Soutar ‘honoured’ as hometown club asks him to be ambassador

Angus darts ace Alan Soutar says the chance to become an ambassador for his hometown club Arbroath FC is the “ultimate honour”.

Soutar will be thrust into the spotlight at the Players Championship finals and £2.5 million World Championships in the biggest few weeks of his darts career.

The PDC star is on the brink of becoming a household name across the UK, starring in front of the ITV4 and Sky Sports cameras.

But he’ll never forget his Arbroath roots and will proudly fly the flag for the Angus town over the coming weeks.

Soutar, known as Soots, will sport a specially designed shirt and unique Mission Darts flights.

Both have Arbroath pinpointed on a map of Scotland.

But the chance to represent his boyhood heroes Arbroath as their new ambassador, is the icing on the cake.

Arbroath, who travel to Kilmarnock tomorrow, will host a special Sunday with Soots event on December 5 in a Q&A session.

There will also be an opportunity to face him in a darts challenge – just 10 days before he travels to Ally Pally for the World Championships.

“Arbroath means so much to me,” said Soots, 79th in the world.

“It’s where I grew up and where I live and I’ll never forget what the town has done for me.

“To be able to represent the town on this stage is amazing. I hope I do the town proud.

“Being made an ambassador for Arbroath FC is the ultimate honour.

“It’s incredible and it caught me completely by surprise.

“I got a call to go down to Gayfield to talk over the Sunday with Soots event.

“The next thing I knew they handed me an Arbroath kit with ‘Soutar 180’ on the back of it and asked me to become an ambassador.

“They invited me for a game and introduced me to the board.

“I then met the players and Dick Campbell.

“Dick is an absolute legend to me and as a young boy I used to follow Arbroath home and away.

“I was part of the bearded army in the Danny McGrain era.

“It’s surreal that they have asked me to be an ambassador.

“I feel the love from people across the town.

“So many people take the time to wish me well on social media.

“It’s amazing that so many watch me.

“I want to do it for Arbroath.

“When I’m interviewed, I love the fact they mention that I’m a firefighter from Arbroath.

“I’m one of seven Scots on the PDC tour but the better I can do the more I can raise the profile for our brilliant town.”

Alan Soutar is making a name for himself in darts.