Breath of Fresh Ayr

Auchenfoyle v Fullerton

Ardeer Thistle v Kello Rovers

Saltcoats Victoria v Annbank United

Troon v Pollok

Ayr v Queens Park

With the weather elsewhere looking a bit dicey, it was decided to head north of the border as they are more hardened to a bit of cold, and the Junior leagues tend to play in anything that couldn't be viewed as the wrath of the gods.

It was Scottish Cup week, and the game at Ayr looked favourable as the weather looked to be better and there were a number of games that could be taken in beforehand.

So it was off Sowerby on the 0636, which today was only going as far as Preston.

Across the Calder Valley and I'll spoil you with a shot of the Accrington branch of Farm Foods in the dark.

The forecast for the North West was heavy frost and sure enough, the pitches at Preston Vernon Carus looked frozen enough for a Cheshire League ref to postpone every game until April.

With the line being shut to Blackpool, it was some rare Northern Union bay action.

A quick platform hop and I was on the 0758 Glasgow.

The sun rising above Kirby Stephen, though not rising quickly or warmly enough to keep any games on in the Kent Valley league.

Past the mysterious heart shaped forest in the Tebay Gorge.

North of Crawford is this forest, which I've often tried to work out what shape it is meant to be. Some sort of uni-bollocked cock and balls is my guess.

Moving into Scotland and whilst the frost was disappearing, we now had mist.  After he was caught up in the Reading - Fulham fog postponement, I have received a few lectures off my dad about how the clean air act means modern day referees aren't used to fog.  I'm not too sure what verdict he reached but I hope it wouldn't be an unexpected risk to my day's games.

We crossed the Clyde into Glasgow and all was bright.

Into Central and off my TransPenninne 350 Desiro...

...and onto a ScotRail 380 Desiro.

Heading out of the city and we passed the Sports Direct stadium, home of recent rags to riches club, Rangers International Football Club Plc.  Until 2012, they played as Sevco Scotland Ltd, though I can't find details of which league.  Since then, they have had a dramatic rise, with three promotions in four years, which has captured the heart of the Glasgow public as they now get 50,000 crowds as they rub shoulders with the likes of Ross County.  I am surprised the press haven't picked up on this heart warming fairy tale rise.

I was on a Gourock service, which took us out via Paisley.

Football Grounds Visible from Trains - St Mirren Park.  It is currently called the 'Paisley 2021 Stadium' to promote its bid for UK City of Culture status in 2021.  The fact that it is a town not a city is still probably not the least compliant part of the title.

As we regained the Clyde, we were again shrouded in most.

Fortunately it cleared.  

Unfortunately it cleared to reveal Dumbarton.

Approaching Port Glasgow and I was very glad to see this, because it was my intended game (or so I thought).

I was off at Woodhall.

The walk back was a tour of comedy bridges.  

Firstly, a limbo under this one.  Can anyone beat four foot four on a public right of way?

Then a tall bridge with a fringe.

The walk took me here.

Auchenfoyle 2 v Fullerton 4, Strathclyde Evangelical Churches League, Division 2
The complex at Parklea was rebuilt a few years ago with EU funding.  Imagine what can be built with the £3 billion we save every 20 seconds by leaving.  As well as a load of grass pitches, are a couple of 3G.

They facilities are all down one side, being the changing rooms and a couple of terraces.

The terraces were of a decent standard, much better than the crappy pre-fabs that plague English non-league.

They even had some needless aesthetic additions.  Unless eight foot spikes are actually structual.

There was even a turnstyle at the entrance.  I've not checked if an afternoon team plays here, but I bet if they do charge, it is still a bloke stood by the open gate.

Today was a @nonleague_train fest.  This was the first of the day, a 1979 vintage Scot Rail class 314 passing on a Gourock - Glasgow service.

I am a big fan of local Saturday morning football.  For those playing, it means the whole day isn't tied up, and for theose watching, it gives the opportunity to get a couple of games in.

Glasgow obviously shares my view as it has both the Glasgow and District Saturday Morning League and the Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Football League, this game was in the latter.

I'd originally thought that the game was Inverclyde Nazarene v Cumbernauld Colts.  However, on asking the subs what the score was, they gave two different scores, but more concerningly, three different team names.  Later research revealed this to be Auchenfoyle v Fullarton Irvine.  My original game finished 7 - 2 on the grass pitches.

The league's mission statement is described as 'The use of football as a means of true Christian Fellowship and the proper use of said fellowship as a means of glorifying God and representing a good Christian witness'.  Sometimes church leagues can be a bit prissy, with bookings for swearing etc.  However, within 30 seconds of my arrival, the home manager had announced 'right boys, last fucking 10', and there were three consecutive free kicks, so maybe it is a more modern interpretation of the faith.

The away team grabbed a goal.

An odd facet of the church league is that some players use Psalms rather than traditional numbering.  So here, 28 (the lord is my strength and my shield), is told to 'not fucking rush it, we're hanging on here' by 48 (Great is the lord, and most worthy of praise).  WWJD?

The game ended to polite handshakes, the away side winning 2-4.

The 314s are generally on the Cathcart circle services, so it was a surprise to see another, and even better, one in the fast disappearing Strathclyde PTE carmine and cream livery.  The home captain rounds up stray balls from the pitchside.

I headed back through an industrial estate to the back end of the station.  Bloody Umpa Lumpas, coming over here, taking our jobs.

I was onto another 380.  

By now the most had cleared enough to see the rock at Dumbarton.  Clyde's own Khao Ta-Pu.  Or Cefn.

Back into Paisley Gilmour Street and its overall roof.

And a myriad of stop boards.

I was over to the Ayr platforms for an Adrossan Harbour service.

A run down to Kilwinning where we took a right turn which took us onto the lovely Clyde coast.

With the not so lovely obligatory static caravans.

But we did pass my next ground, where the presence of the teams warming up signified the game was on.

I was off at Saltcoats.  Saltcoats, Stevenston and Ardrossan forms a Clyde coast conurbation, who's primary virtue is alliteration over beauty.  It was previously a heavily industrialised area, being an early coal mining area, as well as quarrying and then chemical works.  These were all closed by the late 20th century, giving the area opportunity to regenerate as a commuter town for Glasgow, a bit of a holiday destination, and a key centre for rural crack habits.  Much respected Scottish football administrator Gordon Smith is from Stevenston.

I decided to do the coastal route back to the ground, which with the mist clearing, was now bathed in sun light.

It would be hard to describe this as a promenade.  It is a strip of concrete sandwiched between a railway security barrier and a solid flood defence, giving it the ambience akin to an access road to a light industrial estate, rather than the seafront at Biarritz.

I crossed over the railway.  If you can divert your eyes away from the splendour of the caravan park, just beyond is the football ground.  Dominating the background is the Isle of Arran.

A brisk passing through the depression inducing aura of a mobile home park in January, I reached the ground.

Saltcoats Victoria 2 v Annbank United 3, McBookie.com Ayrshire District League.

Saltcoats Victoria were formed in 1889.  They have mostly been part of the junior set up, playing in the variously titled Ayrshire leagues, which is currently part of the west region of the structure.    

Annbank is an Ayr pit village that no longer is.  The club were formed in 1939, playing at the excellent New Pebble Park.  Juniors, Ayrshire, a few cup wins.  It seems that every club around here has exactly the same history.  

Campbell Park is strangely situated amidst a caravan park.  It used to be in an area of housing but that went with the industry.  

The ground used to have a grandstand but that succumbed to the joint forces of weather and local vandals.  It now has this cover.

Though the seating capacity is somewhat diminished.

With the grandstand went the changing rooms, so a selection of shipping containers perform the function.

There used to be a fairly ornate entrance arch, but this has been bricked up. 

The rest of the ground is grass banking, my idea of how all grounds should be.

One persons charm is another persons decay, and there were quite a few signs that the better days of the ground were behind it, with various crumbling walls.  In some places the detritus had been carefully stacked, possibly for rebuilding.

In other places, it was a timely reminder to watch where you were walking.

I'm not sure if the intention of the home warm up was to kick as many balls as possible into the adjacent yard, but they were very good at it.

The players headed into their containers, with the replacement kids showing much greater signs of accuracy.

Another plus of the Scottish Juniors is that there is none of this joint walk out and handshakes bollocks.  The away side emerged as a rabble.

Followed later by the home side, to the backdrop of another @nonleague_train.

There was a minutes silence.  The two people I asked didn't know who for.  

Also, the first @keepers_towel of the day.

It was ideal conditions for backlit 380s.  If you like that sort of thing.  Some people do.

The home side took the lead.

This bloke made friends with the seemingly resident crow.  Like a non-league version of the very old bloke from Shawshank.

Until the bird took the piss and helped itself to some of his pie.  With more kicking accuracy than I think I've ever seen in Scottish Football, the crow was duly dispatched halfway to Lamlash.

The away team then equalised.

Before the home team retook the lead.

I headed off with the game still in progress, it finished 2-3.

Into town and past the remains of Aleppo five a side courts.  They did warn what would happen if you don't wear flat bottomed soles.  (For the AstroTurf that is, Syria is a bit more complicated than that).

A few minutes walk took me into Stevenston and just off the main road was what appeared to be a public park.

But actually it contained this.

Ardeer Thistle 2 v Kello Rovers 2, McBookie.com Ayrshire District League.

Ardeer Thistle were formed in 1900, originally playing in the north part of the town until moving to the current location in the mid 1970s.  Juniors, Ayrshire, a few cup wins.  From now on I'll just say if this isn't the case.

Kello are from Kirkconnel, which is south of Kilmarnock on the very fringes of the Ayrshire coal field.  Rovers were formed in 1903 and similar to Ardeer, have played in the Ayrshire junior set up since.

The Ardeer Stadium was originally the ground for the team assimilated to the town's chemical plant.  However, the decline of the works saw the ground become available, and Thistle have been the occupants since.  The ground is absolutely fucking brilliant.

This is the only cover, down one side.

It is seemingly designed by the same person as the bridge at Woodhall, being about five foot high.  It was good old cinder terracing, held back by red and black painted railway sleepers.

With a sign so small that I still can't read it on 100% magnification.

The rest of the ground is terracing.

There is a track of sorts running around the ground, which I think was greyhounds, but it means the end terraces are a distance back from the pitch.

The side terrace has the luxury of concrete railway sleepers.

Another game, another @keepers_towel.

To add to the non-league tick list, one of the terraces housed a tree, from which a number of spectators were sheltering from the wind.

Just as I'd arrived, the home side had taken the lead, and they added another late in the second half.

Classic 1980s Sunday League trainers sponsor font.

As well as the stand, there was also a very strangely shaped changing rooms block.

For this level, the programme was fantastic, including the opportunity to readily identify the referee, who incidentally, was one of the modern 'J' name plague.

The Christmas raffle prizes didn't do too much to dispel the accusation of alcohol dependency in Scotland.

Beyond the far touchline, the shouts from a game at the nearby Garnock playing fields.

Also on the opposite side, was an optimistic second set of turnstyles.  Another nod to glories passed.

The away team were getting the arse with our mate Jordan, but did manage to pull back two goals and the game ended 2-2.

I headed back to the station, noting that since the demise of Rangers, it appears Ardeer have become Celtic's main rivals.  Who'd have thought.

It was Stevenston station this time.  I went right to the end of the platform to get a wide shot of the train arriving, and this woman went a stood right in front of me, about three carriage lengths from where the train stopped.  Bloody groundhopper groupies.

It was a four minute hop to Kilwinning, which is the junction station for the Ayr and Largs lines.

I headed over to the main platforms and onto an Ayr service, on the way to my last game of the day, Ayr United v Queens Park in the Scottish cup.

We headed down past Irvine Victoria's ground, noting it would be a fine day to get an @nonleague_train shot there as the light was just right.

Then down passed the links course of Royal Troon.

Heading into Troon and we passed Troons ground.  I hadn't considered their game against Pollok in the heady heights of Super League West, as it was too late to get to Ayr from, but immediately we arrived into the station and I had a split second to make a decision.

Troon it was.  Troon grew up around its natural harbour, which became very busy when the Kilmarnock coal field was in production.  It developed into a passenger port, though this has recently ceased.  Dull people watch golf that is played here.  Steve Nicol and Ronni Ancona are from Troon.

I arrived with people watching over various vantage points surrounding the ground and I had considered whether it might be a lock out.

But they were just being tight, which was needless anyway as the gate was by now open.

Troon 1 v Pollok 0, McBookie.com Ayrshire District League.

There were at least five separate attempts to establish football in Troon, the first being as far back as 1875, before the current club were formed post war in 1946.  They played in the West junior set up before it became the Ayrshire Leagues.  In the current set up, they have been in the West Super League Premier since 2011.

Pollok were founded in 1908 and these days are probably the biggest club in Junior football, meaning they are a lot bigger than a considerable number of league clubs.  They are based in South East Glasgow and there elevation came with the demise of near neighbours Third Lanark in the 1960s, with those supporters not wanting to follow a rival league club so instead chose Pollok.  This new found status saw them go on to win the central junior league eight times, and the national junior cup four times.  Since the re-org, they have won the West Super League four times.

Portland Park has been home to Troon since it was formed in 1946.  It is named after the Duke of Portland who was owner of many of the local mines and developed the town's port.  Like many grounds at Junior level, despite large capacities and a number of covers, there is no seating.

This is the only cover, on the near touchline.

The rest of the ground is open standing.

This has varying degrees of terracing.

The location of the railway and frequency of service meant it was a haven for @non_league trains.

There were also a collection of @nonleaguedogs who employed a strict rotation system between fighting, fucking and shitting.

To go with the train-towel combo at Worcester Park, here is a train-dog crossover.  The holy grail to include all the non-league twitter accounts would be dogs/trains/towel/chips/raffle prize

Pollok had brought a load of supporters with them, spread around the ground.  This was their sole visual identity.

Though they had left their mark in other ways.  I can't believe anyone in Glasgow drinks Sol?

That's more like it.

The home team had scored right on half time and were winning 1-0.

There were plenty of chances to add to the scoring.

The game was being recorded, but on a slightly more home spun effort than the Welsh League super structures.

The low sun had been a problem for viewing all day, but none of the keepers had stooped to wearing a cap.

The ground was an absolute gold mine for groundsmans clutter.  Behind the goal.

Piled up around the railings.

Various unattended chemicals for all to enjoy.

Late into the game and some more McDesiro action.

Behind the goal was a training area with at least three hotly contested kids games in progress.

I can remember Influence making a couple of teams kits in the early 1990s, this must be their last remaining item of clothing in existence.

The final train of the day.  This time a bit of Met-Cam variety, with a 156 on a Kilmarnock service.

As ever, the cover was the least populated part of the ground.  Hardy soles up here.

A final chance for an equaliser wasn't taken, and the game finished 1-0 to Troon.

Heading back to the station and the sun was setting dramatically over Arran.

Back at the station and time to take the environs in a bit more, with the ubiquitous 'whisky train' features that ScotRail have put up everywhere to show that they aren't a nation with major social alcoholism problems.

It was yet another 380 for me. 

Into Glasgow Central.  I had a +1 onto a Euston service which unfortunately didn't make, it can be seen departing through the central arch.

So it was another TransPennine, this time a three car 185 diesel Desiro substituting for a 350.

Back out across the Clyde for the final time.



A very uneventful slog back to Preston.

An hours wait in the dubiously pleasurable company of pissed up Carlisle supporters heading back from Accrington, was ended with only my second non-Desiro train of the day, a Northern 158 for Leeds.

Fortunately, at this time of night these services stop at Sowerby, so there was no sojourn at Hebden, and I was back home 16 hours after leaving.

Reading through other peoples reports from the day, they seem to be littered with dubious postponements at identikit grounds, which made me even more grateful for four games, three wonderful grounds and one interesting one, all with excellent hospitality.  As ever, the Ayrshire Junior clubs are well recommended.