Troon are back on League duty this weekend, when we welcome old friends Arthurlie to Portland Park in our 8th WOSFL Premier Division match of the season.
⚽️ Troon F.C. versus Arthurlie ⚽️
Saturday 23rd September 2023
PDM Huws Gray WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 2pm
Jimmy Kirkwood’s men have been consistently inconsistent this season, with good wins followed up by frustrating performances. A confident pre-season led us into a strong start to the league campaign, but the form guide has been as much up as it’s been down since then.
Arthurlie have had a similar start to the league campaign as ourselves, and sit just one place below us in the WOSFL Premier Division table. After finishing in the coveted 4th bottom spot & achieving safety at the end of last season, the Barrhead side will be looking to kick on this season & a number of impressive summer signings will no doubt help that once they’ve all settled in and gelled.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s match…
A lot of the chat in recent weeks has been on the promising crop of youngsters coming out of Portland Park, and no doubt the focus will again be on them this week.
Former Development Team Captain Aaron Boyd got himself on the scoresheet last weekend, whilst fellow Academy graduates Kori Howard, Leyton Dunlop and Nathan Chambers all put themselves forward & converted penalties, before current Development Team Captain Charlie Brown converted the vital spot kick. Fantastic to see the pathway from Under 17s to Development Team to First Team.
Logan Smith has been back in full training for a few weeks, and will finally be included in the matchday 18 for this one. Sam McCloskey misses out after being stretchered off against Kirkintilloch Rob Roy with a torn hamstring. Fortunately, the scan showed it not to be quite as severe as first feared, but he is still likely to be missing for 8-10 weeks.
Last week may just be the springboard we need to send us into the next stage of the season in a positive mood, with a solid performance followed by the character building way we took on extra time & penalties.
We’re trying really hard to blend what we think is a crop of young players with real potential with some of our more experienced players and put on the park what we all want to be watching on a Saturday. Kori Howard has been like signing an experienced pro from another Premier division team so far this season, and it was very encouraging to see Leyton, Nathan & Charlie all converting their penalties with aplomb. Talent & character, and that is what will stand them in great stead as we move forward. And of course it won’t be all plain sailing, but end justifies the means for me.
Arthurlie will be very difficult this week, always is against them. We just need your patience & support.
Jimmy Kirkwood (Manager)
| Full Name | Arthurlie Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The ‘Lie |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Ground | Dunterlie Park, Barrhead |
| Capacity | 4,000 |
| President | David Blakey |
| Manager | Colin Reilly |
| Captain | Gary Carroll |
| 2022-23 | WOSFL Premier Division, 13th from 16 |
⚽️️ DYLAN DYKES ⚽️
Dylan was a youth prospect at Rangers, before leaving for Ross County when he was 20. Spells with Stranraer, Morton, Stenhousemuir, Cumbernauld & Pollok followed, before two spells at St. Cadoc’s saw Dylan win promotion to the Premier Division last season.
Signed up at Dunterlie in the summer, and he has instantly impressed in a more advanced position, and he has already become a key source of goals for the ‘Lie.
⚽️️ ANTS EADIE ⚽️
A Partick Thistle Youth product, 23 year old Ants is a midfield dynamo and a fantastic signing for Arthurlie in the summer after leaving St. Cadoc’s.
Great positional sense, solid in the tackle & a proper leader, Ants could be just the spark Arthurlie need to kick on this season.
© Thanks to Arthurlie FC for their images
Troon F.C.
| WON | LOST | WON | DREW | DREW |
| 1-1 (8-7 on pens) | 2-1 | 0-3 | 2-2 | 0-0 |
| Craigmark (H) | Benburb (A) | Blairgowrie (A) | Rob Roy (H) | Auchinleck Talbot (H) |
| Sat 16th September | Sat 9th September | Sat 2nd September | Sat 26th August | Wed 16th August |
| South Challenge Cup | WOSFL Premier | Scottish Junior Cup | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier |
Arthurlie
| WON | DREW | WON | LOST | LOST |
| 4-0 | 2-2 | 0-4 | 2-0 | 1-2 |
| Knightswood (H) | Auchinleck Talbot (A) | Kilsyth Rangers (A) | Largs Thistle (A) | Glenafton (H) |
| Sat 16th September | Sat 9th September | Sat 2nd September | Sat 19th August | Sat 16th August |
| South Challenge Cup | WOSFL Premier | Scottish Junior Cup | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier |
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:
Live updates from the official Troon F.C. Twitter feed:
- Team news pre-match
- Goal alerts
- News flashes
- Real time alerts
Match news via the official Troon F.C. Facebook page
- Team news pre-match
- Half-time score & update
- Full time results
In a tight and closely fought first encounter of last season at Portland Park, there was nothing to separate the teams in 90 minutes as both teams spurned chances to secure the points but, in the end, a draw was probably the fair result.
The return match in February was yet another close encounter, but Troon came away 2-1 victors in the midst of a rich vein of form for the Seasiders that saw them push for a top six position towards the end of the campaign.
(before this week’s matches)
| Match Referee: | ||
| Robert Thomson | ||
| Assistant Referee 1: | Assistant Referee 2: | |
| Daniel Boyle | Bebek Bhattarai |
| Referee Observer: | To be appointed |
Tickets are available at the turnstiles at Portland Park:
| Adult: | £8.00 |
| Concession: | £4.00 |
| Under-16: | FREE |
Season Tickets are valid for this game.
A detailed match report will be posted in the match centre 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 12pm ahead of the 2pm kick-off, and supporters of both clubs are very welcome.
And, indeed, neutrals!
📺 Come early & stay late – enjoy the football on the big screen! 📺
| ⏰ 12.30pm | Livingston v Celtic | (Scottish Premiership) ⚽️ |
| ⏰ 5.30pm | Brentford v Everton | (FA Premier League) ⚽️ |
The bar will close after the conclusion of the 5.30pm match.
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 10am on Saturday & will be open right through the match til the evening, selling a variety of hot food & drinks as well as cold drinks.
⚽️ Arthurlie versus Troon F.C. Development Team ⚽️
Friday 22nd September 2023
WOSFDL (Conference D)
Cowan Park, Barrhead
Kick-off 8pm
Head along & support the Troon stars of tomorrow!
⚽️ Pollok versus Troon F.C. ⚽️
Saturday 30th September 2023
PDM Huws Gray WOSFL Premier Division
Newlandsfield, Glasgow
Kick-off 2pm