FLAME THROWER AL AIMING TO PUT OUT BARNEY FIRE

ARBROATH fireman Alan Soutar hopes to extinguish Raymond van Barneveld’s joy on his big TV return.

The Angus arrowsmith wants to show hose the boss having come straight off a nightshift to make his own screen debut in today’s UK Open cracker.

Soutar (right) has blasted onto the PDC scene having won a Tour Card at Q School while maintaining his work with the Scottish Fire Service in Tayside.

While Barney (above) has been preparing for a clash with a week’s rest and practice in his hotel near the venue, 43-year-old Soutar did an overnighter with his crew into yesterday morning before flying south to get ready for the showdown.

Soutar said: “I took a picture of myself on Tuesday on the back of a fire engine, sent it to the boys in the management company and said, ‘I wonder what Barney is doing today and how his prep is going?’.

“Just a five-times world champion for my first game on TV. I think the PDC tournament director doesn’t like me!”

Soutar has made a magnificent start to his career after years of excellent performances in the BDO and for Scotland.

Having grabbed one of the 29 cards available to the 650 hopefuls last month, the Scot swept into the big time with a dazzling debut to sink Adrian Lewis in his first competitive PDC game.

Soutar also scalped Peter Wright in Bolton last weekend with Dave Chisnall, William O’connor and Darren Webster also amongst his opening victims.

Barney did beat him, but he said: “It’s been a baptism of fire and to take out some of these names has caused quite a stooshie. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”