Young gun Stan Moody wants to become snooker’s very own Luke Littler – but insists it may take him longer to become world champion. The talented Yorkshire potter, 19, became the first English teenager since Judd Trump in 2007 to qualify for the Crucible. Littler, who was runner-up at his first World Championship before winning back-to-back Ally Pally crowns, has enjoyed a meteoric rise in darts.
And that has magnified the lack of young British talent on the baize with the famous Class of ’92 trio of Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins and Mark Williams still among the top contenders for this year’s World Championship despite being in their 50s. Halifax cueman Moody and York’s Liam Pullen, 20, will make their dream Crucible debuts this year and could eventually play someone old enough to be their dads. Moody’s first opponent is the 2024 world champion Kyren Wilson.
Asked about the comparisons between himself and Littler, world No.44 Moody said: “I think it’s quite fair. Snooker is a lot harder in darts, I’d say.
“There aren’t many young players coming through. There’s obviously Liam Pullen. But doing what I’m doing, there’s not many of them. So it is a fair comment. People think it’s a boring game. It’s an old man’s game. It’s not. It can be fun.
“And that’s why I try and play more attacking, play fast, and try and encourage young players to do it and believe they can do it. Snooker’s a lot harder to dominate, especially nowadays with the standard, anyone can beat anyone. Darts isn’t really like that.
“There’s sort of a top few that are very good. Luke’s like generational, he’s amazing. That’s what I’m trying to be in snooker. I’ve got a bit to go yet, but I’ll keep going.
“In snooker if your opponent doesn’t miss, I can’t do anything. Whereas darts, you always get your throws. It’s completely different. And that makes snooker a lot harder as well, mentally, I think.
“I’m delighted to qualify. I know I can play to this level. I’ve beaten a lot of top players. I’ve just about doing it consistently and I’ll climb up the rankings and do well.”
The Yorkshire youngsters will have tons of local support when they make their Crucible bows in their home county. And Pullen said: “I went to watch the John Higgins and Mark Williams final in 2018 and now I could be playing one of them. It’s mental.
“To be around these players now is fantastic really. I’m not going to tempt fate and say who I want to draw or who I want to avoid. I’ll play anyone.”
Antoni Kowalski, 22, is the first Polish potter to qualify for the Crucible. He said: “I’m absolutely buzzing. I can’t wait.”