Ayr United fans snap up cup tickets

Jan 2 2009 by Mike Wilson

Ayr United

THE ticket chase is on for Ayr United’s biggest game in years.

And a bumper crowd is certain when Kilmarnock come visiting in the all-ticket Scottish Cup tie on Saturday January 10.

Eager fans snapped up the first batch when they went on sale at Somerset Park on Boxing Day morning.

The planned voucher handout for fans attending the game against Queen’s Park was scrapped when the match was frozen off at noon.

That meant Monday’s sale for voucher holders was replaced by the start of a general sale for Ayr fans only. Tickets are £15 and £8 for all areas of the ground.

Sales will resume after the New Year break on Monday (January 5) and continue on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week from 9am to 3pm each day.

With Ayr winning the last four cup ties between the teams, passions are running at fever pitch. Boss Brian Reid admits: “It’s a game for everyone to look forward to, great for the fans and a good financial boost for the club. It’s a chance for the players to make a name for themselves but until then we have important league business to focus on.

“I’ve never been at an Ayrshire derby and I haven’t seen Killie recently but I’ll send my scouts to watch them at Falkirk on Saturday.

Killie boss Jim Jefferies watched Ayr beat Lochee United 3-1 to set up the fourth round tie. And he also saw them beat Alloa 3-0 a week earlier.

He revealed: “I think you’ll see an atmosphere in Ayrshire that has been missing for quite a few years. We have not had the best of fortune at Somerset and the challenge is to put that right.

“It will be my first competitive Ayrshire derby although I remember playing for Hearts at Ayr in a cup tie when there were 16,000 in the ground. The rivalry between the clubs is huge with Ayrshire bragging rights at stake.”

Meanwhile, Reid is cautioning his players to put Killie on the back burner and concentrate on an away double header in the league. On Tuesday evening, Ayr were due at Brechin while on Saturday, they head to bottom dogs Stranraer.

With leaders Raith and Brechin both losing on Saturday, it was a good weekend for Ayr although wins for Peterhead and East Fife have closed the chasing pack.

Reid said: “Results were reasonably good for us but we have to take care of ourselves. I was disappointed that the Queen’s Park game was off and was desperate to play.

“In fairness, referee Brian Winter gave it every chance but there was a stretch under the stand which was struggling to take a stud. The other side of the park would have been fine by kick-off but it was the correct decision.”

Reid put his players through a training session instead. Ryan Borris missed out with an ankle knock although he played through the pain barrier against Lochee.

Martyn Campbell, an ever present in the league, has sat out both cup ties with an achilles strain. Reid said: “Martyn could have played in the replay if push came to shove but I was happy to mix the squad and Murray Henderson did well.”

Under SFL rules, the frozen off game against Queen’s Park does not need to be played before March.