Glenafton have signed 18 year old Gus Cochrane on a loan deal from Stranraer. The young midfielder formerly with Celtic youths made his debut for the Stair Park side in November 2010 .
Welcome to Loch Park, Gus.
Glenafton goalkeeper Ally Semple has extended his current contract to 18 months keeping him at Loch Park next season. Captain Robbie Henderson, John Paul Boyle and Paul Murphy are already signed up for next season and contract extensions with several other players are on-going.
Fingers crossed tomorrow’s home league match against East Kilbride Thistle will go ahead. The two sides have met four times on league business on four occasions with each having won one game and the other two drawn. Another tough test for league leaders Glens with East Kilbride only 5 points behind with 3 games in hand.
Sat 4th February, Portland Park, Troon, KO 1:00pm
TROON 3 (2) GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 2 (0)
Richie McKillen
With both sides scheduled fixtures called off due to the adverse weather a friendly match was quickly arranged at Troon’s Portland Park. The home side came out on top in a highly competitive game played in attrocious conditions. Troon were two up at the break and added a third in the second half with Glenafton’s goals coming courtesy of a Richie McKillen free-kick and Paul McKenzie strike.
Only one Super League 1st Division game survived the Saturday call-0ffs and second placed Ardrossan Winton Rovers passed up the opportunity to knock Glenafton off the top spot by going down 1-0 at home to Cumbernauld United.
Defender Bob Hay has been released by the club. He joined the Glens from Girvan in October 2011 has made 2 appearances, both from the bench. The club would like to thank Bob and wish him all the best for the future.
Glenafton have been drawn at home to Irvine Victoria in the 1st round of the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup. The winners will travel to face Craigmark Burntonians in the 2nd Round.
Glens and Vics last met in the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup back in 2007/08 when goals from Frankie Haggarty and David Gormley secured a 2-1 win at Irvine in the 1st round.
| 1st Round | ||
| Annbank | v | Kello |
| Cumnock | v | Largs |
| Dalry | v | Auchinleck |
| Darvel | v | Saltcoats |
| Glenafton | v | Irvine Vics |
| Kilbirnie | v | Troon |
| Lugar | v | Irvine Meadow |
| Whitletts | v | Girvan |
| 2nd Round | ||
| Annbank or Kello | v | Dalry or Auchinleck |
| Ardeer | v | Whitletts or Girvan |
| Ardrossan | v | Darvel or Saltcoats |
| Craigmark | v | Glenafton or Irvine Vics |
| Hurlford | v | Beith |
| Kilbirnie or Troon | v | Cumnock or Largs |
| Kilwinning | v | Muirkirk |
| Maybole | v | Lugar or Irvine Meadow |
Happy Birthday RabbieOn 9th July 1706 William Gordon of Earlstoun (Kirkcudbrightshire) was created the 1st Baronet of Afton, the barony comprising lands in the parish of New Cumnock inherited by his wife Mary Campbell, heiress of Sir George Campbell of Cessnock.
Generations later the Barony of Afton was held by Catherine Gordon and her husband Alexander Stewart, who began to work the extensive coal measures in the parish. The couple also acquired the lands of Stair on the banks of the River Ayr. It was while living at Stair House that Catherine Gordon Stewart met with Robert Burns and became enchanted and fascinated with his work.
In 1786, a collection of 8 poems of Burns including the ‘The Lass of Ballochmyle’ and ‘Handsome Nell’ were published and are now known as the Stair Manuscript. Five years later in 1791 this was followed by the Afton Manuscript comprising 14 poems among which were his mystical ‘Tam O’Shanter’ and his glorious ‘Sweet Afton’.
‘To Mrs. General Stewart of Afton. The first person of her sex and rank that patronised his humble lays, this manuscript collection of Poems is presented, with the sincerest emotions of grateful respect, by the Author’. Robt. Burns
Afton Lodge
After the death of her husband Catherine Gordon Stewart vacated the large Stair House and moved to the purpose built Afton Lodge between Tarbolton and Mossblown. She, along with two of her daughters, lies buried in Stair Kirkyard.
In the following century the New Cumnock coalfield began to flourish as several companies sank pits in the parish and built the miner’s rows to house their workers and families. So too did the demand to play and watch association football blossom and teams such as senior side Lanemark (1877) taking their name from Lanemark Coal Company (landlord of their Connel Park pitch) and Afton Lads (1879) named from the Afton pits on the Afton estate emerged.
After the Great War Lanemark FC folded and the football gulf was filled by newly formed junior side New Cumnock United named after New Cumnock Collieries which had by this time owned most of the pits in the parish, including those on the Afton estate). After great success in their early years New Cumnock United fell on hard times and folded in 1928.
The old Connel Park pitch today
Within two years however a new team was formed to take their place, based at Connel Park and for the time being making full use of United’s hamper. But what to call the new team?
The call went out for ideas and it came to past Glenafton Athletic were formed.
Afton Water and Glen Afton
Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes!
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise!
My Mary’s asleep by the murmuring stream —
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream!
Sat 21st January, Abbey Park, Kilwinning, KO 1:45pm
KILWINNING RANGERS 1 (1) GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 0 (0)
Glenafton legend Danny McCulloch (he also had a short spell at the Buffs) scored the Glens opener in the 3-2 Scottish Junior Cup 2nd round win over the Buffs in season 1960/61 at Kilwinning.
With both sides chasing promotion from their respective league, Kilwinning handily positioned third-top of the Ayrshire District League and Glenafton sitting top of the Super League 1st Division, the scene was set for an intriguing all Ayrshire Emirates Scottish Junior Cup 4th round tie at Abbey Park.
Glenafton kicked off in the bright sunshine against a cold cutting wind that blasted from the shed end goal-mouth to the one guarding the Garnock Water gushing its way to the Irvine Bay well fed by the heavy rain that fell overnight. Neither team could master elements in the opening encounters. The Buffs won two corners in five minutes but both times the ball was more likely to end up in the Garnock rather than in Glenafton’s net. Meanwhile the visitors had little time to dwell on the ball having to rush their clearances from defence and their progress upfield was very much three steps forward and two back at times. A couple of free kicks from 20 yards out came and went without keeper Fraser Stewart being tested.
In stark contrast Kilwinning’s attacks were often at break-neck speed with the pace of Ben Lewis, doubly dangerous when wind assisted, down the right flank keeping the Glenafton rear guard on their toes. On 15 minutes he combined well with the equally impressive David Smith but the attacking wing back’s shot from an acute angle was blocked by Robbie Henderson at the expense of another corner kick. Now having the measure of the wind the kick found the head of former Glenafton striker Michael Hart but the close attention of Richie McKillen forced his header well wide of target. Three minutes later Andy Bell’s perseverance down the left earned the Glens their first corner kick but it too suffered from their previous set piece malaise and lacked threat.
Midway through the half the Buffs made good effect of the left wing with a run by Barry Fleeting ending in a shot that was deflected narrowly wide of Semple’s far post with the keeper stranded. The resultant corner caused panic with Neil Shearer’s header falling for Lewis but his attempt to fire home was blocked by John Dempster and then Barry Russell blasted the loose ball wide.
The sunshine gave way to thick heavy cloud and the heavens opened for seven minutes filling the shed with supporters of both sides in jig time while no doubt at the other end the Garnock swelled further. Not for the feint hearted .This proved to be the visitors’ best spell in terms of possession at least and the Buffs box was the busier of the two. With 33 minutes gone the Glens seriously tested Stewart for the first time and the keeper was up to challenge coming off his line to dive at the feet of Dempster after the big striker had bustled past Shearer and Lee Grant to break into the box.
As the sun made a welcome return, but clearly with the threat of a further deluge, the Buffs emerged reenergised. Lewis won another corner on the right and former Glenafton defender Roland Fabiani won the header at the near post with the loose ball falling to Russell at the edge of the box, his sweetly struck shot stinging Semple’s hands before the keeper gathered the ball at the second attempt. The Glens responded with a break of their own but with little support Gareth Campbell was forced into a speculative shot from 25 yards out which ended high and wide of target. Two minutes before the break the home side produced the move of the match. Hart picked up the ball in the centre circle and switched to Lewis on the right who released Smith in the box who slipped the ball beyond the outrushing Semple but with too much pace for the incoming Hart to collect and slide into the empty net. Again Afton responded well and Paul McKenzie broke free down the left only for Fleeting to push out him out of play. With what looked to be last chance of the half the Glens launched the free kick into the box which was only partially cleared and headed back into the danger area by Henderson where Stuart Hannah gathered for the Buffs and set Ben Lewis flying down the right wing with McKillen and Craig Potter in pursuit and on entering the box he drilled a the ball home low and hard beyond the advancing Semple into the far corner. Glenafton kicked off and the referee blew to bring the half to a close. H/T Kilwinning 1 Glenafton 0
Buffs defend a Glens corner
The Buffs almost doubled their lead from a Bruce McMaster free kick ten minutes into the new half. Semple at full stretch punched the ball from under the bar as Fabiani looked certain to head home and then Dempster blocked Lewis’ attempt to slot home from close range allowing Semple gather. Three minutes later Henderson headed a McKenzie corner wide of targets as the game entered a period of chances being swapped at either end. Indeed three minutes after that Henderson, in his more natural defensive role slid into prevent Hart and Lewis connecting with another killer cross from McMaster on the left. The Glens countered with a couple of corners but again the Buffs defence was not to be breached. On 69 minutes keeper Stewart looked flustered for the first time as McKenzie wriggled his way through a packed box before Bell picked up the cudgel but his attempt to scissors kick the ball home went wide.
Another seven minute squall descended upon Abbey Park and both sets of players deserve great credit for continuing to make a contest of it as supporters dived for cover. Thankfully it cleared and in the closing ten minutes the visitors gained the upper hand as they sought to salvage a replay. With 8 minutes to go former Buffs striker Gareth Armstrong broke the middle and with Fabiani closing in attempted to toe-poke the ball home form the 18 yard line but Stewart read the situation well and gathered the ball comfortably. Four minutes later Campbell fired in a free kick from the left touchline but although it beat the keeper at full stretch it whizzed past the post. Two minutes on and a McKenzie corner wasn’t fully cleared and the ball lobbed high into the goal for Stewart to pull of the save of the match rising from his goal line to palm the ball over the bar with Armstrong at his side. The visitors went on to win four or five more corners Stewart clutching the last of these to his chest deep into the four minutes of added on time to end the Glens cup run put the Buffs into the hat for the fifth round. F/T Kilwinning 1 Glenafton 0
Kilwinning: Stewart, Smith, Fleeting, Grant, Shearer, Fabiani, Hannah, Russell, Hart, Lewis, McMaster. Subs McCreadie, Frye, Ferris, Robertson, Deeney, McDowall and Lundy
Glenafton: Semple; McEwan (Cashmore), Murphy, Henderson, McKillen; McKenzie, Armstrong, Potter, Bell (Menzies); Dempster & Armstrong Subs not used. Dunsmuir (gk), McChesney, Hay
Emirates Scottish Junior Cup 4th RoundSat 21st January, Abbey Park, Kilwinning, KO 1:45pm
KILWINNING RANGERS v GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
Glenafton Athletic travel to face Kilwinning Rangers on Saturday in the 4th round of the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup . The sides have faced each other five times in Junior football’s ‘Holy Grail’, three times at the 4th round stage.
Mud and Glory
In this season’s competition both clubs received a bye into the second round where the Glens were drawn away to Newmains United. Due to concerns over the Newmains pitch being playable the tie was switched to Loch Park where the Glens eventually proved too strong for a stuffy hardworking United and ran out 5-0 winners with goals from former Buffs striker Ian Cashmore (2), Lewis Sloan, Craig McEwan and Gareth Campbell. The Buffs travelled to New Elgin and the match ended in a 2-2 draw with the visitors’ goals from former Glens players Michael Hart and Roland Fabiani. The pair each scored in the 3-1 replay with Ben Lewis scoring in between times.
Defence into Attack - Fabi & Neil
The Glens were drawn away to North Premier Division leaders Hermes in the 3rd round and took an early lead through Gareth Armstrong before the home side levelled from the spot soon after the break. An unfortunate own goal put the Glens ahead and then goals from Andy Bell and Paul Murphy sealed the tie. After three postponements Kilwinning’s 3rd round tie with Blantyre Vics got the go ahead. Experienced defender Neil Shearer put the Buffs two up at Abbey Park before Vics put a fly in the ointment and halved the deficit with twenty minutes to go. Any fears of a Blantyre fight back vanished after the visitors were reduced to 10 men and Roland Fabiani ‘steadied the Buffs’ with a killer third goal.
Kilwinning Rangers hold the honour of being the first Ayrshire side to win the Scottish Junior Cup when in season 1908/09 they defeated Strathclyde 1-0 at Rugby Park after a goal-less draw at Shawfield; Dickson (no not Bobby!) scoring the winner for the Buffs. The parish of Kilwinning had two entrants that season the other being Kilwinning Eglinton, similarly the parish of New Cumnock had two entrants in the shape of Craigbank and Afton Thistle.
Buffs vs Glens 1934/35 courtesy Cumnock Chronicle
Glenafton Athletic, formed in 1930, first met Kilwinning Rangers in the Scottish Cup in a 4th round tie at Kilwinning on New Year’s Day 1935, when both teams were strongly positioned in the race for the league championship with the New Cumnock side sitting top. The home side raced to a 3-0 lead with a double from Jamieson and another from the deadly Dale. The dependable Brown reduced the deficit from m the penalty spot before Thomson restored the Buffs’ three goal advantage. Irvine and Miller countered for the Glens to ensure a tense finish. The Buffs held on and marched on to be Ayrshire’s only representative in the 5th round but lost out to Brechin Victoria, while the Glens went on to win the league (with the Buffs 5 points behind in second place) to become the first ‘south Ayrshire side’ to win the Western League.
More than a quarter of century passed before the two met again in the Scottish Junior Cup in season 1960/61 at Kilwinning. Glenafton had thrashed Auchinleck Talbot 6-1 in the 1st round in their first Scottish tie at their new home of Loch Park to set up the 2nd round clash with the Buffs. The Kilwinning side had home advantage but the visitors came out on top in a five goal thriller with McCulloch, Moffat and Wallace scoring the Glenafton goals.
The clubs met in the Scottish no fewer than three times in the 1980s with the first at the 4th round stage in 1982/83 ending in a 5-3 win for the Glens at Kilwinning. In 1987/88, in the most one-sided of the encounters, the Glens triumphed in the 4th round, goals from Mauchlen, McCutcheon, Adams, Gardiner and Morgan returning a 5-1 victory at Loch Park, with Clinton scoring the visitors’ consolation. The following season the Glens hosted the Buffs in the 1st round and late goals from McGeachie and Billy Dalziel killed off Kilwinning.
The 1990’s of course was a landmark decade for Glenafton in the Scottish Junior Cup reaching three finals in a row and lifting the ‘holy grail’ for the first time in the club’s history in 1993 at Firhill. A landmark decade for Kilwinning Rangers too, winning the Scottish (and almost everything else) in their centenary year of 1999, under the management of New Cumnockian and former Glenafton player Bobby Dickson – his father ‘Kilt’ on the Glens coaching staff that had taken the New Cumnock side to their first Scottish Junior Cup Final in 1963.
Sat 14th January, Loch Park, New Cumnock
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 3 (3)
POLLOK 0 (0)
Taz and Gaz
FAN-TAZ-TIC AFTON KO LOK
Premier Division Pollok were all but polished off in the opening quarter of the game after Glenafton struck three times with a double from Paul ‘Taz’ McKenzie followed by a single from Gareth Campbell. The Glasgow giants were later reduced to 9 men when Iain Diack (straight red) and Darren Brady (2 yellows) were ordered off.
The Glens now go into the hat for the third round having claimed two Premier scalps, that off Clydebank’s collected in the 1st round.
Steven McGregor with his MOTM award 2006
John Paul Boyle, last week’s match winner over Rutherglen, was unavailable for selection and Glenafton started with top goalscorer Gareth Armstrong, returning from injury, partnering John Dempster up front, while Paul Murphy teamed up with captain Robbie Henderson at the centre of defence. Pollok introduced three new signings including former Glens’ defender Steven McGregor, who won the man-of-the-match award for the New Cumnock side when they last lifted the West of Scotland Cup back in 2006 on Pollok’s Newlandsfield Park.
The Glasgow giants, runners-up in last season’s competition, started brightly and Brian McGintry flashed a shot across Ally Semple’s goal in the opening minute. Six minutes later Tom Hanlon hammered a free-kick from the edge of the box off the post as the visitors looked to put their league malaise behind them and stamp their authority on this cup tie.
The home side, however, had other ideas and sprang into action to take the game by the scruff of the neck with devastating consequences for their Premier Division opponents. The visitors’ back three was run ragged as Glenafton broke forward in waves and made the breakthrough on 10 minutes when Armstrong beat McGregor to the ball to head it into the path of Paul McKenzie and in typical fashion he turned and fired an unstoppable volley beyond debutant goalkeeper JC Hutchison. While the home support debated whether or not Taz’s goal topped his strike at Clydebank in the previous round the magical midfielder put the Glens two up five minutes later. Dempster breezed his way in from the right leaving a line of ‘Lok defenders in his wake and cut the ball back for McKenzie to drill home a daisy cutter. The vulnerability of a shell-shocked Pollok defence was further exposed on 21 minutes when a deftly struck Gareth Campbell corner-kick soared unimpeded into the roof of the hapless Hutchison’s net.
Pollok manager John Richardson shuffled the pack and the back three morphed to a back four in the hope of salvaging something from the tie which had still almost three-quarters of its course to run. The emphasis however was on damaged limitations and on this count Pollok enjoyed some success as they brought a halt to the Glens’ goal spree with Huthchison & Co repelling a series of corner kicks. As an attacking force the visitors seldom posed a potent goal threat and were snuffed out by a Glens defence on top of its game. Meanwhile McKenzie’s menacing runs continued to cause chaos and Darren Brady was shown a yellow card for bringing one of them to a premature end in an unsavoury manner. H/T Glenafton 3 Pollok 0
Robbie Henderson
As in the first half Pollok started the second purposefully and fashioned a clear cut chance to reduce the deficit but striker Ian Diack headed well wide of target from point blank range. A minute later and a frustrated Diack’s day was over when a two-footed challenge on Henderson earned him a red card. Henderson, once on Pollok’s books, on the other hand went on to inspire the home guard to stand firm and against the beleaguered ten men.
Normal service was resumed and Glenafton gained the upper hand and passed the ball around the heavy pitch with some style. Former ‘Lok favourite Craig McEwan unleashed a thunderbolt only for Hutchison to pull off a brilliant save and the former Clyde keeper then kept out an Andy Bell shot from 25 yards.
In the closing minutes Brady collected his second yellow card for tripping the tireless Craig Potter and yet soon after the nine men almost grabbed a consolation but Semple denied substitute Barry Tulloch with a finger-tip save. The home side almost had the last say but Hanlon was on hand to head an effort from the impressive Richie McKillen off the line. F/T Glenafton 3 Pollok 0
Glenafton: Semple; McEwan, Henderson, Murphy, McKillen; McKenzie, Potter, Campbell, Bell; Armstrong, Dempster. Subs Cashmore, McChesney, Menzie, Hay, Dunsmuir (gk).
Pollok: Hutchison Hanlon Ramsay McLaren McGregor Aitchison Bradley Brady Diack McGinty Nichol subs Essler Tulloch Carberry McMahon Kinney
In today’s Super League 1st Division games
East Kilbride 1 Girvan 0; Renfrew 2 Whitletts 1; Thorniewood 4 Hurlford 3
Glenafton Athletic assistant manager John Garroch has today been appointed the new manager of Ardrossan Winton Rovers. The Glenafton committee and management team wish him all the best with his new post and we cannot thank him enough for his work and commitment he has given to the team, I would like to make it clear that John took the job after a discussion with our manager Darren Henderson first.
John Stewart, Club Secretary
As John Stewart’s post says, I have now left the club to take over as manager at Ardrossan Winton Rovers. Quite simply I wanted to be a manager again and just feel this is too good an opportunity to let go as Ardrossan are an excellent club. I want to make it 100% clear that I only left to be a manager. Darren took me to Glenafton and I will always be thankful to him for the chance to work at such a great junior club. I leave on perfect terms with Darren, Kegs and the committee. Obviously my loyalties will now lie with the Winton but I can sincerely say I hope the Glens go up, its where you belong. You have a fantastic manager and coaching staff with an excellent and hard working committee. The players are tremendous and I have to say thank you to them for all of their messages of support on this news. Maybe there just glad to get rid of me!!!!! The fans were magnificent to me when I was there and deserve as much success as possible. Top of the league and still in both of the major cups, the future of the Glens looks good. Long may it continue. As I say my loyalties are now with the Winton but I will always look back at my time at Glenafton Athletic with proud memories. I will always be friends with Darren and his family and hope I will always have friends at Loch Park. Thanks again.
John Garroch
Glenafton Athletic 