Ayr United's cup tie turning into farce

Dec 12 2008 by Stuart Wilson

BUNGLING SFA beaks are making Ayr players choose between their jobs and a trip to Lochee.

The shock twist came as United’s ill fated Scottish Cup clash with the Juniors was plunged deeper into farce this week.

Players had to beg their bosses for Wednesday off work so they could make the 1.45pm kick-off in Dundee.

But the game was frozen off for a FOURTH time on Tuesday afternoon, so the teams will try again at 1.30pm on Monday.

That means another day off work for the part-time Somerset Park squad, who insist the situation has gone way beyond a joke.

Boss Brian Reid called on the SFA to see common sense with the third round clash now a laughing stock.

Hampden chiefs are refusing to let the tie be played at a neutral venue – even though BOTH clubs want a move.

Reid admitted: “Nobody can control the weather but this isn’t fair on the clubs or supporters.

“Our players can’t keep asking for time off – and we can’t have them putting their jobs on the line for a game of football.

“Some of our players have been swapping shifts and holidays only for the game to be constantly postponed.

“If I was their boss at work I’d be pretty annoyed with them, so it’s a difficult situation.

“You have to ask how many people will even be at the game when it finally goes ahead.

“We could have four or five players struggling to get away from their jobs and we only have a squad of 18, so it might be hard to list a full team.”

Lochee are just as fed up and insist they’d have been happy to move the tie to Dundee grounds Dens Park or Tannadice.

Secretary Larry Duncan revealed: “We’re annoyed at the criticism coming from certain quarters because we’ve tried everything to get the game played.

“At times we’ve had 30 people working on the pitch and there were SPL games which failed inspections on Saturday, so it’s not just us.

“We’d have moved the game to get it played, but the SFA say we have to stay within the rules so we have to go with that.”

Ironically, Lochee’s Thomson Park ground has only been passed fit to stage Scottish Cup games until the third round.

Should they beat Ayr and face Kilmarnock in round four, the tie may well be moved at the first time of asking.

But an SFA spokeswoman defended the policy which is drawing flak from all sides.

She claimed: “This is what the romance of the cup is all about and makes the competition what it is.

“Clubs are aware of the rules when they enter and have to abide by them.”

Ayr chairman Lachlan Cameron confessed: “To me, the cup is only romantic if you can actually see it and as things stand there won’t be many people at this game to watch it happen.

“We’ve never had a problem with Lochee as a club, but we’ve been wary of their ground from the start and the whole thing has now become a farce.”

Ayr are now preparing for their first game in three weeks with Alloa heading to Somerset on league duty this Saturday.

Skipper Chris Aitken remains doubtful with a calf strain while Neil McGowan is suspended.