Flame Thrower

Firefighter John geared up to douse Barney’s big hopes

- Craig Swan

Arbroath fireman Alan Soutar hopes to extinguish Raymond van Barneveld’s joy on his big TV return.

The Angus arrowsmith wants to show hose the boss having come straight off a nightshift to make his own screen debut in today’s UK Open cracker.

Soutar has blasted on to the PDC scene having won a Tour Card at Q School w hi le maintaining his work with the Scottish Fire Service in Tayside.

While Barney has been preparing for a clash with a week’s rest and practice in his hotel near the venue, 43-year-old Soutar did an overnighter with his crew into yesterday morning before flying south to get ready for the showdown.

Soutar said: “I took a picture of myself on Tuesday on the back of a fire engine, sent it to the boys in the management company and said, ‘I wonder what Barney is doing today and how his prep is going?’

“ Just a five-times world champion for my first game on TV. I think the PDC tournament director doesn’t like me!

“It’s funny. I had him up in Arbroath for an exhibition once. I organised it and I didn’t play him, so I hadn’t really played him until Bolton.