"You see players come in without qualifying and go straight into later rounds, it’s hard to take": Alan Soutar continues to lament European Tour qualification criteria
PDC
Alan Soutar has made an encouraging start to the 2026 PDC season, balancing life as a professional darts player, firefighter, and charity fundraiser with increasing confidence.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking to Tungsten Tales, the Scotsman reflected on his early-season form, the demands of the modern tour, and the motivation behind his upcoming London Marathon challenge.
A Fast Start to 2026
Six Pro Tours into the campaign, Soutar is pleased with where he stands. “It’s been a great start,” he said. “If you’d asked me at the beginning of the season whether I’d be in this position for the Worlds and Tour Card status, I’d have taken it. My floor form has been really good, so long may it continue.”
While ambition extends beyond simply retaining his Tour Card, Soutar is realistic about the increasing difficulty of staying competitive. “The baseline is being in the top 64 every year, and it’s getting harder,” he admitted. “There’s an influx of young players coming through, and they can skip past you quite quickly. You’re always looking over your shoulder.”
Despite that, he acknowledges that rankings are never far from any player’s mind. “Everyone checks the rankings page,” he added. “I’ve got a thing with Max Hopp, we always say ‘still green’ when we see each other. It’s a nice little joke.”
Experience and Evolution on Tour
Now in his sixth year on the PDC circuit, Soutar believes his extensive background in the game has been key. “I didn’t come into it as a new player, I’d played darts for almost 30 years,” he explained. “That experience helped in the early years, but as it becomes event after event, your preparation and mindset change.”
ADVERTISEMENT
One of the biggest changes has been a renewed focus on fitness. “A lot of players are trying to look after themselves better,” he said. “I’ve been running more, and that freshness and mindset of wanting to improve really helps, because the tour is gruelling, it really is.”
Alan Soutar is very outspoken about the Euro Tour qualifying criteria
Marathon Effort for a Meaningful Cause
That commitment to fitness has taken on extra significance as Soutar prepares for the London Marathon in April, raising funds for Guide Dogs UK.
“I’m absolutely loving it,” he said. “I used to be a runner in the Armed Forces, but that was 20 to 25 years ago, so it’s a bit more challenging now at 48.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The training has transformed his daily routine during tournaments. “Instead of lying about in the mornings, I’ll go out for a run, whether that’s Leicester, Hildesheim, Wigan or Milton Keynes,” he explained. “Then I’m back, showered, had breakfast, and ready for the day. It sets you up much better.”
The cause is a personal one. Soutar and his partner Amanda have raised guide dog puppies for years. “We’re on our eighth dog now,” he said. “We raise them from eight weeks until about 14 months before they go into full training. It’s a big part of our lives.”
The marathon idea came from his manager, and the shared goal has strengthened their working relationship. “We’ve both lost weight, we feel better, and if the money we raise helps even one person, that’s enough for me.”
Having already surpassed the initial £2,000 fundraising target, Soutar is now aiming for £5,000, a milestone that would allow him to name a guide dog puppy. “The darts community has been incredible,” he said. “The support has been brilliant, and we’ve still got a few weeks to go.”
World Championship reflections
ADVERTISEMENT
Soutar’s World Championship campaign ended earlier than hoped, but he remains philosophical about his defeat to Gian van Veen. “I always joke that someone moved double eight and double 16,” he said with a smile.
After progressing through a tough opening match, he felt he had an opportunity. “I went one set up and felt he was struggling,” he recalled. “If I’d gone 2-0 up, it might have been a different game. But from then on, he was just relentless, 180s, big finishes. He was just that bit better.”
Soutar believes that kind of edge often comes down to experience on the biggest stages. “He’s played a lot more European Tours, and that stage time makes a difference,” he said. “But I did beat him on the Pro Tour in Wigan recently, so I got my own back.”
European Tour frustrations
The European Tour system remains a point of contention for Soutar, who has previously voiced concerns about its structure. “They’re massive events, and the prize money is huge,” he said. “But I don’t think the system is great.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Late withdrawals and replacements, particularly involving top-ranked players, can be frustrating for those outside the elite bracket. “For players ranked around 40 to 60, it’s tough,” he explained. “You see players come in without qualifying and go straight into later rounds. It’s hard to take.”
Reflecting on earlier years, he added: “When I first got my Tour Card, there were more qualifying spots. It gave more players opportunities and made it exciting.”
Balancing careers and looking ahead
Still working as a firefighter, Soutar continues to juggle multiple commitments, a situation he hopes will change in the near future. “I’ve got 21 months left, then I can retire,” he said. “The plan is to keep my Tour Card until 2028, and then I can dedicate more time to darts.”
He believes that extra time could make a significant difference.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’ve hit 100-plus averages this season, but I also drop into the mid-80s, and that’s not good enough,” he admitted. “You need to be around 95 consistently.”
World Cup prospects for Scotland
Looking ahead to the World Cup of Darts, Soutar is excited by the potential Scottish pairing of Gary Anderson and Cameron Menzies. “It’ll be brilliant to watch,” he said. “If they both score well, they could go very deep in the tournament.”
While selection has rarely been a realistic prospect for him given Scotland’s strength in depth, Soutar remains proud of his position in the national setup. “As a Scot, I’ll support whoever plays,” he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026
- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026