Angus darts star Alan Soutar will fight fires in Dundee over Christmas – despite securing his place on the pro circuit until at least 2023.
Soutar recorded a landmark debut win over Diogo Portela in the PDC World Darts Championship on Sunday to pick up a £15,000 winner’s cheque.
That win has provisionally moved the Arbroath ace up to 62nd in the world – a rise of 66 places in ten months – and has extended his tour card by another year.
Not giving up the day job
But Soutar, known as Soots, has no intention of giving up his job as a Dundee firefighter anytime soon.
Soots will rush from London after Thursday’s second round clash with Mensur Suljovic to do back-to-back nightshifts at Dundee Kingsway Fire Station.
And his work there still comes first even though his darts career is taking off.
“It’s not easy to juggle the firefighting and darts,” said Soutar.
“I can swap shifts but the more I swap, the more I have to work when I’m off.
“I’ve swapped shifts to be here on the 22nd and 23rd.
“If I win on Thursday I’ve got a crazy schedule coming up.
“It’ll be back up the road to do back-to-back nightshifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
“I’ll then a fly back to London on Boxing Day.
‘Firefighting comes first’
“I’d love to be back down here after Christmas but my job always comes first.
“It’s a bit of a juggle but as long as my work are OK that’s cool with me.
“I’ve been in the Fire Brigade for 17 years and I’d like to think I know what I’m doing.
“That experience gives me a bit of leeway with the gaffers.
“Will it become more of an issue?
“It depends how high I go in the rankings. If I go higher and higher then there is a decision to make.
𝗦𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗜𝗧! 🏴
Incredible debut display from Alan Soutar who defeats Diogo Portela in a deciding set and look what it means to him!#WHDarts pic.twitter.com/Q14rIBrRrG
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2021
“But I’m nowhere near any near ready to quit a job right now. I need to keep my job.”
Soutar’s quite content to have a crazy schedule if it means he is soaring up the PDC Merit of Order.
He’s also ready to keep people in Dundee safe over the festive period.
“When I go back to work on the 24th hopefully there are plenty of boxes of chocolates,” added Soutar.
🗣 "𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀"
Hear from Ally Pally debutant Alan Soutar who kicked off his campaign with a superb 3-2 success over Diogo Portela! pic.twitter.com/u99a6DU5qb
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2021
“I’d love to be able to eat chocolates at work and chill out.
“Hopefully people stay safe over Christmas and there aren’t a lot of accidents and fires happening.
“We’d love to be at work without overly-exerting ourselves but that’s a flip of a coin and we are ready to go whatever happens.”
