Alan Soutar is travelling back to London to star in the PDC World Darts Championship – after fighting Christmas fires in Dundee.
The Arbroath ace headed straight from the Boxing Day nightshift at Dundee Kingsway East to prepare for Wednesday’s clash with world no. 9 Danny Noppert at Alexandra Palace
It’s a hectic lifestyle that highly-experienced firefighter ‘Soots’ has become accustomed to in two years as a pro.
He has risen a staggering 95 places in the rankings and will claim a £35,000 prize for reaching last 16 at Ally Pally for a second successive year if beats Noppert.
Courier Sport joined Soots and his ‘Green Watch’ colleagues at the Kingsway East Fire Station as they started four consecutive Christmas shifts.
And we quickly discovered the severity of what they encounter in their job.
“Last year I was on nightshift and we were turned out to a reported house fire,” firefighter Soutar told Courier Sport.
“I was first BA (Breathing Apparatus), along with Jamie Dean who was a probationer.
“He’s been with us a couple of years and quite fresh on the job. I’ve been here a long time so he was looking at me to take the lead.
“When we got it was quite clear the man in the house had passed away and we were dealing with a fatality.
Alan Soutar has dealt with ‘high level of adversity’
“I pulled him out of the fire, dealt with that situation and we put the house fire out. We were there a few hours before it went out.
“We got back and restocked the fire engine. I showered to get the contaminants off me and drove to Barnsley to play in a ProTour event.
“When you talk about switching between the two roles that’s a prime example.
“I had six hours between pulling a fatality out of a house fire to playing in a ProTour.
SOOTS HAS DONE IT AGAIN! 🧑🚒🏴
THAT IS SUBLIME FROM ALAN SOUTAR! 🔥
The Scot sends Gurney packing, clinching a 3-0 win with a MASSIVE 160 checkout!
What a man, what a player! #WCDarts | R2
📺 https://t.co/37DNuuK5Me pic.twitter.com/aGZ21OBPbm— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 17, 2022
“When I leave these doors and go back to normal civilian life I switch off and leave my work at the station.
“You can’t take that sort of stuff out of the door with you as it would haunt you.
“I’m ex-military and have seen a lot in life.
“My partner Amanda says I have a heart of stone because, at times, it seems like I have no emotions.
“I’ve had to deal with a high level of adversity over the last 30 years and have never had any wobbles.”
World Championship could be ‘life-changing’
Soutar will take on UK Open champion Noppert on Wednesday afternoon.
He’s five wins away from being crowned world champion and claiming a life-changing £500,000 prize.
“The next two weeks could change my life,” said Soutar.
“It would take something extraordinary for me to become world champion but it’s not impossible.
“There’s no point going there to make up the numbers.
“Let’s go there believing I can win it and see what happens.”
Conversation