The season continues apace as we head to Keanie Park to face promoted Johnstone Burgh for our 4th GreenVersity WOSFL Premier Division match of the season.
β½οΈ Johnstone Burgh versus Troon F.C. β½οΈ
Saturday 3rd August 2024
Greenversity WOSFL Premier Division
Keanie Park, Elderslie
Kick-off 2pm
Itβs the first Saturday away match of the new season, and the new season confidence continues still!
The opening day defeat against Pollok was a stuffy affair, but the following games at St. Cadoc’s and then at home to Darvel were exciting matches & six points out of nine represents a promising start to the campaign.
Johnstone Burgh have been looking forward to their first year back in the Premier Division since their relegation from the SJFA West Region Premiership at the end of 2005-06. Two draws and a win in their first three matches is a confident start, and Murdo MacKinnon’s troops have their sights firmly set on the stars with some ambitious summer transfer activity. Former Rangers stars Kyle Lafferty & Graham Dorrans were the headline additions last season, alongside top Junior regulars Darren Christie, Craig Menzies, Gary & Stuart McCann, and even more quality has been added with a huge budget.
Hereβs everything you need to know ahead of Saturdayβs matchβ¦
Jimmy Kirkwoodβs new look squad has bonded quickly, and the first three matches are cautious cause for optimism.
Attacker Scott McLean will have to wait for now to make his second debut for the club as he is still recovering from a knee injury sustained last season, while Ben Black is edging closer to a return after a groin injury sustained at the end of last season.
Another really pleasing weekend, an excellent display by the boys to make it 6 points of an opening 9. There are still 27 matches to play, so I don’t think anybody’s making any brash predictions just yet, but we asked the boys to start the season strongly and it’s so far so good in that respect.
Johnstone Burgh will represent an extremely tough challenge this weekend, especially on their own turf. Some good players in there, and Murdie is a Manager we’ve faced many times before at other clubs, so this will be a tough one. But you could say that about all of the games in the Premier Division this season, there are no easy matches, so we just have to focus and meet the challenge head on.
Hopefully we can get a good travelling support up this week, it’s an easy train ride from Troon so hopefully that works in our favour. The travelling support at St. Cadoc’s made a real difference, it would be great if this week was the same.
Jimmy Kirkwood (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 | Murdo MacKinnon |
| Captain | Del Esplin |
| 2023-24 | WOSFL First Division, 3rd from 16 |
β½οΈοΈ KIAN GILDAY β½οΈ
The 23 year old left-back has been one of the standout performers in the Premier Division with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in recent campaigns, with some sterling efforts from the left flank.
After four seasons at Guyβs Meadow, Kian joined Burgh in the summer following the Rabs relegation & he will be one to watch in their charge this season.
β½οΈοΈ BLAIR ROSSITER β½οΈ
The Rangers youth academy graduate is one of the most important creative influences in the Burgh side, whom he joined after winning the Premier Division title with Beith in 2022-23.
After beginning his career at Rangers, Blair had a season at East Kilbride in the Lowland League before a move down south to join big spending South Shields, where he enjoyed a 3 year spell at Mariners Park.
Β© Thanks to Johnstone Burgh for their photos
Johnstone Burgh
| WON | DREW | DREW | WON | WON |
| 0-4 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 2-0 |
| Glenafton Athletic (A) | Auchinleck Talbot (H) | Largs Thistle (A) | Longside (A) | Sauchie (H) |
| Sat 3rd August | Wed 31st July | Sat 27th July | Sat 20th July | Tue 16th July |
| WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier | Pre-Season Friendly | Pre-Season Friendly |
Troon F.C.
| WON | WON |