You've got to troll with it

Littler ready to mix it with Palace boo boys on NYD

- BY RICHARD LEWIS

LUKE LITTLER has no regrets for the way he reacted to the hostile fans as he reached the quarterfinals at Alexandra Palace.

But the world champion expects “the worst” as he prepares to face the crowd again tomorrow.

Littler was booed and jeered during his 4-2 defeat of Rob Cross and could be landed with a similar reaction in his last-eight match against Poland's Krzysztof Ratajski on New Year's Day.

But ‘The Nuke’ said: “That's the first time I've been at the World Championship and the crowd haven't wanted me to win.

“I expect the worst on New Year's Day, wherever I do play.

“And whatever happens, happens. I'm ready for New Year's Day. It was just pure emotion. I said what I said. I was going to say it last year at some point, but the fans, they pay for the tickets.

“Pretty much they're paying our prize money. So I'm not regretting anything”