’s final, it will be Littler’s journey that is the talking point of the tournament.

He was not even born when Van Barneveld won the last of his five titles.

Video footage has emerged of a three-year-old Littler copying ‘Barney’s’ celebration and has admitted it was a dream to play him on the Ally Pally stage.

Littler enjoyed Van Barneveld’s famous walk-on as much as the raucous crowd, but soon got down to business, throwing a maximum on just his second visit and raced to the first set after an 11-dart leg.

He continued to dominate and went 3-0 up before moving one leg from dreamland.

Van Barneveld made him work hard for it by winning the next leg, but nothing was going to stop the teenager in the next set as the apprentice beat the master in style.

Next up is Dolan, who beat his second former world champion in three days when he ousted Gary Anderson 4-3.

It looked like the Northern Irishman, who dumped out Gerwyn Price in the third round, was heading out as Anderson rallied from 2-0 down to lead 3-2.

But Dolan composed himself and won the final two sets to reach the last eight.

“I’m over the moon,” he said. “I just think so much of Gary and how brilliant he is.

“It is not a bad couple of days. There has certain things that have happened that maybe make me think it’s meant to be.”

Lauren Hemp wishes the whole England team had been recognised in the New Year Honours list.

Forward Hemp and goalkeeper Mary Earps received MBEs, with captain Millie Bright awarded an OBE for their achievements with the Lionesses.

England were runners-up at the World Cup, losing 1-0 to Spain in the final in Sydney, having won the European Championship in 2022.

“It’s a massive privilege for me, an absolute honour,” said Hemp, 23.

“I think the women’s game has come on massively over the last few years and it’s very nice to be recognised and it’s a shame everyone can’t be recognised. I think everyone deserves it in the team.”

Bright admitted she initially thought the letter from Buckingham Palace might have been a parking fine and Hemp was also unsure at first.

“It came through the post back in Manchester at my house. And normally sometimes I’m asleep and put mail to one side.

“But I looked at it and it said something like ‘His Majesty’s service’, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve done something wrong’.

“And, yeah, I had to read it about 10 times and I was thinking ‘what does this mean’?

“I told my mum and dad on that same day. They couldn’t believe it, to be honest. It wasn’t until it got announced yesterday that I was like, ‘Oh yeah, it does count’.

“Millie and Mary have done so much for the game. Obviously, Millie captained us throughout the World Cup and was just sort of like a shoulder to lean on and obviously Mary has done so much for the game – I see her face everywhere I look.

“Obviously she just won BBC Sports Personality as well – and I was sat there voting for her all night and getting everyone else to as well.

“So yeah, obviously they’re massive role models in the game and I only strive to be like them, to be honest.”

Kevin Sinfield paid tribute to his “incredible” friend Rob Burrow after the former Leeds Rhinos team-mates were awarded CBEs in the New Year Honours list.

Sinfield and Burrow have raised over £15million to combat Motor Neurone Disease through a series of attritional challenges since Burrow was diagnosed in 2019.

Earlier this month, Sinfield completed his ‘7 in 7 in 7’ challenge in which he ran seven ultramarathons in seven cities across Britain and Ireland in seven days.

“I think it is really special that Rob has been recognised again,” said Sinfield.

“The bravery and courage that Rob and his amazing family have shown as he is fighting MND is wonderful; to open the front door and to show the world what it’s like to live with it, he’s been incredible.

“I think the whole family have shown us all what a great family look like and they’ve been so inspirational.”

Sinfield was awarded an MBE in 2014 in recognition of his rugby league career, and subsequently an OBE in 2021 for his fundraising work to help find a cure and help those living with MND.

Burrow said he hoped to receive his award together with Sinfield after his hopes of a joint investiture in 2021, when Burrow received an MBE for his work for the MND community, was scuppered due to illness.

Burrow said: “I am honoured to receive the CBE on behalf of the MND community.

“It is always pleasing to have another opportunity to bang the drum for the whole community and ensure that those living with MND are remembered, especially at this time of year.

“I am particularly pleased that my good friend Kevin Sinfield is also receiving a CBE.

“I hope Kevin and I can go to the palace together in the New Year to enjoy another special occasion together again.”

Following his first quest of seven marathons in seven days in 2020, Sinfield ran 101 miles in under 24 hours from Welford Road in Leicester to Headingley in 2021.

Last year’s challenge ended on the pitch at half-time during the men’s World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at Old Trafford.

Sinfield said he was “humbled” by his award which he dedicated to the MND community.

“I certainly was not expecting the award and this has never been about any recognition, this is about raising money and awareness for the MND community and for fighting for Rob so I feel very humbled by the whole thing,” added Sinfield.

“I feel like I’m the one getting singled out but it’s been a real team effort from everybody. I can’t do it on my own. I need everybody to do their bit and it’s been an incredible journey.”

Broadcaster Jeff Stelling says being made an MBE in recognition of his work with the Prostate Cancer UK charity is the “icing on the cake” for his incredible career.

Stelling is best known as the highly animated presenter of Sky’s Soccer Saturday programme, which he anchored for 25 years until stepping down at the end of last season, and for lending his first name to his colleague Chris Kamara’s often-used phrase “Unbelievable Jeff”.

But it is his role as an ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK, where he has walked 34 marathons and been the spearhead for raising more than £1.7million since 2016, which he takes most pride in and has now received recognition for in the New Year Honours List.

“I am very proud to have had the opportunity to do it,” he told the PA news agency.

“It’s been great to help raise awareness, but the fundraising has been done by the hundreds and hundreds of people who come and walk with me. All I do is put one foot in front of the next one and lend my name to the marches.

“People think they’re going to be pretty miserable affairs but they’re not, they’re a celebration of life. Every day doing it is a day of joy.

“I’m doing a job that most people would give an arm and a leg for. So whilst I’ve had a wonderful and fortunate career, I’m glad that the MBE is in recognition more than anything of the charity work.”

The charity’s chief executive Laura Kerby said: “We’re thrilled that the ‘unbelievable’ Jeff Stelling has been honoured. For nearly a decade, Jeff has been an incredible ambassador to Prostate Cancer UK, helping us raise crucial awareness of the disease throughout the footballing community.

“During his years in the Sky Sports Soccer Saturday studio, Jeff proudly wore our ‘Man of Men’ badge every week, inspiring football fans to learn more about this cancer which affects one in eight men, and many of them have taken an action which has saved lives.

“On behalf of Prostate Cancer UK, and all the men and families we represent, we are so proud to have Jeff on our team and thankful for his selfless efforts. This honour is richly deserved.”

Stelling himself recalled one such encounter where simply wearing the charity badge had saved a life.

“At the end of the very first day (of the first of 10 marathons from Hartlepool to Wembley in 2016) we ended up at Marske on the north-east coast, blistered, shattered, not knowing what we’d let ourselves in for and thinking we couldn’t possibly do a second day,” he said.

He was introduced to a woman who said she had seen Stelling wearing the badge, discovered what it represented and then read on to find out the symptoms of prostate cancer.

“Lo and behold her husband had all the symptoms. He went and got tested, got treatment,” Stelling said.

“She just wanted to say thank you – that just by wearing the badge you have saved my husband’s life and he will be OK.

“The cancer was so far advanced that had she not Googled it then, he would have been dead. Over the years since then, it’s a story I have had repeated to me time and time again.”

Stelling was renowned as Soccer Saturday’s presenter for the amazing statistics he always had at his fingertips.

Asked how he achieved it, he said: “It was the old ‘painting the Forth Bridge’ job. As soon as one programme finished, you started on the next one.

“I would throw myself into the statistics, probably from the Wednesday I would spend almost exclusively doing statistics and my wife thought I was the saddest man in the world.”

One stat he was particularly pleased to have up his sleeve was the fact that Gareth Jelleyman, then at Mansfield, had never been sent off. At least not until the Stags’ League Two match at Cheltenham on October 29, 2005.

“Then there it was, in the 90th minute,” Stelling recalled.

“I could use the line I’d been waiting about a year to use – ‘Gareth Jelleyman’s been sent off. Let’s hope he hasn’t thrown a wobbly’.

“What I do for a job is not a matter of life and death. I’ve had a lot of fun and my only ambition is to carry on having fun.”

Stelling did recall an instance where the essentially light-hearted programme proved more significant.

“One day I got a staggering letter. It was from a young woman who was in the depths of despair and considering ending her life, she said she was just in a long, dark tunnel and she couldn’t see a way of getting out of it,” he said.

“Her brother was a football fan, she was not at the time. He put on Soccer Saturday. She said she saw this raving buffoon swinging his arms around and shouting at the camera and coming out with all sorts of wild statistics.

“And she said it would be an achievement if next Saturday, when Jeff’s on, I’m still alive. She said the next Saturday she was still alive, and the Saturday after, and it became a sort of bizarre game between her and death, to try and reach the next week.

“She managed to climb out of that tunnel. She has gone on to be a nurse, saving other people’s lives. It was the most inspirational letter. At times (presenting the programme) you thought ‘what are we doing here? It’s fun and it’s frothy but it’s all a bit worthless’.

“But when you get a letter like that it does give extra meaning to the programme.”

The extraordinary charity work of Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow has been recognised in the New Year Honours List alongside three of England’s Women’s World Cup football stars.

Sinfield and Burrow, who were Leeds Rhinos team-mates during trophy-laden rugby league careers, have received CBEs for services to motor neurone disease awareness.

Millie Bright, Mary Earps and Lauren Hemp have also been honoured for their part in helping the Lionesses reach the World Cup final in the summer.

Bright, who captained the team in the absence of fellow defender Leah Williamson, receives an OBE while goalkeeper Earps and forward Hemp are made MBEs. England came up just short, losing 1-0 to Spain in the final in Sydney having won the European Championship in 2022.

Sinfield has raised over £15million since his friend Burrow was diagnosed with MND, an incurable and life-limiting condition, in December 2019.

Earlier this month Sinfield, 43, completed the ‘7 in 7 in 7’ challenge by completing seven ultramarathons in seven cities in as many days.

Sinfield said: “I think it is really special that Rob has been recognised again. The bravery and courage that Rob and his amazing family have shown as he is fighting MND is wonderful; to open the front door and to show the world what it’s like to live with it, he’s been incredible.”

Burrow said: “I am particularly pleased that my good friend Kevin Sinfield is also receiving a CBE. I hope Kevin and I can go to the palace together in the new year to enjoy another special occasion together again.”

Another MND fundraiser from the world of sport, Rob Wainwright, will receive an OBE. Wainwright is the founder of the Doddie Aid event which raises funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Wainwright’s former Scotland rugby union team-mate Doddie Weir was diagnosed with MND in 2016 and died in November last year.

Wainwright said: “This is a tremendous honour, and it’s one I accept on behalf of the whole Doddie Aid community.

“Doddie was a force of nature, and I was very proud to call him a friend. Like everyone who he knew, who he inspired, I have been galvanised to do whatever I can to end MND.”

Peter Shilton, who holds the England men’s team caps record with 125 appearances between 1970 and 1990, receives a CBE for services to football and gambling harm prevention.

World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont’s knighthood has been upgraded to a Knight Grand Cross, while former England cricketer Stuart Broad receives a CBE.

Broad, 37, announced his retirement from the sport during the final Ashes Test in the summer and he bowed out in stunning fashion by hitting a six off his final ball and taking the match-winning wicket as England levelled the series at the Oval.

Marcus Trescothick, who played 76 Tests for England, will receive an OBE for services to mental ill health. He works as a mental health ambassador for the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA).

Elsewhere in football, Bill Bush, a senior advisor at the Premier League, receives a CBE. Two senior figures at anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, its chair Sanjay Bhandari and its head of development Troy Townsend, have each been made MBEs.

One of the sport’s best-loved broadcasters, former Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, was also made an MBE for services to sport, broadcasting and charity. BBC sports presenter Hazel Irvine will receive the same honour.

Howard Wilkinson, who managed Leeds to the First Division title in 1992 and briefly managed England in a caretaker capacity in 1999, has been made an OBE, as has Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom receives an MBE and former Scotland manager Alex McLeish an OBE for services to charity.

Christian Horner, the team principal and chief executive of Red Bull Racing, receives a CBE in a year when his team won Formula One’s constructors’ championship and Max Verstappen won the drivers’ title.

Ron Dennis, the former McLaren team principal, has been knighted for services to charity.

Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, an Olympic hockey gold medallist in 2016, becomes an OBE while race-walker Tom Bosworth has been made an MBE.

There were also MBEs for gymnasts Becky and Ellie Downie, Helen Housby, who was part of the England side which won netball gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and former BDO world darts champion Keith Deller.

England’s World Cup captain Millie Bright said she was “gobsmacked” to learn she was being made an OBE in the New Year Honours List, and was initially worried that the letter confirming the accolade was a parking fine.

Bright leads a trio of Lionesses to be recognised after the team’s march to the World Cup final in August, with goalkeeper Mary Earps and forward Lauren Hemp being made MBEs.

The 30-year-old Chelsea defender, who got engaged to her partner Levi Crew on Christmas Day while on holiday in Mauritius, was elated to receive the OBE but feared the worst to begin with.

Asked for her reaction to the news, she told PA: “Gobsmacked. It’s something you never imagined, something that never crossed my mind.

“Levi opened the letter for me because I was at training. He saw what it was straight away and he was like ‘oh my God, I’ve got to tell her’. So he sent me a message saying ‘you’ve got a letter, it’s really important’.

“I thought ‘oh God, what have I done? Am I in trouble again? It’s probably a parking fine or something like that.

“It’s something that you treasure forever and you can tell your kids and grandkids (about). It’s something to be proud of.

“Everyone in my family sacrificed so much for me to be where I am. So whenever I win anything, or get awarded something, it really is for more than just me. That’s why I love playing in a team sport, because without everyone else you wouldn’t be the person or the player you are.”

Bright, from Killamarsh in north Derbyshire, admitted 2023 had featured a lot of ups and downs.

A knee injury suffered in March threatened to rule her out of the World Cup and meant she missed the run-in as her club won a fourth successive Women’s Super League title.

Ultimately she recovered and skippered the Lionesses in the absence of Euro 2022 captain Leah Williamson, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

“It was 50-50 making the World Cup,” she said.

“You never know how rehab is going to go, you never know how your injury is going to react. I actually had a really hard rehab – I couldn’t get rid of the swelling, the knee was taking so long to recover and to be able to stay in that mindset that I was going to make it was really hard.

“Then obviously after (the World Cup) coming back into the league, the knee flaring up again and having to take time out again. Everything comes at a price and I’d do it all again – I’d rush back for another World Cup if I needed to and pay the price later.

“Overall the year has been incredible – winning trophies, leading the girls out in a World Cup final. There are moments that come once in a lifetime and you never know when you’re going to get the next moment. That’s the thing with football, nothing’s granted, but that’s part of the chase. Hopefully 2024 brings the same, if not better.”

Bright’s England team-mate Hemp came within inches of being the hero in the final against Spain, hitting the crossbar in a match England lost 1-0.

The Manchester City star, who scored a vital equaliser in first-half injury time in the quarter-final against Colombia, said she felt “very privileged and honoured” by the MBE.

“It’s a huge achievement not only for me, but my family and everyone who loves our beautiful game. It’s been an incredible few years,” she said in a statement.

“I’d like to dedicate my MBE to everyone that has supported me in my career so far, and everyone behind the scenes for continuing to push boundaries to get women’s football to where it is today.”

Earps enjoyed a stellar year too, saving a penalty in the final to keep England in the game and helping her club Manchester United finish second in the WSL.

She also earned plaudits for calling out sportswear manufacturer Nike over its failure to produce England goalkeeper replica kits, and earlier this month won the public vote to be named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.

A village resident has told of houses in states of “absolute disaster” after a “localised tornado” hurtled through a town in Greater Manchester.

Strong gusts whipped through Stalybridge, in Tameside, on Wednesday, damaging around 100 properties, according to the council.

No injuries were reported but many residents were forced to leave their homes.

Hayley McCaffer, who lives with her partner in the village of Carrbrook, told the PA news agency that they have been “fairly lucky” compared with some of their neighbours.

Ms McCaffer, 40, said: “Some of the neighbours’ houses are an absolute disaster – the roof missing, gable ends gone, cars squished with all the stone that’s come off the houses.

“Luckily for us, very luckily, we were in the pub last night when it happened.

“We weren’t here, but also we had parked our car there and looking at the state of our driveway – one of the walls has come down – we were very lucky that it wasn’t parked there because it would have not been in a good state today.”

She said she was alerted to the “tornado” by a phone call from her mother, who lives locally and whose roof was partially ripped off by winds before parts landed on her car.

Emergency services were cordoning off the area when Ms McCaffer and her partner arrived back at their home, and they allowed them to enter and collect some essentials.

“It was dark so we could see big piles of debris and people’s bits of houses missing,” she told PA.

She and her partner were “evacuated” and remain unsure when they will be able to get back into their home.

“But we were safe and that was the main thing,” she added.

“We’ve got insurance, hopefully that will be covered.

“And, you know, when things like this happen, there’s lots of people who are worse off than us, so we can’t really complain too much.”

Patricia Watkinson, who also lives in Carrbrook, was away in Norfolk when gusts swept through the village but was told by a neighbour that apart from a “dangling” aerial her home appears undamaged.

The 83-year-old told the PA news agency: “I’m glad I wasn’t there.

“My neighbour, she just rang me, and her shed is gone and the fence is gone. Hopefully, all that is wrong with mine is the aerial dangling.”

Ross Smith was stung by a wasp on stage at the World Championship after avoiding second-round pain to Niels Zonneveld.

Number 16 seed Smith eased to a 3-1 victory over Zonneveld before running into problems at Alexandra Palace.

“There’s the wasp,” Smith said in his post-match Sky Sports interview as he noticed the insect.

The Englishman then recoiled in pain and said: “He’s just stung me like a good one. Little bugger.”

Smith, a prolific maximum hitter, was below his best but still produced seven 180s and the second 170 checkout of the tournament to see off plucky Dutchman Zonnevald.

“It wasn’t a great game and I didn’t play nowhere near what I can,” said Smith. “But I can enjoy my turkey and pigs in blankets now.

“I tried to get some fire in my belly, but it was really difficult. I was a bit nervy the last couple of days, everyone is because you just want to get through.

“I will relax now and hopefully be better after Christmas.”

Exeter debutant Owen Bates lost a two-set lead as Ireland’s Steve Lennon fought back to win 3-2.

Lennon won nine of the last 11 legs against the 21-year-old crowd favourite to claim the win needed to retain his PDC Tour card.

“I don’t know how I won that,” said Lennon. “I was panicking deep down, it’s a massive win.”

Bates had qualified through the PDC Challenge Tour and emerged with huge credit from a pulsating contest, hitting five 180s and producing 101 and 108 second-set checkouts.

But Bates missed five doubles for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set as Lennon, who hit six maximums, grew stronger and booked a second-round meeting with Welshman Jonny Clayton.

Lennon’s compatriot William O’Connor had a far more comfortable time with a 3-0 victory over Bhav Patel.

The Indian left-hander was close to a 157 finish but he failed to win a single leg and the impressive O’Connor – who hit 64 per cent of his doubles and averaged 98.74 – will play Chris Dobey next.

Poland’s Cork-based Radek Szaganski took to the stage on his Alexandra Palace debut wearing the colours of the Irish flag.

Szaganski overcame Finland’s Marko Kantele 3-2 with a final set 142 checkout helping him through to a second-round clash with five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld.

Mary Earps rounded off a “wild” 2023 by winning the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year prize on Tuesday night.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper was a key part of the Lionesses side which reached the Women’s World Cup final in the summer and won FIFA’s Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper at the tournament.

Manchester United goalkeeper Earps saved a penalty from Spain’s Jenni Hermoso in the final, but the Lionesses were unable to add to their 2022 European crown as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Sydney.

Her international career appeared at a crossroads in 2021 and she acknowledged during the BBC show she felt she had “lost purpose” after losing her place in the England team.

Sarina Wiegman recalled her in the first England squad she named in September of that year after Earps had been out in the cold since November 2019.

Earps claimed the BBC award ahead of England cricketer Stuart Broad, who retired at the end of the fifth Ashes Test in the summer, and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson. For Earps, it was the culmination of a scarcely believable last 12 months.

“(Winning the award) feels pretty great on the back of a couple of big years – 2023 has been wild in ways I never expected, I am really grateful,” she said.

“I always committed to myself that anything I would have after that period of time (out of the England team) would be a bonus and it just hasn’t stopped yet. I’m just trying to make the most of everything, because when it stops you miss it.

“I wouldn’t be here without my team-mates at the Lionesses and United; we’ve achieved some incredible things over the last few years. Whilst individual accolades are great they only come on the back of team success. So it’s their trophy as much as mine.”

Earps was one of Wiegman’s vital lieutenants as the Lionesses won the Euros in 2022, and she secured her place in the public’s affection as she danced on the table in celebration during a press conference after the final victory over Germany at Wembley.

Last season Earps kept 14 clean sheets as Manchester United finished second in the Women’s Super League. She also drew praise after she spoke out about sportswear manufacturer Nike’s failure to offer an England goalkeeper’s replica jersey for sale before the World Cup.

Earps’ success on Tuesday night made her the third successive female winner of the award, after US Open champion Emma Raducanu in 2021 and Earps’ England team-mate Beth Mead last year.

Wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, jockey Frankie Dettori and golf star Rory McIlroy were the three other sports luminaries who made it on to the shortlist for the prestigious prize.

The BBC declined to comment on why there were no new words from McIlroy in the VT introducing his nomination or any link-up for a live in-show interview.

Broad announced he was retiring from cricket during the fifth Ashes Test in the summer and bowed out in spectacular fashion. The 37-year-old hit a six off his final ball and took the final wicket as England won the match to level the series, although Australia retained the urn.

Johnson-Thompson claimed the world heptathlon title for the second time in Budapest in the summer after a calf injury wrecked her hopes of Olympic glory in Tokyo in 2021.

Manchester City’s treble-winning campaign was recognised as they won the Team of the Year prize. Star striker Erling Haaland, who scored 52 goals as the Blues dominated at home and in Europe, won the World Sport Star of the Year award and City manager Pep Guardiola was named coach of the year.

Sir Kenny Dalglish, who played and managed with great distinction at Liverpool, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at Tuesday night’s ceremony in Salford.

Dalglish, who won nine titles with Celtic before moving to Merseyside in 1977, scored 172 goals in 515 appearances for the Reds. He enjoyed great success as a player, including scoring the winner in the 1978 European Cup final.

In 1985 he took over from Joe Fagan as manager of the club, initially while continuing to play, winning three further league titles. He then went on to win the Premier League title with Blackburn in 1995.

Fatima Whitbread, the 1987 world javelin champion, won the Helen Rollason Award.

Whitbread was abandoned as a baby and spent the first 14 years of her life in children’s homes before being adopted by javelin coach Margaret Whitbread. Since retiring, Whitbread has worked with various charities assisting and guiding children who had a similar experience to her.

Sixteen-year-old snowboarder Mia Brookes won the Young Sports Personality prize, while Desmond Smith, a grassroots sports coach from Sheffield, won the Unsung Hero award.

Mary Earps has been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the England goalkeeper’s record.

3 – clean sheets for Earps as she won this summer’s World Cup Golden Glove award. She saved Jenni Hermoso’s penalty in the final but could not keep England from a 1-0 defeat.

18 – international appearances this year.

6 – clean sheets in those games, with a friendly against Portugal and Nations League clashes with Belgium and Scotland along with the World Cup games against Haiti, Denmark and Nigeria.

12 – goals conceded by Earps in last season’s Women’s Super League as runners-up Manchester United finished with the best defensive record.

14 – record number of clean sheets across that season. Her career total of 56 is also a WSL record.

47 – international caps in Earps’ career.

25 – clean sheets along the way, with only 30 goals conceded.

39 – Earps has started all but six of Sarina Wiegman’s 45 games as England coach, playing every minute of those appearances.

152,000 – signatures on a petition calling for Nike to make replica Lionesses goalkeeping shirts available for sale around the World Cup.

5 – a batch of the shirts released on the Football Association website on December 11 sold out in five minutes, with the supply on Nike’s own site also snapped up that day.

27 – squad number for United, who reported in August that her shirt was the second-highest seller among their women’s squad behind only England team-mate Ella Toone.

727,000 – followers on Earps’ official Instagram account.

Mary Earps being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year marks the latest high in an incredible turnaround for a player who in early 2021 was considering calling time on her career.

At that point, the goalkeeper had not been involved in the England set-up since claiming her eighth cap in November 2019.

After being recalled as part of Sarina Wiegman’s first Lionesses squad in September 2021, she has gone on to help the team make history as Euro 2022 winners on home soil and then runners-up at this year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The final of the latter saw Earps pull off a penalty save, and she received the tournament’s Golden Glove award, six months on from being named FIFA women’s goalkeeper of the year.

A post shared by Mary Earps (@1maryearps)

As well as recently being nominated for the FIFA accolade again, the 30-year-old was fifth in the Ballon d’Or voting, and 2023 also included her finishing last season with a Women’s Super League-record 14 clean sheets across the campaign for Manchester United.

The journey that might have stopped before she reached such heights began with Nottingham-born Earps kicking a ball around in her garden with her younger brother and father. Having trained with her brother’s team but been unable to play in matches, she joined West Bridgford Colts aged 10.

The young Earps – who would do games like ‘two touch’ with a classmate who shared her love of goalkeeping – was involved in various other activities like badminton, judo, swimming and dancing, which she has said helped build a confidence evident in her readiness to be vocal when playing football.

She spent time with Leicester and Nottingham Forest before joining Doncaster and making her WSL debut in 2011. Spells with Birmingham, Bristol City and Reading followed, while she also studied for a degree in information management and business studies at Loughborough University.

Earps then made a handful of appearances for Wolfsburg in 2018-19 before joining newly-promoted United.

She earned her first England cap in June 2017 and was a member of Phil Neville’s 2019 World Cup squad, without getting any minutes. A few months after that, she played in a friendly against Germany at Wembley, was on the bench three days later in the Czech Republic – then was out of the picture.

Come the start of 2021, in the final year of her United contract, Earps was weighing up whether to continue playing or utilise her business degree.

She would subsequently sign a new deal with United, and Wiegman then started work as England boss, and Earps told the BBC last year: “I can vividly remember the days of feeling really down.

“I had given it a good go, but I just wasn’t quite good enough. I had responsibilities, I had a mortgage and it wasn’t adding up. Eventually I decided ‘OK, I’ll give it a couple more years’. Then Sarina came in and life changed literally like that.”

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Earps became Wiegman’s number one as England secured their first major trophy in 2022, then reached a maiden World Cup final. She also helped United break new ground as WSL and FA Cup runners-up last term.

As well as on the field, the boldness of her character has been exemplified by various off-pitch moments, from her dancing on a table during a post-Euro 2022 final press conference, to speaking out about Nike not putting her replica shirt on sale – something in keeping with an England side that has collectively pushed for change in a number of ways.

When named the best women’s goalkeeper by FIFA in February, Earps said the award was “for anyone who has ever been in a dark place”, adding: “Just know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Keep going, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.”

England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps has been voted the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2023.

The 30-year-old was a key part of the Lionesses side which reached the Women’s World Cup final in the summer, and won FIFA’s Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper at the tournament.

Earps saved a penalty from Spain’s Jenni Hermoso in the final, but the Lionesses were unable to add to their 2022 European crown as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Sydney.

Retired England cricketer Stuart Broad, who like Earps hails from Nottingham, finished second in the vote, while world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson was third.

In 2021 Earps’ international career was at a crossroads, having not played for her country since November 2019. However, she was included in the first England squad Sarina Wiegman named in September 2021 and has gone from strength to strength since.

Earps was one of Wiegman’s vital lieutenants as the Lionesses won the Euros in 2022, and she secured her place in the public’s affection as she danced on the table in celebration during a press conference after the final victory over Germany at Wembley.

Last season Earps kept 14 clean sheets as Manchester United finished second in the Women’s Super League. She also drew praise after she spoke out about sportswear manufacturer Nike’s failure to offer an England goalkeeper’s replica jersey for sale before the World Cup.

Earps’ success on Tuesday night made her the third successive female winner of the award, after US Open champion Emma Raducanu in 2021 and Earps’ England team-mate Beth Mead last year.

Wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, jockey Frankie Dettori and golf star Rory McIlroy were the three other sports luminaries who made it on to the shortlist for the prestigious prize.

Mary Earps is the favourite to secure the BBC’s 2023 Sports Personality of the Year prize tonight.

Bookmakers have made the 30-year-old goalkeeper the odds-on choice to win the prestigious award after she played a key role in England’s run to the Women’s World Cup final in the summer.

She is joined on a six-person shortlist by cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Frankie Dettori, athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, tennis player Alfie Hewett and golfer Rory McIlroy.

Earps saved a penalty from Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso in the World Cup final but the Lionesses were unable to add to their 2022 European crown as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Sydney. Earps was awarded the FIFA Golden Glove as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

In September she was also voted as England Women’s Player of the Year and helped her club Manchester United finish second in the Women’s Super League last season with 14 clean sheets.

Her future at United is uncertain however, with Earps’ contract with the club due to expire next summer.

Earps also hit the headlines early on in the World Cup when she spoke about the hurt she felt that sportswear manufacturer Nike had not made her England goalkeeper’s replica jersey available to purchase before the tournament.

After mounting pressure, the sports brand released her green long-sleeved Lionesses shirt, and it sold out in five minutes.

Broad announced he was retiring from cricket during the fifth Ashes Test in the summer and bowed out in spectacular fashion. The 37-year-old hit a six off his final ball and took the final wicket as England won the match to level the series, though Australia retained the urn.

Dettori, 53, secured a series of big wins in his farewell year in UK racing including the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean and the Oaks on Soul Sister. He is set to continue riding in the United States next year.

Johnson-Thompson claimed the world heptathlon title for the second time in Budapest in the summer after a calf injury wrecked her hopes of Olympic glory in Tokyo in 2021.

Hewett won seven wheelchair tennis singles tournaments in 2023 including the Australian and US Open titles. He also secured the doubles titles at the Australian and French Opens plus Wimbledon alongside partner Gordon Reid.

McIlroy was a key part of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup-winning team in October and finished in the top 10 at three of the year’s four majors.

Former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony in Salford on Tuesday night.