The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Soutar vows to fly the Scots flag with ‘pride’
Arbroath ace Alan Soutar is daring to dream after soaring into the world’s top 40 by sealing a place in the last 16 of the £650,000 Grand Slam of Darts.
Soots netted £12,250 and moved up four ranking places to 38th in a dramatic night in Wolverhampton on Tuesday.
The Dundee firefighter claimed a 5-2 win over Queen of the Palace Fallon Sherrock, a match that included a dramatic double-bull 132 checkout.
Nathan Aspinall then beat Peter Wright – a result which saw the world champion go out to ensure Soots will face Welsh wizard Jonny Clayton tonight.
Victory would increase Soots’ prize pot to £25,000, edging him ever closer towards the elusive top 32 ahead of his appearance at next month’s World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
And, while Soots has had a meteoric rise to the top, going up a staggering 90 ranking places since turning pro just 21 months ago, he believes he can go all the way.
When asked if he could win this year’s Grand Slam, Soots said: “Yes, of course I can. I can beat all these guys in the hall but I’m still just a hobby darts player.
“I’ll say that in every interview because that’s the way I play.
“But I can cause an upset and, if I take money out of the pockets of the top pros, then so be it.
“Every player looks at the darts ranking page and just to climb one or two places in the world is massive in terms of the jumps.
“I’ve jumped four or five places and that’s tremendous for me. A week ago, I was 43rd in the world but now I’m in the top 40 and I’m absolutely buzzing.
“It’s mad to think I’m the only Scotsman left in. I’ve looked up to Gary Anderson, Peter Wright and John Henderson for a long, long time so to be the last one carrying the flag is an honour.
“I’ll try my best and adorn the Scottish uniform with pride.”
Meanwhile, Soots has revealed he’s been driving home through the night to balance his darts career with his full-time role as a fightfighter at Dundee Kingsway East.
He has been granted special leave for his Ally Pally opener in middecember but will face a dramatic dash back home to work gruelling shifts over Christmas if he wins his first two games. “People don’t realise the amount of help I’ve had with swaps to keep the darts going,” added Soots.
“When I qualified for Ally Pally, I spoke to my manager about time off because I was due to work in the thick of it from December 15 to 18.
“He contacted the area manager and I have been granted time off on special leave. The fact that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have done that for me is amazing.
“They have taken the pressure off me and without their support I wouldn’t be able to continue.
“I’ve had to be clever this year. At seven Protours, I’ve gone to bed at 5pm on the Sunday afternoon and done the six-hour drive back from Barnsley at midnight to get into my work for the Monday day shift. That’s seven less swaps I have to beg for.
“I need to tip my hat to those who swap shifts with me. It’s only fair I get the cakes in or buy a curry for everyone when I do well at darts.
“I’m working Christmas again this year. I’m on the 23rd, 24th day shift, Christmas night and Boxing Day.
“I’ll either be out of Ally Pally or have to juggle it all again. It could be hectic but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’ve got five years left until I’ve done my full time in the fire service and I’ll do them.
“Hopefully, I’ll see them out and get my long service medal from the fire brigade. Darts is secondary – it always is – but is a
great thing to have on the side.”