Ayr United FC – Glasgow Rangers FC (XI) (28-07-2008)

For some reason Ayr United has always had an attraction on me. As I hadn’t been able to visit the club during my 2.5 years in Scotland, and they now played a rare Monday evening game, my trip to Edinburgh was the perfect opportunity. So, I extended my stay for a day, decided to fly back from Glasgow, and made my way on Monday to Ayr, about 50 minutes by train to the south of Glasgow. It was an extremely hot day, which is not very enjoyable in Britain (unless you enjoy watching shirtless white- or pink-skinned thin guys and overweight girls). After a torturous three hours in the ‘centre’ of town, including a disastrous meal in an ‘Italian’ restaurant, it was finally time to walk to Somerset Park, roughly 15 minutes from the main railway station.

Roughly a month ago, when I first read about this game, the website had announced that it was all-ticket (i.e. no ticket sales on match day) because of security risks. At that time it also still presented its opponent as “Glasgow Rangers”, however. Consequently, I had emailed the club to reserve a ticket for me, which they had kindly done. I picked it up at the ticket office – 12 pounds (ca. 15 euro) for a seat on the “Central Stand” – and bought a pennant at the desolate and smothering hot fan shop.

Somerset Park is a typical run-down British ground, counting one big stand (seats), two smaller stand behind the goals, and an open stand. It was built in 1888 (!) and, as far as I could see, has not been renovated since. It can hold 12.128 people, but has only 1.597 seats. Not surprisingly, Ayr United is planning to build a new stadium, smaller but more modern. To illustrate my point, this was the view from my seat.

Tonight, some 1.200 people had made it to the old stadium, including some 400 away supporters (undoubtedly many from Ayr itself). Many home supporters also came for another reason, i.e. honoring the 30 years of service of groundsman Davie Harkness, as this game was the “Davie Harkness Testimonial Match”. These kind of games present some of the best in British football, true respect for people who make the beautiful game possible. And so, before the game, both teams stood in line for “Harko” to walk in between them and be applauded.

While initially a bit annoyed that it wouldn’t be the real Rangers, but its youth team, according to the Ayr United website report the “Ibrox babes”, I soon saw the positives of it. This team full of young hopefuls was eager to impress and played intelligent and attractive football. The Ayr attack in the first minute was directly one of the few of the whole game. And already in the direct counter-attack the Rangers youngsters showed their clever play and good technique. Several more chances followed before, in the 23rd minute, the first goal was scored. After the ball got stuck in the box, it was tipped in from close distance: 0-1.

Two minutes later a beautiful long ball of Ayr was finished with a weak shot. The last notable attack of the hosts this first half. In the 32nd minute Rangers countered yet again, finishing with an easy header from a couple of meters: 0-2. Just a minute later they had the next big chance, before scoring a deflected shot in the 39th minute. 0-3 was also the half time score.

After having watched the many seagulls flying above the pitch at half time, it was time for the second half. Already after 5 minutes Rangers hit the post, in front of an empty goal, which seemed the start of a sloppier second half.

The only player to keep his fantastic game up was the captain, the number 6, who was a cross between Steven Gerard (Liverpool) and Barry Ferguson (Rangers). What a phenomenal player, always looking for the easy solution. But even he couldn’t prevent the consolation goal of Ayr United, after a nice attack in the 62nd minute: 1-3.

This woke the youngster up again, and the next minutes saw various good chances for the visitors. In the 69th minute they finally scored again, after another beautifully executed counter-attack: 1-4. Despite many other chances, 1-4 was also the final score. Everyone seemed happy with the game, which did indeed show some top football (despite the lack of opposition by Ayr United). Happily I walked back to the station: happy to leave Ayr, happy to have seen the Ibrox babes, and happy to have celebrated Harko.

East Stirlingshire FC – Ayr United FC (27-07-2008)

(by way of ticket)

Visiting my old home town of Edinburgh, I couldn’t resist making a hop. However, as all games for the (still sponsorless) Scottish Challenge Cup were on Saturday, I had a problem. Fortunately, East Stirlingshire had left their regular home ground, Firs Park, as they are unable to afford ground improvements, and in the coming five years they will play their home games at Ochilview Park, the home ground of city rivals Stenhuismuir FC, which played at home on Saturday. So, on Sunday my friend L.M. and I set out for Falkirk, some 45 km from Edinburgh, to see the third team of that relatively small city play its first official game of the new season. As it was the hottest day in Scotland this year, we had some trouble finding the stadium (which we passed by chance), our car didn’t have airco, we arrived at Stenhuisemuir toasted.

Fortunately, we could park near the stadium, so we arrived well in time of kick-off. As I had feared, we went into the turnstiles of the ticket office, paid 9 pounds (ca. 11.50 euro) each, and… did not get a ticket! ☹

Even before the game started we got worth for our money. The stadium speaker was a fountain of words. In his hilarious expose he thanked everyone coming to the ground, including “groundhoppers” (had I been spotted?). On this beautiful sunny day, no less than 761 people had found their way to Ochilview Park. In a sense both were away supporters, but the roughly 300 Ayr United supporters had traveled a highly respectful 100 km.

Ochilview Park is an old-school British stadium, close to the ground, but in a horrible state. It holds 3.776 people, of which 626 can be seated on the one main stand along one long side; there is also one small stand behind a goal (only standing). The other sides are empty and not open to the public. Consequently, many a ball would be lost there during the game.

As Ayr United plays a division higher than East Stirlingshire, Second and Third Division respectively, they were the clear favorites to proceed to the second round of the Challenge Cup – even for the announcer. And, while The Shire played with a lot of heart, the Ayr goal didn’t take long. In the 15th minute a cross came in from the right and two headers further it was 0-1. The rest of the first half it would be all Ayr United that threatened. At least at three times they tested the Shire goalie, with free shots from within the penalty box, but every time he responded well (though the shots were never really good). So, half time 0-1, which was much less than Ayr deserved.

The second half brought much the same, even if East Stirlingshire had the first decent chance. After that, Ayr took over again. In the 60th minute alone they had two half chances, while five minutes later they shot a half-volley from 11 meters just over the goal. In the 70th minute Shire shot just wide and shortly after an Ayr player crossed half of the pitch before shooting (softly) at the goalie. Two minutes later they overshot a volley and in the 88th minute they forced the home goalie to yet another safe, after a great attack.

To the credit of Shire, they stayed in the game, fighting rather than playing. But out of nowhere, in the 90th minute, everything changed. Out of desperation a midfielder shot from 20 meter at goal, just over the goalie yet under the crossbar: 1-1! What an enormous screw-up of the Ayr goalie! Although there had been little reason to have much extra time, we played on for another five minutes, in which Ayr was completely lost, and Shire pressured… with effect! In the 95th minute, after a good attack, a dry low shot in the far corner changed the whole game upside down: 2-1 for East Stirlingshire!

A minute later the referee blew the final whistle and people around us got crazy; as the stunned Ayr United supporters silently left the stadium. What an ending of a by and large mediocre game. More than worth the trip! Once you stay away from the big clubs (e.g. ManU, Chelsea, Celtic, Rangers), seeing games in Britain is often highly entertaining. Unfortunately, verbal aggression is often widespread and there are always a couple of people insulting the referee and/or away supporters, winging and whining over every decision. This was also the case here, which was the only dissonant in a further enjoyable afternoon of football.