After three consecutive matches against Drumchapel United, it’s a refreshing change to be playing anybody different & we have a trip to fan’s favourite away day at Glenafton for our first encounter of the season and our 20th WOSFL Premier Division match of the season.
⚽️ Glenafton Athletic versus Troon F.C. ⚽️
Saturday 14th March 2026
WOSFL Premier Division
Loch Park, New Cumnock
Kick-off 2pm
After an impeccable January, February was almost a disappointment by comparison. But Saturday’s match and Wednesday’s Cup win was a big step forward again, so plenty to be optimistic about as we continue a busy March and some important matches.
The challenges get tougher almost by each passing week, and we continue March with a difficult trip to Loch Park & familiar opponents in Glenafton Athletic. There is plenty of excitement and anticipation about next Saturday’s WOSFL Cup Semi-Final at Irvine Meadow, but the focus is 100% on league form just now and the next game is always the priority. There is plenty of football still to be played this season, and plenty of twists and turns still to come.
Glenafton are the Premier Division’s form team, with three impressive wins the perfect reaction to the 5-0 thumping at home to Johnstone Burgh. Given the league reconstruction happening this coming summer, Paul Paton will be targeting that top 8 slot that will see them compete in the Lowland League West next season. As an already SFA licenced club, they are in a great position to take advantage of any doubt in other clubs above them & they’ll be targeting 8th. But with games running out, there is very real pressure to keep this run of form going and get the points on the board.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s match…
Good to see some of our injured players returning to fitness to add competition to the squad. Recent signing Lewis Allan and young Clayton Hood returned to the squad last weekend after shaking off knocks, and Scott McLean is now close to a return to the pitch following his rehab after knee reconstructive surgery. Evan Ferguson is another who is edging his way back to fitness. Given the stage of the season we are now entering, it’s a big bonus seeing the squad returning & giving the Manager selection options.
Kyle Faulds unfortunately misses out this weekend thanks to a two-match suspension, following his sending-off against Drumchapel last Saturday.
Far better news regarding Jack Barr’s injury than we all feared at the time of his injury that caused the abandonment of the Cup match against Drumchapel. A serious neck injury was the concern at the time, fortunately that didn’t materialise and hopefully we’ll see him back in a Troon jersey before long.
Most serious concern just now appears to be defender Jack Sherrie, who was helped from the pitch at Kilwinning with a worrying looking knee injury. He is visiting a consultant next week to determine the extent of the damage, and then we will take it from there. Fingers crossed for good news, although it is feared his recovery will be more long-term rather than short. Fellow defender Luke Watt is also out injured again.
What a magnificent feeling that was on Wednesday night! A real show of strength, commitment, composure and every other quality we need to do something this season. Great moment for the supporters, and great to see so many celebrating in the social club after the match as well. You need to enjoy these moments in football, they don’t happen very often and you need to savour that feeling.
We’ve got a right tough task this weekend, Paul Paton has steered Glenafton to a strong run of form and they’ll be relishing us coming into town. No surprise the difference Jamie Wilson and big Zee in particular have made of late, their experience is vital to any team & the upturn has been remarkable since they signed. They’ll be determined to break into that top 8 ahead of league reconstruction at the end of this season and given their run of form they won’t see that as impossible by any stretch. We have to be at our best to get something out of the match this weekend.
Richard & I were having a look during the week at which teams have which fixtures remaining to play this season, and one things for sure: there is a lot of bumps in the road still for everyone. The fixtures are a bit of a mess as far as I’m concerned, games getting postponed and rescheduled every week, but it’s never been clearer that we have to just ignore all the distractions and focus on one game at a time. That’s all that counts, block out all the noise and on to the next game.
We need your support – more now than ever. This is an amazing time to be a Troon supporter, a really exciting squad & great times to come, but we need your unwavering support to help drive the players on to the next level.
‘Mon the Seasiders!!!
Jimmy Kirkwood (Manager)
| Full Name | Glenafton Athletic Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The Glens or The Afton |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Ground | Loch Park, New Cumnock |
| Capacity | 3,400 |
| Club Chairman | John Stewart |
| Manager | Paul Paton |
| Captain | Hugh Kerr |
| 2024-25 | WOSFL Premier Division, 10th from 16 |
⚽️️ CRAIG MENZIES ⚽️
When the chips are down, you turn to those you can rely on – and there have been few more reliable than Zee for the Glens over the years.
The 39 year old spent nine years at Glenafton before Covid interrupted that, and he has enjoyed spells with St. Cadoc’s, Pollok & Johnstone Burgh since then, before he headed back to New Cumnock recently on a short-term loan deal.
League winner, Scottish Cup winner, West of Scotland Cup winner – the experience and calm head of big Zee has seen a remarkable turnaround of results since his return.
⚽️️ JAMIE WILSON ⚽️
Another who has answered the call for experience, Jamie moved to Loch Park in February from St. Cadoc’s, following his move from Cumnock in the summer, and he has steadied the ship in the middle of the park since his arrival.
League winner, Scottish Cup winner, League Cup winner. There have been few better midfielders in the West in the last decade or more than Jamie, such was his impact with Beith.
Began his Junior career with Troon, and after brief forays with St. Cadoc’s & Hurlford he spent several seasons at Cumnock before returning to the Cads last summer.
© Thanks to our club photographer Graeme McKenzie for his photos – fantastic, as always!
Glenafton Athletic
| WON | WON | WON | LOST | LOST |
| 2-1 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 0-5 | 1-3 |
| Auchinleck Talbot (H) | Beith (A) | St. Cadoc’s (H) | Johnstone Burgh (H) | Drumchapel (H) |
| Sat 7th March | Sat 28th February | Sat 21st February | Weds 10th February | Sat 7th February |
| WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier |
Troon F.C.
| WON | DREW | LOST | LOST | WON |
| 2-2 (4-2 on pens) | 2-2 | 0-1 | 3-0 | 0-3 |
| Drumchapel (H) | Drumchapel (H) | Cumnock (H) | Arthurlie (A) | Kilwinning (A) |
| Weds 11th March | Sat 7th March | Sat 21st February | Sat 7th February | Fri 30th January |
| WOSFL Cup QF | WOSFL Premier | WOSFL Premier | 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 (nope, still not calling it X yet)
- Team news pre-match
- Goal alerts
- News flashes
- Real time alerts
Make sure you follow our NEW feed!
Match news via the official Troon F.C. Facebook page
- Team news pre-match
- Half-time score & update
- Full time results
All news on the club FIRST via the official Troon F.C. WhatsApp Supporter’s Group chat
- Vote for your Man of the Match
- Info on functions & events
- Book your seat on away buses
- Discuss the match with fellow Troon fans!
The New Cumnock side were unbeaten in our contests last season, boasting a win & a draw.
AWAY MATCH
| Saturday 9th November 2024 | Match Centre |
| GLENAFTON ATHLETIC | DREW | Loch Park |
| TROON FOOTBALL CLUB | 2-2 | WOSFL Premier |
The first encounter of 2024-25 was an entertaining affair at Loch Park.
Troon got off to a great start thanks to star man Leyton Dunlop just before the half hour mark & we were deserved leaders at the break.
The second half, Paul Paton was driving his men on & Michael Mullen got the equaliser after 69 minutes. Callan Veitch looked like he’d won the match with a minute of normal time to go, only for Hugh Kerr to snatch a point in the 94th minute and break travelling Seasiders hearts.
HOME MATCH
| Saturday 12th April 2025 | Match Centre |
| TROON FOOTBALL CLUB | LOST | Portland Park |
| GLENAFTON ATHLETIC | 1-2 | WOSFL Premier |
The return match in April was in the middle of a confident run of form for the home team, but that was soon shattered by a Glens side who were desperate for points to confirm their Premier Division status.
After a rip-roaring start to the match from the home side, Ollie Rowe popped up in the 25th minute to give the Glens the lead against the run of play. Michael Mullen doubled the lead just before half-time and that looked to be that after a slow start to the second half from Troon. Dario Viviani stepped forward in the 70th minute to slalom through the defence & smash home a goal of the season contender, but a late Troon push was too little too late and the 3 points headed back up the road.
(before this week’s matches)
| REFEREE: | ||
| Lewis Barnie | ||
| Assistant Referee 1: | Assistant Referee 2: | |
| Sean Welsh | Ross Kennedy |
| Referee Observer: | John Brown |
🚍 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗦 🚏
🔗 STAGECOACH.com
🚝 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡 🚉
🔗 SCOTRAIL.co.uk
Tickets are available at the cash turnstiles at Loch Park:
| Adult: | £9 |
| Concession: | £6 |
| Children: | £6 |
| Children under 12: | Free with a paying adult |
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.
⚽️ Irvine Meadow Xi versus Troon F.C. ⚽️
Saturday 21st March 2026
Strathclyde Demolition West of Scotland Cup Semi-Final
Meadow Park, Irvine
Kick-off 2pm