Soutar on dealing with World Championship crowd: "Ally Pally is biggest monster, being a clown isn't the way"

Alan Soutar heads into the PDC World Darts Championship after a run to the Last 16 last year and reaching the Quarter-Finals of the Grand Slam of Darts this year.

Soutar has had a resurgent run of form after not following up his first year and will face Mal Cuming followed by potentially Daryl Gurney.

"The draw was exciting. I was on day shift and it was kind of a rush to get home and get Sky Sports News on for the draw, just the buzz around it is incredible. I'm excited for it and now we know the draw and the schedule, all roads lead to London," said Soutar to Tungsten Tales.

With the Scotland get battered chants, Soutar has to deal with hostility and he said though that he's learnt to deal with it finally.

"Ally Pally is probably the biggest of them all, the biggest monster especially if you wear Tartan on a stage in England but I think the two years of having the Tour Card has been a steep learning curve for me as I think antagonizing the crowd and trying to be the joker and being a clown isn't the way to do it."

"I know now from getting advice from bigger players for example Rob Cross was priceless for the sort of advice he gave me and I've took that into this year."

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Facing Cuming, he is not expecting an easy test despite getting a good draw on paper and is preparing for the best player to turn up.

"It doesn't really matter who you're playing, you've got to prepare to be at your best. If your best is good enough to get you through then you look at the next game.

"I'm a darts fan as well as a a player so I'd rather it was a good game than a scrappy 80 odd average game."

But of course, his work with the fire brigade also takes priority during the Christmas period and he explained his work schedule.

"I play Mal on the Wednesday and if I beat him, I play Daryl Gurney the very next day so I think that's really helped. The fire brigade have given me four days off which is really unique so that four days off, I'm going to be in London for Ally Pally and then I'm going to work 23rd, 24th, Christmas night and Boxing Day but that's not a bad thing as Ally Pally isn't on then and then if I get through, I'll have four days. It sits alright with me this year."

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