Littler suffers surprise first-round exit to Slevin
Luke Littler suffered a surprise early exit in the 11th Players Championship of the year with a 6-3 defeat by Dylan Slevin.World champion Littler averaged 90.11 compared to his opponent's 92.74 as he fell in the first round of the tournament in Leicester. Slevin, ranked 61st in the PDC order of merit, had raced into a 4-1 lead against the Warrington teenager at the Mattioli Arena.Littler rallied to win the next two legs to reduce the deficit, but 22-year-old Irishman Slevin twice nailed double top on pressure throws to seal victory. Former world champions Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price also fell at the first hurdle.
Van Gerwen lost a thriller 6-5 to fellow Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven while Welshman Price was beaten 6-4 by compatriot Rob Owen.World number one Luke Humphries exited the tournament in the second round after a 6-5 defeat by fellow Englishman Brett Claydon.There are 34 Players Championship events across the year, with the competition's finals held in Minehead in November.
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Scottish Sun
21 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
World's most valuable players revealed as Jude Bellingham leapfrogs Erling Haaland… but lags behind Lamine Yamal
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Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Hamilton Accies goalkeeper exits after frustrating spell
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Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
The 3 goalkeeping options facing Rangers as Russell Martin can stick, twist or clear the decks
Jack Butland faced flak last season and was even dropped so is he the man to help lead the 49ers' revolution? New Rangers boss Russell Martin's to-do list is as long as his arm. And when it comes to overhauling his squad - one of his first big decisions will be on who's best at using their hands. Martin is already starting to assess players who are already on the books at Ibrox. And when any new gaffer takes over a team, they invariably start at the back. There are very few successful sides who don't have a top shotstopper as their number one. And this summer at Rangers, it's definitely up for debate as to who will fill that jersey. The pool of players at Ibrox needs revamped after yet another dismal campaign where they played second fiddle to Old Firm rivals Celtic. Martin will want a new centre-back, a central midfielder, a full-back, a winger and a striker. That will be the MINIMUM requirement. But before all of that, they'll have to make a choice when it comes to their keeper. 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The move might even have cost him a Scotland spot as, having switched from being Motherwell's number one, he was only a Gers' back-up. But Kelly finally got his chance last season after a series of Butland mistakes led to Rangers losing goals. When Kelly was brought in by Ferguson to face Bilbao, he performed superbly, saving a penalty from the Spaniards which kept Gers in the game. He also looked steady in the Premiership towards the end of the season, especially against Celtic at Ibrox where he made important stops in a 1-1 draw. Kelly - who is an outstanding shot-stopper - has never let anyone down in a Rangers shirt. He's terrific - probably more adept than Butland - with the ball at his feet, which might be crucial to an Ancelotti or Martin coming in as gaffer. He only has a year left on his contract and will already be thinking about his future. For the sake of his career, he has to play first-team games but if Butland remains at Gers, he faces another season on the sidelines. If not? He might just get the shot he craves as the club's undisputed number one. 3: Sign a new Rangers number one It will be up to Butland and Kelly to make an impact in front of their new manager when pre-season starts on June 23. But the danger for both men is that a gaffer, with fresh ideas and cash to spend, might want to bring in his own keeper. Martin might like specific attributes in a goalie that he feels Butland and Kelly lack. If that's the case, it's a problem for Rangers because what do they do with the two shotstoppers who are already there? Butland is an established member of the squad and one of the Ibrox high earners. He's captained the club and is part of their dressing-room leadership group. He also has two years left on his contract so he'd be an expensive sub if he's left kicking his heels on the bench. Rangers would need to look to sell Butland if he's not going to be number one. But after a well below-par season, that might not be easy. Kelly only has 12 months left to run on his deal but if he's kept on, he could potentially be THIRD choice if a new man comes in. If that happens, speculation will begin around potential targets. If it's experience they're after, could they tempt Martin Dubravka to Ibrox from Newcastle? Oh, or Asmir Begovic has just been released by Everton. Or Jason Steele from Brighton? Whatever happens, the new manager will have huge decisions to make - and choosing a goalkeeper will be one of them.
