In a season of firsts, here is our first second! After only eight league matches so far this season, we are already facing our first return match of the season against Johnstone Burgh, having only played them a few weeks ago at Keanie Park. This time, we are back on home turf of Portland Park for our 9th Scottish Lowland Football League match of the season.
⚽️ Troon F.C. versus Johnstone Burgh ⚽️
Wednesday 16th September 2026
Scottish Lowland Football League (West)
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 7.45pm
It’s been an up and down start to this season so far, but September is a clean slate and has had the feeling of a bit of a refresh so far. A taxing looking September has got off to the perfect start with two wins out of two and ten goals scored, but it only gets tougher as the games just keep on coming.
Sunday’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup draw was a really exciting first for us, and we’ve now got a cracking away trip to look forward to as we head for Banff and Deveronvale. Jim & Richard are putting the plans in place just now, hopefully we can look forward to a healthy travelling support as we head into unchartered territory for us.
Johnstone Burgh supporters have been taken on one hell of a ride since Jack Henderson & Scott Graham bought the club a few years ago. Promotion in the first year and Scottish Junior Cup winners in their second year, last season was almost disappointing by comparison even though promotion was sealed in May with a star-studded squad. Cup-winning Manager Murdo MacKinnon departed in April, and he has been replaced this summer by former Dumbarton & Stranraer Manager Stevie Farrell. A new era dawns and with it several new signings have arrived from the SPFL; added to the quality they already had in the building, their focus must now will be on the league title and promotion to the SPFL.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday night’s match…
After the great news of Club Captain Mark Morrison‘s return after more than a year out with injury, we were able to welcome back Leyton Dunlop on Saturday in the second half at Newton Stewart. Both still making a staged comeback, don’t want to do too much too soon, but great to have them back on the pitch and in the reckoning.
Lewis Allan has been working with Darrell to get back to fitness after suffering a knock against Renfrew, hopefully he shouldn’t be missing too much longer.
Sam Jamieson moved on at the weekend and made his debut for new club Johnstone Burgh as a second half substitute as they mounted a comeback from 4-1 down to draw 4-4 at Cumbernauld Colts. He leaves a club legend at Troon and (after tonight!) will be fondly welcomed back at Portland Park anytime.
A fantastic performance on Saturday I thought, full of energy, attacking football and goals. Apart from a 5 minute wobble when we gifted them the equaliser, I thought we pretty much dominated the match and thoroughly deserved the 3 points. Four different scorers again, same as last week, so great to be sharing the goals about at a crucial stage of the season.
There seems to be a feeling that we have finally got our season underway properly after a difficult few weeks, but a wee reset has maybe been needed and I think we’re benefitting from that for sure. Just judging by the bus on the way back from Newton Stewart on Saturday night, and the superb travelling support we took down to Wigtownshire, the mood in the camp is certainly very promising. We need to build on that now though, no false dawns here please.
Tough ask for us this midweek, we all saw how good a side Johnstone Burgh were half a dozen games ago up there (someone will need to explain to me why we’re playing again so soon, that’s a strange one). We were short of a few that night and a bit stretched, but even still you saw they’re a different entity to the one we faced last season. Very tough challenge ahead, but we embrace that as always.
A special mention for Sam Jamieson, who moved on from the club at the weekend. Sam’s been a great lad since we first brought him in from Albion Rovers all those years ago, and he’s been a joy to manage in that time. I think we all felt for him last season, he got clattered in the very first match up at Renfrew and just seemed to have one blow after another last term. But, he ended the campaign in the very best possible way by scoring the winner in the Cup Final and that’s something he will always be remembered for. A great lad and a quality player just in need of a fresh start, we wish him all the very best.
‘MON THE TROON!!
Jimmy Kirkwood (Team Manager)
| Full Name | Johnstone Burgh Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The Burgh |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Ground | Keanie Park, Johnstone |
| Capacity | 3,000 |
| Club President | Brian Williams |
| Manager | Stevie Farrell |
| Captain | Del Esplin |
| 2025-26 | WOSFL Premier Division, 6th from 16 |
⚽️️ KIAN GILDAY ⚽️
The 24 year old was one of the standout performers in the Premier Division with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in recent campaigns, with some sterling efforts from the left flank which earned him a move to Keanie Park in July 2024 after four seasons at Guy’s Meadow.
Kian lifted the Scottish Junior Cup in his first season and stuck out as one to rely on at left-back, definitely one to watch out for on the overlap.
⚽️️ AARON MASON ⚽️
The 25 year old winger is another familiar face in these parts, after featuring against us for Johnstone Burgh, Beith and Auchinleck Talbot on a number of occasions.
Fast, tenacious and never gives up, Aaron built his game in the Ayrshire Amateurs with Shortlees and is notoriously difficult to shake off the ball.
WOSFL Premier Division winner, Scottish Junior Cup winner and a class act on his day. Always one to watch.
© Thanks to our club photographer Graeme McKenzie for his photos – fantastic, as always!
TROON F.C.
Last 5 Matches
| 12th Sep | Newton Stewart | 1-5 | Troon F.C. | Lowland League (West) |
| 5th Sep | Saltire City | 2-5 | Troon F.C. | South Challenge Cup R2 |
| 29th Aug | Troon F.C. | 1-3 | Cumbernauld Colts | Lowland League (West) |
| 22nd Aug | Beith Juniors | 1-3 | Troon F.C. | Lowland League (West) |
| 19th Aug | Troon F.C. | 2-0 | Renfrew | Lowland League (West) |
JOHNSTONE BURGH
Last 5 Matches
| 12th Sep | Cumbernauld Colts | 4-4 | Johnstone Burgh | Lowland League (West) |
| 5th Sep | St. Anthony’s | 0-2 | Johnstone Burgh | South Challenge Cup R2 |
| 29th Aug | Johnstone Burgh | 4-0 | Dalbeattie Star | Lowland League (West) |
| 22nd Aug | Johnstone Burgh | 3-2 | Newton Stewart | Lowland League (West) |
| 19th Aug | Pollok | 3-1 | Johnstone Burgh | Lowland League (West) |
If you can’t make it along to the game, you can keep up to date with all the latest info via the club’s social media channels:
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Live updates from the official Troon F.C. Twitter feed
Match news via the official Troon F.C. Facebook page
TIKTOK
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All news on the club FIRST via the official Troon F.C. WhatsApp Supporter’s Group chat
It was a win apiece in the Premier Division for each side last season with a tight festive encounter at Portland, and then a comfortable win in the April sunshine at Keanie Park.
HOME MATCH
| TROON F.C. | 1-2 | TROON F.C. |
| Portland Park, Troon | Saturday 20th December 2025 | WOSFL Premier Division |
The first encounter of 2025-26 was a frustrating encounter for Troon, who were in a rich vein of form as they entered the fixture.
Troon had the better of the opening half, but were unable to take their chances and came in level at the interval.
Calum Gow gave us a deserved lead early in the second half, but Burgh gaffer Murdo MacKinnon was able to call on Ciaran Diver, Captain Del Esplin & new signing Allan MacKenzie and goals from Kyle Lafferty and Danny O’Neill gave the visitors the 3 points.
AWAY MATCH
| JOHNSTONE BURGH | 2-0 | TROON F.C. |
| Keanie Park, Johnstone | Wednesday 22nd April 2026 | WOSFL Premier Division |
The return match in April was a surprisingly comfortable affair. Calum Gow was again the scorer with the opener coming in the 18th minute, but despite several chances the game was only put to bed when Kyle Gilroy scooped home past Luke Scullion in the 85th minute.
(before this week’s matches)
| REFEREE: | ||
| Thomas Denholm | ||
| Assistant Referee 1: | Assistant Referee 2: | |
| Freya MacDonald | Gary Robertson |
| Referee Observer: | To be appointed |
Tickets are available at the cash turnstiles at Portland Park:
| Adult: | £12.00 |
| Concession: | £6.00 |
| Under-16: | FREE |
Season Tickets are valid for this match.
You can find out all about the match itself by visiting the match centre both before and after the game, with the team line-ups, scorers & bookings on the specific match page for the fixture.
To visit the match centre, CLICK HERE.
The social club at Portland Park will be open early from 6pm ahead of the 7.45pm kick-off, and supporters of both clubs are very welcome.
And, indeed, neutrals!
📺 Come early & enjoy the football on the big screen! 📺
| ⏰ 8pm | AC Milan v Benfica | (UEFA Europa League) ⚽️ |
The bar will close ahead of 11pm.
Scott will be selling tickets for our half-time draw at the gate before kick-off, and inside the ground throughout the first half for just 50p a ticket.
Our local resident food truck, SCRAN have our hungry supporters covered with their own take on “Football Food” – highly recommended!
They will be open from 6pm onwards until after half-time, selling a variety of hot food & drinks as well as cold drinks.
If you’ve never been to SCRAN before, you really need to watch Blair McNally’s YouTube video after his visit to Portland Park…and SCRAN!
⚽️ Troon F.C. versus Drumchapel United ⚽️
Saturday 19th September 2026
Scottish Communities Cup Second Round
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 2.30pm