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NAME: Rugby Park
ADDRESS: Rugby Road, Kilmarnock, KA1 2DP
CAPACITY: Approx. 18,000.
CELTIC ALLOCATION: Approx 8,000 – Sections of the main stand (top – west), whole Moffat stand (left – south), whole Chadwick stand (right – north). Access from Rugby Road (Chadwick, Main) and Dundonald Road (Moffat)
RECORD VICTORY: Celtic 9, Kilmarnock 1, 13 August 1938
RECORD DEFEAT: Kilmarnock 6, Celtic 0, 27 March 1963
The Moffat and Main stands as viewed from the Chadwick Stand… on our way to tying up the league in 2003/04! (Picture by Fudgie – WARNING!!! LINK DOESN'T WORK!!!!)
DIRECTIONS
BY CAR: Rugby Park is signposted all the way from the A77. These will take you down the A77 to where it meets the A71 from Edinburgh, then into the town from there.
BY BUS: the station is ten minutes walk from the ground.
BY TRAIN: the station is fifteen minutes walk from the ground. Starting at John Finnie Street, walk down to the lights at the Sheriff Court, turn right onto Portland Road and head past the Portman Hotel (on your left) to the next set of lights. Turn left into South Hamilton Street and the stadium is on your right.Timetable
PARKING: The car park is permit only, so one of the side streets off Dundonald Road if you're in the Moffat, otherwise somewhere off Portland Road (up Beech Avenue perhaps).
WHAT TO EXPECT
Kilmarnock fans don't hide which side of the Old Firm they prefer, so don't expect a friendly welcome. These games are relatively trouble free despite this fact.
Leg room isn't spectacular in either of the end stands, but is enough to get by.
"The main stand section, we get next to the chadwick stand side: It is made of wood and is not very spacious. Also you cant see much of the goal at the moffat stand due to a big pillar being in your way which can be seriously annoying when people like stillian petrov are scoring championship winning goals in that end."
-youngbhoy
Due to the large away allocation and the usually low home attendance, expect more atmosphere from the away support than the home. Although the tannoy has been known to play "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" at us…
Pies that are so good they have won awards!
"Only thing not to do is stop at the wee villages on the road in. These one horse towns on the A77 are the Scottish equivalent of the places in the US where your brother and father are not always different people."
-Richie
SAD TRIVIA
Rugby Park has recently been a mixed bag of emotion. Our 4-0 win on the final league day of season 2002/03 came just days after the disappointment of Seville and ended in further disappointment when the title went across the city on just 1 goal of a difference. However, the following season saw us clinch the title here with a 1-0 win to complete an astonishing season where we went unbeaten (well… unbeaten until it was too late – but unbeaten away from home!)
Kilmarnock give Celtic the biggest away allocation in the SPL. At 8,000 tickets it is even more than Celtic get for the trip to Ibrox.
Rugby Park has been in its current state since 1994 after its last renovation to bring it up to a state fit for the Premier League – before the days of the limiting SPL rules.
The tunnel at Rugby Park is so narrow that only one team can run out at a time.
Rugby Park's acting career is highlighted in the film "A Shot At Glory" as the stadium goes by the name of "Premier Park" as the venue for the neutral Scottish Cup semi final between fictional Kilnockie and SPL side Kilmarnock.
TIM FRIENDLY PUBS
Several of the supporters buses leave early for this game and stop at the Irvine CSC before heading to the ground. Don't try to get in off your own back though as they won't let you in.
"There is a wee pub called The Burns Inn, it's next to Pizza Hut I think, very close to Safeway. The pub has a beer garden out the back and it's always been a good laugh when we go down. Mind and get about 4 drinks when you are at the bar though."
– champions67
The Howard,Glencairn Square which is near Safeway is a great wee boozer, has a lot of Killie memorabillia on the walls, not the biggest of shops so I would suggest arriving early as they close the doors when capacity is met, nice wee beer garden for the warmer days, The Howard has been a regular stop off for the Dumfries CSC for many a year.
– Big_Bobo_Balde
"The Park Hotel at Rugby Park allows Celtic supporters in before the game. They do ask you to cover your colours, but if you are only wearing a Celtic top and have no coat I think theyll still let you in (probably wont apply for January though). Can be quite handy if youre unsure of your way around Kilmarnock town centre."
-Mackin
" The Brass & Granite was ace, 5 minutes from the ground, Tims and Killie fans mingling happily."
-mikebhoy
The Clansmen just down the road from the train station is a decent boozer.
Any more???
PUBS TO AVOID
Anybody???