www.killiefc.com ... The No.1 Killie fans website

As Killie’s season has been reduced to staving off a major slump in form (& sell-off of our strikers), I thought it best to “take-in” the Feb 27^th & Mar 1^st 2008 matches, as these looked like 2 of the most meaningful matches for the balance of what has been a miserable 2007-08 season.

Feb 26^th – Headed out to the Atlanta, GA airport, from my nearby home for a 4pm (local time) flight up to Newark, NJ. Connected with Continental Flight 16, over to Glasgow, for a 7:30am (local time) Weds arrival. Spent most of the flights, trying to get some sleep, drinking massive amounts of Baileys, and watching “Juno” on my video iPod.

Feb 27^th – Arrived into Glasgow, on a sunny and mild morning. Talk of Fir Park not passing a Noon inspection, never looked in doubt as I stood curb-side side for over 2 hours waiting on my brother Graeme picking me up. Of all mornings, his landlord decided to have his new flat doors installed.
We headed down to Rugby Park, so we could get a room for Friday night in the Park Hotel, get some lunch, and wait on my yellow away Killie Lotto top get no 19 & Dalglish melted onto the back it, by the Killie Shop. (Interestingly enough as I look at my home Lotto Killie top I noticed it too had number 19 on it, but with the recently departed Eric “Le God” Skora’s name!) I also got to meet our new club secretary Kirsten, who was very nice & helpful and obviously a big Killie fan herself!
After lunch Graeme parked me in his sawdust riddled flat (joiners fitting his doors made a hell of a mess) so I could get a much needed pre-match Gretna “kip” in.
We left Port Glasgow at about 6:15pm, and manoeuvred our way past all the Tri-Colour Tic buses (they were playing Caley that night) over to Fir Park. We parked at the wrong side of the ground, and had a 10 min walk round to the main stand (the only one that was open), where we then bumped into Nid/Hippo/Sandy, who gave us the update on Baz’s (Barry Richmond, co-webmaster extraordinaire) whereabouts. Yes you’ve guessed it, a local social club, so we dashed in for a quick pre-match pint, and met up with the man himself.

We quickly downed our pints and strolled back across to Fir Park, discussing items such as… “I wonder if Chad will be ony guid in the nets?” (As Alan Combe was out injured).
The atmosphere being generated by the 1,400+ Killie fans was electric, with everyone being “right up” for a guid sing-song, and 3 points. At this point I took ma scarf off my neck, and wrapped it around my head, as my lugs were starting to freeze over!

Well we all know how the match ended up, and I won’t go into it, but I was utterly shocked, dismayed, et al, with the whole performance!

I do think Baz’s post from the following day captured a lot of what many of us were thinking…

Barry "Baz" Richmond's Post Gretna Match Thoughts from 28/2/8 ...It was sad to see so many arguments erupting within our own ranks last night but it looks as if we'll have to accept that no one is going to agree on our current predicament other than the fact that we are in one.

Two nil down and that started 'group one' going bananas at JJ and BB: "JJ get tae feck etc."

Three nil down and 'group two' start on MJ: "Johnson must go" & "We love Killie more than you" (And before anyone starts I know that it wasn't just because of the score, I'm sensible enough to realise that despite others claiming it's a knee jerk reaction.)

'Group one' then start on 'group two' for having a go at MJ and not JJ. "Whit do you know ya young scrotebags etc."

'Group two' have a go back at 'group one' for having at go at JJ & BB and not MJ. "Just as much as you ya old fuds etc."

Four nil down and 'group three' start having a go at the players: "You're no' fit tae wear the shirt"

'Group one' continue to give it to the chairman: "If you hate Michael Johnson clap your hands"

'Group two' retaliate with: "If you hate Jamie Moffat clap your hands"

I'll tell you, if it wasn't so serious it would have almost been funny. But, while the fans are fighting and arguing among themselves the slide in our fortunes continue. The irony of course is that they are ALL correct... Thread Here Match Report - Here

As we tramped away, back to the car brother Tom (left) called us from London, to share his condolences about being a Killie Fan..... "Humped aff that lot... You Must Be Joking!"

We got back to Port Glasgow before 10:45pm, and went down his “local” the Roxburgh, only to get much abuse off the natives, about “busting their coupon” with nights result (or lack thereof!).

Feb 28^th – Kipped a good bit of the morning (at Graeme’s flat in Port Glasgow), and updated the site at around Noon (even Sandy Ferguson couldn’t be arsed sending the Gretna pic’s over on the Weds PM). Was now getting majorly depressed over the night before’s result. Also the gloom & doom on the message boards, had me contemplating chucking the whole “Killie thing” all

together! Then my brother Andy (left) called me from London (he too is a life-long Killie fan), and went into a tirade about “how shite” Killie were at the moment, and what a disgrace it was getting humped off a glorified pub team. I then shared with brother Andy, that Graeme & I were planning to take our 75 year old father, Andy Auld, to his first match in some 37 years, 5 mo’s & 2 days, that Sat (Mar 1^st) to see Killie take on St Mirren. Brother Andy then went even further bonkers, reminding me that our father was a “Killie Jinx” (see explanation below) and that he was going to hold me personally responsible should Ayrshire’s Finest lose that Sat to the Buddies.

Graeme finished his work early, as we had planned to go visit our sister Elaine Lauder-Auld up in Benderloch (a wee town just North of Oban). We left at about 4pm, and arrived just after 6pm, after taking in some stunning scenery around Loch Lomond.
Elaine (pictured with me) treated us to some home-made mince pie, and we downed some cheap plonk, and got her set-up on the whole iTunes/iPod thing! A lovely “Killie-Free” evening, with the exception of her observation… “I hear your chaps aren’t fairing too well this season”. I won’t tell you how I responded to this! Before bed rang home, to tell my dear Mrs. (Yvonne AKA Vonnie) that I was missing her, and that “all was good”!

PLUG: Sister Elaine & Brother in Law Adrian Lauder (pictured left with me), run their own Caravan Site & Diving (off of a charter boat) businesses. Mention Allan from www.killiefc.com and get a 5% discount!

Feb 29^th – A Leap year day! Up about mid-day, to the shocking rainy weather, and flooding everywhere! Got the toast & coffees “down us” and headed back down the road (ever so slowly at 45-50 MPH) in the horrendous weather, back to Port Glasgow to collect our father. Baz called me and brought me up to speed, on some of the breaking rumours, about possible investors buying into

Killie. New hope was immediately forthcoming! Got down to Killie at about 7pm and checked into the Park Hotel. There was a Scottish Comedy Act happing in there, that night, so we took that in, but the truth be told, both my Dad & Graeme are a lot funnier than what was on display. We were supposed to meet up with my Dad’s cousin Morris Tonner, however he was detained up at Hampden with his Ayrshire Amateur Footie stuff, and that he was now going to head on down to Newcastle directly that evening fur the Blackburn match, on the Sat. Got off to ma kip at a decent hour, but Graeme & Dad went at it, at the bar into the wee hours of the morning. Graeme must have hollow legs, because I don’t know how he can drink so much.

Mar 1^st – Match Day arrives! Woke in my room, to some strange punter that Graeme was partying with parked on the floor of our room. They were both out of it! I stepped around the human debris, got dressed, and went and had my breaky. I then requested a late check-out, only to be told there’s a wedding on, and we need to be out by 11am. Got my Dad up out of his room, and Graeme assembled for some morning coffee’s. Graeme swigged his coffee down, and promptly headed out to his car in the Park Hotel parking lot, and had a 3 hr nap inside his motor, as he was still mostly drunk. (Don’t you just love families?). I nattered away with my Dad, and worked on the website (getting it ready for the Buddies match), in the meantime.

At 1pm we went up the stairs in the hotel to take in the “97 Club” activities. The Killie Cheese & Macaroni pies are still the best!! Chairman Michael Johnston (right) stopped by, to say hello, to which my father asked him…. “Who are you, … and what do you do around here?” Classic Andy Auld!
My father then went on to explain to the 97 Club members & our Chairman, how he had been banned from Rugby Park, by his father (the late) Thomas Auld. During our Championship winning season of 64-65, after my father attended (allegedly) 2 home matches both of which Killie lost! (The records show Killie only lost ONE league match that season (Dundee, Feb 13^th 1965 1-4) but I guess my father must have attended this match twice?).

He was last seen at Rugby Park on Sept 29^th 1970, when he duly arrived at half-time to see Killie take on Irish part-timers Coleraine (programme left) in the European Fairs Cup. Yes, you’ve guessed it, Killie were up 2-0 at the half, Andy Auld strolls in to Rugby Park, only to see Killie lose 2-3! He was then labelled a life-long “jinx” to Killie, and barred by all members of the Auld family from ever attending a Killie match at Rugby Park again.

(Hence my brother Andy’s fears over taking my Dad to this all-important Buddies match).

At 2:30pm went and “rounded-up” our Graeme (out of his car, still fast asleep), and got him ready for the match. I left Dad with him, as I was headed off to join the “Killie World” commentary team, and share my thoughts on-line/live to all their world-wide listeners, and help with the match commentary.

Martin, Mike, & Ian, (pictured right) were absolutely great to work live with, however I found it really hard not to drop the “F Bomb”, amongst the rest of my drivel, while “covering” the match.

After the match, a quick pint was had in the Hotel. The mood was obviously night and day different Vs the Gretna post-match (just 3 days earlier), as the smiles had returned to almost all of the Killie faithful…. Brilliant!

Then it was back to Port Glasgow (after dropping Baz into the Howard… another surprise!) to my Dad’s flat. Blithered away to my Dad for several hours, before calling it a night. Got back to Graeme’s about 10pm, updated the website, got some grub then off to ma kip to get up for 6am Sunday.

Mar 2^nd – Glasgow airport check-in for 7:15am, flight away at 9:00am. Had the “privilege” of being surrounded by the entire Celtic party travelling to

Barcelona, in the airport club lounge. Barry Robson actually spoke to me (I was wearing my blue Killie Lotto sweater), and said… “It was nice to see your lot get some points yesterday”. Also while standing in line waiting to get a java, (there plenty of Tic players jumping the queue) Tommy Burns came up to me, and said…. “Are ye awe right son?”…. to which I replied ….“Aye”! Tommy then said …. “That wis a guid result we (winked as he said it) goat yesterday”. I nodded back, smirked, and thought to myself, it was nice to see that there is still a wee bit o Killie left in TB!

Got home in the door at 8pm local time (1am Mon Scotland time) in Atlanta, GA, and told the Mrs, that it seemed like I had only been gone for 10 min’s!