Tayside firefighter Alan ‘Soots’ Soutar has extinguished the odds to qualify for January’s Lakeside World Darts Championship.
The former Royal Marine, who lives in Arbroath, made it through the arduous Lakeside play-offs in Hull where four places were available.
He took his place among more than 500 players in the draw, itself narrowed down from tens of thousands of qualifiers from across the world.
Soots booked his place at the finals alongside England’s Darren Peetoon, Denmark’s Vladimir Andersen and 2001 world champion John ‘Boy’ Walton.
Alan said qualifying for Lakeside “feels unbelievable” and thanked everyone for their kind words and messages of support.
Messages of congratulation were also received from Scotland captain Ross ‘The Boss’ Montgomery and Dundee’s Paul ‘Chocolate’ Coughlin.
Coughlin, who competed at this year’s finals, said to qualify “from the floor” for a second time was evidence of Alan’s class.
Russell Roebuck, who is managing director of Behind the Oche, told The Courier he is delighted for Alan, who puts “everything into local, county and youth darts”.
Alan who previously qualified for the Lakeside World Championship in 2011 established the Angus Darts Academy in Arbroath at the beginning of 2012.
The academy was founded for children in the local community, providing a safe opportunity for them to socialise and compete as well as improve their arithmetic and learn the values of professionalism and sportsmanship.
In 2013 Alan captain of Angus Ravens was voted by the public as Scotland’s Sports Volunteer of the Year in STV series Scotland’s Real Heroes for his commitment to his local community.
He also hit the winning double eight in the World Cup Final in 2013 against the USA for a 9-7 victory alongside Ross Montgomery, Gary Stone and Craig Baxter.
Alan started playing darts at a very early age in the Skate Inn, which was owned by his grandparents John and Jane Air for more than 40 years.
He played in the men’s leagues in Arbroath and Forfar aged just 14.
A year later, he became the youngest winner of the Arbroath Champion of Champions competition when he beat Ian Jolly in the final at the Cairnie.
The 31st world championships will take place at Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey, which has been the host venue for the event since 1986.
In total, 40 men and 16 women will compete for the most prestigious titles in world darts at the annual championships, which attract a live audience of millions of television viewers in Britain, Europe and around the globe.