Ayr United superfan Duncan Maclean set to complete full house

Jul 30 2010 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

IT’S been a journey that’s taken 35 years to complete.

But this week, Duncan Maclean will finally reach the finish line of his personal marathon.

The Ayr United superfan has watched his beloved team play at every ground in Scotland – bar one.

And this Saturday, he will complete the set when United make the 450 mile round trip to face Elgin City.

It’s enough to make misty eyed Duncan recall decades of memories.

And he admits this is a day he thought would never come.

Duncan, 45, confessed: “When I started following Ayr, I used to fund my trips by selling brushes and brooms door to door for Betterware.

“I never thought way back then that I’d end up seeing the team at every ground in Scotland. It’s actually some achievement.

“I suppose I’ve been helped by the fact Ayr have plummeted through the divisions, so it’s given me a chance to see a lot more teams.”

Duncan, who teaches computing and business studies, has enough stories from the terracing to write his own book.

But he’s more excited than ever about penning the final chapter when Ayr travel to the north-east of Scotland this weekend.

Duncan, of Ayr, revealed: “Me and my mates are setting off the the crack of dawn from Ayr train station on Saturday morning.

“I’ll always remember when Ayr beat Killie in 1996 and 4000 Ayr fans bounced up and down singing “Connor’s Coming Home”.

“We were second bottom of the second division at the time and they were second top of the premier league – what a night that was.

“Another special memory was going to Celtic in the Scottish Cup in the late 70s.

“As all the Ayr buses were fully booked and had left, it was thanks to the kindness of Celtic bus convener – a Mr Cahill I believe – who allowed around a dozen Ayr fans to squeeze on to his buses.

“When we got to Celtic Park, the older Celtic supporters not only lifted over the turnstiles the young Celtic supporters, but also the young Ayr fans.”

Now Duncan’s just hoping for his team to get a lift on Saturday.

He laughed: “A win will do me nicely. I don’t fancy going all that way to complete my set and see us get beaten.”