Alan Soutar vows to ignore ‘Scotland get battered’ chants at World Darts Championship

On Dec 16, 2022

Proud Scot Alan Soutar insists he never considered leaving his collection of tartan trousers at home as he set off for the World Darts Championship.

Soutar has been regularly serenaded with chants of ‘Scotland get battered everywhere they go’ at tournaments, presumably in reference to the country’s continued failure to qualify for the football World Cup.

Fireman Soutar takes to the stage bedecked in an outfit showing off the Scottish saltire and tartan legwear and has received flak from rowdy English crowds as a result, even if much of it stays within the boundaries of light-hearted banter.

Soutar says he learned valuable lessons on how to deal with the fans during his Ally Pally debut one year ago when he enjoyed a great run to the last 16.

“I didn’t expect the crowd to be as anti-Scottish as they were,” Soutar told Dundee-based outlet The Courier.

“But you are wearing tartan trousers and a Scotland shirt, in London. It’s going to happen. I learned a lesson that I shouldn’t engage too much with the crowd.

“They will be against me for what I’m wearing so I’ve got to be able to handle it. Did I consider leaving the tartan trousers at home? No chance!

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Alan Soutar during his run the last 16 of the 2022 World Darts Championship
(Image: Getty)

“We are talking about identities. Michael van Gerwen has got his green shirt identity, Peter Wright wears his hair a certain way.

“I love being Scottish. On TV you need to have a bit of personality and to egg yourself up a bit. I want Scottish people to connect with me more as I represent them.

“I know what’s coming. It’s going to be wild, it will be a cauldron and a party atmosphere because it’s coming up to Christmas.

“I’m not expecting it to be as brutal as last year. It won’t be because I’ll just switch off and focus on the board.”

Soutar will be in action in today’s afternoon session when he takes on Australian Mal Cumming in the first round with a second round tie against Daryl Gurney at stake.