Red-hot Soots is ready for big boys

By Phil Lanning

FIREFIGHTER Alan Soutar has a burning desire for glory after grabbing his dream ticket PDC Tour card.

The Arbroath ace produced a solid set of performances to gain a place on the potentially lucrative circuit which kicks off next week in Bolton.

Soots, 43, believes his military and fire service experience will help his bid to set the darting world alight.

He revealed: “Q School was really a roll of the dice for me. Once you get a card, if you’re not one of the top guys, you have to make plans afterwards!

“I’m a full-time firefighter, I don’t know how it’s going to work. But I think the way the PDC has set up the Super Series and Players Championships in blocks because of Covid-19 works better for me. I don’t need as much time off.

“I’m going to keep my job 100 per cent. It would be too much of a risk initially because I’m brand new on the tour. You don’t know if you’re going to make it or not. I’ll just be very busy this year.

“I was a commando para soldier in the royal artillery, I did a fair bit. I’ve never been one for settling in doing a normal role, I’ve always like to challenge myself.

“Going for a green beret was always something I was going to do. I always want to push myself to be the best I can.

“I think that military mentality helped me at Q School. You’ve got to use your time well, plan and keep your mind right.”

Soutar will make his debut on the PDC circuit at the Super Series in Bolton next week but he’s poured cold water on any big targets.

He added: “It is a cliche, I’ll just take one game and tournament at a time. I just want to turn up in Bolton next week and not make a fool of myself. 

“I know I can scare a few people and run a few close so I’ll go down there and try and bring out my A game and give these guys a go.

“I’ve played at Lakeside a few times, played for my country a lot, so Ally Pally is obviously the golden egg. To play at both World Championships would be a pretty amazing thing to do.

“The World Matchplay in Blackpool is obviously a Scottish fans favourite, that would be a cool one to play in that as well.”