"Auchinleck Talbot FC - Beechwood Park"

Auchinleck Talbot (or ‘the Bots’ as they are known) are one of the most successful Junior Football Club is Scotland (Junior being the equivalent of non-league in England) and have won the Scottish Junior Cup a record 12 times. This is all the more remarkable when you consider that, as a village, it has a population of only a little over 3,ooo. Auchinleck lies due east of Ayr and is located on the main A76 road from Kilmarnock to Dumfries. The village was inextricably linked to coal, being the site of a deep pit mine and a coal fired power station until both closed in the 1980’s devastating the community. As a result the town and the clubs support are solidly linked to the working man.

Location

Auchinleck station is on the Dumfries to Glasgow line and is served hourly. It’s then a brief 5 minute walk to the ground. The ground does not have a car park but, being located in a residential area, there is plenty of street parking. There are three pubs in the village- nearest to the ground – in Coal Road – is the Boswell Arms, whilst the Market inn and the Railway Hotel are at the ‘top end’ of the village.

View

The ground itself is located in Beechwood Avenue which runs behind the Main Stand. Entry is behind the goal at the Coal Road end (to the left of the Main Stand). This impressive stand was actually formerly the Main Stand extension at the old Douglas Park in Hamilton and it was installed in 2003. The seats are not the originals with the 500 currently in the stand having been purchased from Bristol City. The opposite side of the ground is terraced along it’s full length with the middle third covered by a roof painted in the club colours of yellow and black.
The Coal Road end of the ground also houses a covered terrace but also houses the changing rooms, club offices and bar, whilst the far (north) end of the ground is open and unterraced.

Facilities

Toilets are in a portakabin type building in the corner of the ground between the Coal Road stand and the covered terrace, whilst others are located in the clubhouse. Unlike many clubs at this level Auchinleck have a fantastic club shop called ‘The Kollectors Kabin’. This is run by a chap by the name of John Holroyd, who is a displaced Grimsby Town Fan and it has a huge stock of old programmes (Talbot, other non-league and league), football books, Scottish team mugs and other goodies. Well worth a visit !

Food & Drink

I’m afraid I didn’t notice if any food or drinks were on sale at the ground so I really can’t comment on the choice or price

Police & Stewards

Everyone connected with the club, from turnstile operators to club secretary were very friendly and helpful – the latter digging out the team sheets for me to see as no programme had been produced (apparently this is a regular thing for midweek games). I think they were more curious to see someone from Sussex at a midweek match when it was p*ssing down with rain.

Atmosphere

Auchinleck are one of the better supported teams in the Junior football scene in Scotland, as were their opponents – Hurlford United, who themselves are normally one of Auchinleck’s title rivals – and this led to a crowd of nearly 350 being present. There was some real partisan support in evidence and I would have to say I have heard less noise being made by far bigger crowds in England !

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