Mardle backs in-form Soutar for further success in 2021: "He's a good player and I've seen what consistency can do in the PDC"

Alan Soutar has had a superb start to life in the PDC from winning his Tour Card to reaching the last 16 at the UK Open and Wayne Mardle has backed him for further success in 2021.

Mardle believes that he is 'steady' and reminds him of James Wade in terms of his consistency and that he will be hard to beat as a result going forward.

"I followed him to a point in the BDO circuit over the last few years, he never really set the board alight but was a real steady, hard to beat character," said Mardle to Sky Sports.

"He's of an age now, where he's not going to get flustered or put too much pressure on himself. He played brilliantly to get his Tour Card - he averaged 96 in the recent tour events over 13 matches.

He's a good player, and I've seen what consistency can do in the PDC. You don't have to be flashy, flamboyant and brilliant all of the time. If you can stick to a mid-90s average, like James Wade, you're going to cause anyone problems."