It started off as a dream while Alan Soutar threw darts at a borrowed board in his kitchen to relieve lockdown boredom.
But after earning his first ever PDC tour card earlier this year, Soutar will step onto darts’ biggest stage as he makes his World Championship debut at Alexandra Palace.
The Sky Sports cameras will hone in on Arbroath-based Soutar as he faces Brazilian Diogo Portela on his Ally Pally debut on Sunday afternoon.
The Dundee firefighter dared to dream as he outlined his hopes of mixing it with the world’s best to Courier Sport in April.
That dream is now a reality.
But what can the 200/1 shot achieve at Ally Pally?
“How far can I go?” asked Soutar.
“It will be nice when I’m sitting in London on the 3rd of January being interview by Sky Sports with the Sid Waddell Trophy…
“Nah…realistically, I’d love to win my first game. I’d be off the mark on my Ally Pally debut.
“If I do that then you never know where I can go.”
Alan Soutar has risen 51 places in rankings in ten months
Full-time firefighter 👨🚒
Guide dog raiser 🐶
Player at this year's World Darts Championship 🎯Meet Arbroath's Alan Soutar ⤵️@soots180 @OfficialPDC pic.twitter.com/alVICT0KUJ
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) December 14, 2021
Soutar is currently 77th in the world.
He has climbed 51 places in ten months.
If he can reach and stay in the top 64 by the end of his two-year card, he’ll remain on the professional circuit.
With annual earnings of £32,000 he’s making an impressive start.
He’s one of FOUR Scots in London this week.
Soutar is joining Willie Borland and big-hitters Peter Wright and Gary Anderson in flying the flag for Scotland.
A win over Portela sets up a clash with Austrian Mensur Suljovic.
Suljovic, ranked 26th in the world, has reached the last 16 of Ally Pally three times.
But Soots added: “I quite fancy a game against Mensur in the second round.
“He’s a bit eccentric on the board so a game against him would be different.
“That would be huge for my ranking as the World Championship is the biggest pot of the year.
“I want enough money to be in the top 64 come January 4th.”
