The fallout from a heated exchange between Luke Littler and Gian van Veen during Night Nine of the Premier League Darts in Manchester continues to dominate discussions, with former professional Scott Mitchell offering his perspective. Mitchell, known as 'Scotty Dog', has defended Littler, stating he does not believe the young star deliberately celebrated Van Veen's missed double in their quarterfinal clash.
The incident unfolded in a tense final leg after Littler battled back from 5-3 down to level at 5-5, forcing a decider. The 19-year-old had a chance at 134 for the match but missed double 7. Van Veen, on 90, hit treble 20 and had two darts at double 15, with the first landing inside. As he turned away in frustration, he spotted Littler making a celebratory gesture in his peripheral vision, leading to an indignant reaction from the Dutchman. Littler responded with a dismissive wave, and after missing double 7 twice more, Van Veen sealed a 6-5 victory on double 6. Tensions lingered post-match as Littler avoided eye contact during the handshake and walked straight off stage.
Van Veen later claimed Littler celebrated his miss and found it disrespectful, but Mitchell disagrees. In a Facebook post, he argued the situation was misread, saying, "Luke I don't believe would ever celebrate another player missing a double. Inside maybe but outwardly no. What he would do at 5-5, with himself to throw is get the crowd ramped up before his visit for match winning double. That we have seen from him before." Mitchell added that Van Veen's disappointment likely colored his perception, noting that players in the heat of combat often interpret actions as intentional distractions. He concluded, "So understand why in the heat of combat and adrenaline pumping, Gian saw Luke's crowd ramping as that. I don't see it as that, I'm sure many won't agree."
