Latest news with #Ayr
The National
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The National
Rory McKenzie on highs and lows of being a 'Killie man'
Mr Kilmarnock? You get the feeling that such a weighty title wouldn't sit easily with the understated 31-year-old. 'I'm not really one for being in the limelight,' McKenzie said. "I'm quite a private person and I just like to get on with my football.' Maybe then the humbler title of 'a Killie man' would be more appropriate, though it would be something he would undoubtedly be deeply proud to be known as. McKenzie will be unable to avoid being in the spotlight next Friday evening, mind you, when the Kilmarnock faithful will converge upon Rugby Park to thank him for his 14 years (and counting) of honourable first-team service at his testimonial match. Fittingly, there will also be a fair few Ayr supporters packed into the Chadwick Stand giving him dog's abuse, no doubt, with Killie's bitter rivals the only choice for McKenzie when selecting the opposition for his special evening. He wouldn't have it any other way. 'It had to be Ayr,' he said. 'It's a fixture that has been good to me at times over the years and not so good at other times, but they are always great occasions, and I really wanted it to be a game that meant something rather than just a bit of a kickabout with folk going through the motions. 'We will want to win and so will they, so it should be a great night. It's been a long time in the making. The committee have done an unbelievable job to get it to this stage, so it'll be good to see everyone. 'I never thought I would get a testimonial at the club. But when it was mentioned to me, it was a great honour. It's a massive achievement for me and my family. 'It's a bit surreal really. It will be good to see everybody, have a bit of a celebration and just be able to thank the fans for their support over the years. They have been there through thick and thin, through everything. 'I just hope we win!' Through thick and thin is a rather neat way of describing the fluctuations of McKenzie's Killie career, from unforgettable celebrations to trying tribulations. There was the low of a devastating relegation, the high of European qualification, and just about everything else in-between. He wouldn't have dreamed he would have been able to experience so much with his boyhood club when Kenny Shiels first threw him a blue and white jersey during a 1-1 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle back in 2011. (Image: SNS Group Jeff Holmes) "Kenny was brilliant,' he said. "He was under pressure at points during that time, but he never let it faze him. He was a big character, and he just took it in his stride and just kept playing the young players. He trusted in us and we tried to repay him on the pitch. 'He was very hands-on, very demanding. We had a great team at the time. A lot of young players came through and there were lot of senior players as well. We had a good mix, and we had a good season that year. 'We finished fifth, just missed out on Europe. But it was a great season, and he was a great manager to work under. He was hard but fair. He gave a lot of young boys their chance, and I think his motto was, 'If you're good enough, you're old enough.' 'I was grateful that he gave me the chance to go and play. He was an old-school manager who demanded high standards, and if you didn't meet them, you were told about it." Early exposure to such forthright opinion was good preparation for the young McKenzie to be sent out on loan to Brechin City the following season, a proving ground if ever there was one. The diminutive winger though took to the challenge with relish, scoring seven goals in his short spell at Glebe Park. "There was a lot of competition at Killie at that time,' he said. 'You had guys like Garry Hay, Frazer Wright and Manuel Pascali, so you had to be on your game every day in training just to get a sniff of a chance. It was a good grounding for us because you had to work hard for everything. "In the January of 2012 I was sent out to Brechin and that was a big eye-opener, definitely. It was a lot more physical. It was a great experience though. 'Jim Weir was the manager and there were guys like Craig Nelson, Garry Brady, boys with loads of experience who weren't backwards at coming forwards. It was a good learning curve for me at the time, and it stood me in good stead. 'Then, when I was back at Killie, we had some incredible guys in the changing room too. Garry Hay was a big one, he was brilliant. James Fowler and Gary Harkins were great with me. Craig Samson was a brilliant guy in the changing room as well. So, there was a lot of good senior pros at the time that helped me. (Image: SNS Group Sammy Turner) "It's actually a bit strange to now be on the other side of it, and I do try to help the young lads here as much as I can and just give them advice and things like that. "In saying that, the culture's changed a wee bit now. You used to get boots thrown at you and all sorts of things like that, but I don't think you can do that anymore! 'But no, I try and help them as much as I can and pass on my experience." One of the things that McKenzie attempts to impress upon these younger players today is the importance of using their spare time wisely, and even at the outset of their footballing careers, to have an eye on what comes next. Just as he did at 22, when he set out to get the law degree that is now safely tucked away for future use. "My dad was always on at me from a young age to do it,' he said. 'I think when you're young you think you're going to play forever, and you think football's going to last forever. But he just said, 'Look, get them done as soon as you can and then you've always got something to fall back on.' 'So, I'm glad I listened to him now and I got them done at a young age and I've got that all under my belt now. "I do try and speak to the young guys as much as I can and just tell them, just do something in your spare time, get your badges done or go to college or uni. Just do something to keep your mind occupied because football is a short career and you need something to fall back on." Not that McKenzie is winding down just yet. He was frustrated last term to start just two games and make 15 appearances overall under former manager Derek McInnes, but is hoping he can show new boss Stuart Kettlewell that he can play a more active role in the coming campaign having extended his deal for another year. 'I feel I've still got a lot to give,' he said. 'I feel fit and strong. I just want to keep playing as long as I can and keep enjoying my football. 'We've got a lot of ambition as a squad and I do too as an individual, and we all want to do well this season." A change in the dugout is, of course, nothing new to McKenzie. Kettlewell is the 12th Killie manager that he has now played under, too many to list here and to pick through the merits of each of their methods. Which is probably just as well for some. A few though do deserve an honourable mention. "I think I've taken a wee bit from every manager I've worked under,' he said. 'They've all got their own styles. 'Mixu (Paatelainen) was brilliant for me right at the start, then Kenny gave me my debut. Allan Johnston, I had a good season under him. And obviously, Steve Clarke was a massive one for the club. We finished third under him. (Image: SNS Group Roddy Scott) "It's hard to pick one as my favourite. I'll always be grateful to Kenny Shiels for giving me my debut. 'The best I've worked with is probably Steve Clarke. I wasn't always playing under him, but you could come into the team and it would be seamless, everyone would know their job. 'His man-management was brilliant, and his coaching was brilliant. So, they've all been good in their own way, but if you're pushing me then I'll say Steve was the best!' The paradox that comes with being a one-club man like McKenzie though and being so invested in their fortunes, is that the highs feel all the sweeter, while the lows are particularly crushing. So it was for him when Killie were relegated to The Championship back in 2021, defeated by Dundee in the play-off final second leg in front of just 500 souls at Rugby Park towards the fag-end of the Covid-19 lockout. "It was horrible,' he said. 'It was probably the lowest point of my career. You love the club, and I felt like I'd personally let a lot of people down. "It was such a difficult time, and especially in those circumstances. It just left you feeling empty. 'When you get relegated, it's a horrible feeling. But we knew we had to bounce back straight away. And thankfully we did that the season after. 'That was a massive achievement to get the club back to where it belongs. It was a big pressure on us. Every team wanted to beat us, and we were the big team in the league, which is a different challenge to what we were maybe used to. There was a lot of pressure on us every week to win games. (Image: SNS Group)'But after a wee bit of a rocky start, I think we dealt with it well. And when Derek (McInnes) came in we managed to turn it around and then just kept that momentum going and got over the line. 'It was a such a relief.' There hasn't been much missing from McKenzie's career then, though full international honours have evaded him. He did think though he may be able to fulfil that ambition a few years back, even if it might have been to represent a rather more exotic location than the land of his birth. 'I qualify to play for Trinidad & Tobago,' he said. "It's through my grandfather on my mum's side. His mum and dad were in the navy, and he was born there, so that's how the link came about. I think it was my dad that looked into it and found out about it. 'We actually went through quite a long process to make it happen. I think it took about a year to get the documents and everything sorted, and Kris Boyd reached out to Marvin Andrews to let them know I was eligible. 'For whatever reason it never happened in the end.' You feel that representing Kilmarnock, for McKenzie, has been honour enough. "It'll be quite emotional on Friday, I think,' he said. 'It'll be a great night for me and my family, who have always supported me. And just to have all my friends and family there, it'll be a great occasion. 'There have been a couple of times I could have left Killie, but the move wasn't right for me or my family. I was enjoying my football, so why leave? 'I'm a big believer in the saying, 'What's for you won't go by you', and being able to play for your local team for so long is nothing to be sniffed at. "I was always happy here. I love the club, I love the people at the club, and it's been a good fit for me and my family." A one club man - a Killie man - through and through.
The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Rory McKenzie on highs and lows of being a 'Killie man'
'I'm not really one for being in the limelight,' McKenzie said. "I'm quite a private person and I just like to get on with my football.' Maybe then the humbler title of 'a Killie man' would be more appropriate, though it would be something he would undoubtedly be deeply proud to be known as. McKenzie will be unable to avoid being in the spotlight next Friday evening, mind you, when the Kilmarnock faithful will converge upon Rugby Park to thank him for his 14 years (and counting) of honourable first-team service at his testimonial match. Fittingly, there will also be a fair few Ayr supporters packed into the Chadwick Stand giving him dog's abuse, no doubt, with Killie's bitter rivals the only choice for McKenzie when selecting the opposition for his special evening. He wouldn't have it any other way. 'It had to be Ayr,' he said. 'It's a fixture that has been good to me at times over the years and not so good at other times, but they are always great occasions, and I really wanted it to be a game that meant something rather than just a bit of a kickabout with folk going through the motions. 'We will want to win and so will they, so it should be a great night. It's been a long time in the making. The committee have done an unbelievable job to get it to this stage, so it'll be good to see everyone. 'I never thought I would get a testimonial at the club. But when it was mentioned to me, it was a great honour. It's a massive achievement for me and my family. 'It's a bit surreal really. It will be good to see everybody, have a bit of a celebration and just be able to thank the fans for their support over the years. They have been there through thick and thin, through everything. 'I just hope we win!' Through thick and thin is a rather neat way of describing the fluctuations of McKenzie's Killie career, from unforgettable celebrations to trying tribulations. There was the low of a devastating relegation, the high of European qualification, and just about everything else in-between. He wouldn't have dreamed he would have been able to experience so much with his boyhood club when Kenny Shiels first threw him a blue and white jersey during a 1-1 draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle back in 2011. (Image: SNS Group Jeff Holmes) "Kenny was brilliant,' he said. "He was under pressure at points during that time, but he never let it faze him. He was a big character, and he just took it in his stride and just kept playing the young players. He trusted in us and we tried to repay him on the pitch. 'He was very hands-on, very demanding. We had a great team at the time. A lot of young players came through and there were lot of senior players as well. We had a good mix, and we had a good season that year. 'We finished fifth, just missed out on Europe. But it was a great season, and he was a great manager to work under. He was hard but fair. He gave a lot of young boys their chance, and I think his motto was, 'If you're good enough, you're old enough.' 'I was grateful that he gave me the chance to go and play. He was an old-school manager who demanded high standards, and if you didn't meet them, you were told about it." Early exposure to such forthright opinion was good preparation for the young McKenzie to be sent out on loan to Brechin City the following season, a proving ground if ever there was one. The diminutive winger though took to the challenge with relish, scoring seven goals in his short spell at Glebe Park. "There was a lot of competition at Killie at that time,' he said. 'You had guys like Garry Hay, Frazer Wright and Manuel Pascali, so you had to be on your game every day in training just to get a sniff of a chance. It was a good grounding for us because you had to work hard for everything. "In the January of 2012 I was sent out to Brechin and that was a big eye-opener, definitely. It was a lot more physical. It was a great experience though. 'Jim Weir was the manager and there were guys like Craig Nelson, Garry Brady, boys with loads of experience who weren't backwards at coming forwards. It was a good learning curve for me at the time, and it stood me in good stead. 'Then, when I was back at Killie, we had some incredible guys in the changing room too. Garry Hay was a big one, he was brilliant. James Fowler and Gary Harkins were great with me. Craig Samson was a brilliant guy in the changing room as well. So, there was a lot of good senior pros at the time that helped me. (Image: SNS Group Sammy Turner) "It's actually a bit strange to now be on the other side of it, and I do try to help the young lads here as much as I can and just give them advice and things like that. "In saying that, the culture's changed a wee bit now. You used to get boots thrown at you and all sorts of things like that, but I don't think you can do that anymore! 'But no, I try and help them as much as I can and pass on my experience." One of the things that McKenzie attempts to impress upon these younger players today is the importance of using their spare time wisely, and even at the outset of their footballing careers, to have an eye on what comes next. Just as he did at 22, when he set out to get the law degree that is now safely tucked away for future use. "My dad was always on at me from a young age to do it,' he said. 'I think when you're young you think you're going to play forever, and you think football's going to last forever. But he just said, 'Look, get them done as soon as you can and then you've always got something to fall back on.' 'So, I'm glad I listened to him now and I got them done at a young age and I've got that all under my belt now. "I do try and speak to the young guys as much as I can and just tell them, just do something in your spare time, get your badges done or go to college or uni. Just do something to keep your mind occupied because football is a short career and you need something to fall back on." Not that McKenzie is winding down just yet. He was frustrated last term to start just two games and make 15 appearances overall under former manager Derek McInnes, but is hoping he can show new boss Stuart Kettlewell that he can play a more active role in the coming campaign having extended his deal for another year. 'I feel I've still got a lot to give,' he said. 'I feel fit and strong. I just want to keep playing as long as I can and keep enjoying my football. 'We've got a lot of ambition as a squad and I do too as an individual, and we all want to do well this season." A change in the dugout is, of course, nothing new to McKenzie. Kettlewell is the 12th Killie manager that he has now played under, too many to list here and to pick through the merits of each of their methods. Which is probably just as well for some. A few though do deserve an honourable mention. "I think I've taken a wee bit from every manager I've worked under,' he said. 'They've all got their own styles. 'Mixu (Paatelainen) was brilliant for me right at the start, then Kenny gave me my debut. Allan Johnston, I had a good season under him. And obviously, Steve Clarke was a massive one for the club. We finished third under him. (Image: SNS Group Roddy Scott) "It's hard to pick one as my favourite. I'll always be grateful to Kenny Shiels for giving me my debut. 'The best I've worked with is probably Steve Clarke. I wasn't always playing under him, but you could come into the team and it would be seamless, everyone would know their job. 'His man-management was brilliant, and his coaching was brilliant. So, they've all been good in their own way, but if you're pushing me then I'll say Steve was the best!' The paradox that comes with being a one-club man like McKenzie though and being so invested in their fortunes, is that the highs feel all the sweeter, while the lows are particularly crushing. So it was for him when Killie were relegated to The Championship back in 2021, defeated by Dundee in the play-off final second leg in front of just 500 souls at Rugby Park towards the fag-end of the Covid-19 lockout. "It was horrible,' he said. 'It was probably the lowest point of my career. You love the club, and I felt like I'd personally let a lot of people down. "It was such a difficult time, and especially in those circumstances. It just left you feeling empty. 'When you get relegated, it's a horrible feeling. But we knew we had to bounce back straight away. And thankfully we did that the season after. 'That was a massive achievement to get the club back to where it belongs. It was a big pressure on us. Every team wanted to beat us, and we were the big team in the league, which is a different challenge to what we were maybe used to. There was a lot of pressure on us every week to win games. (Image: SNS Group)'But after a wee bit of a rocky start, I think we dealt with it well. And when Derek (McInnes) came in we managed to turn it around and then just kept that momentum going and got over the line. 'It was a such a relief.' There hasn't been much missing from McKenzie's career then, though full international honours have evaded him. He did think though he may be able to fulfil that ambition a few years back, even if it might have been to represent a rather more exotic location than the land of his birth. 'I qualify to play for Trinidad & Tobago,' he said. "It's through my grandfather on my mum's side. His mum and dad were in the navy, and he was born there, so that's how the link came about. I think it was my dad that looked into it and found out about it. 'We actually went through quite a long process to make it happen. I think it took about a year to get the documents and everything sorted, and Kris Boyd reached out to Marvin Andrews to let them know I was eligible. 'For whatever reason it never happened in the end.' You feel that representing Kilmarnock, for McKenzie, has been honour enough. "It'll be quite emotional on Friday, I think,' he said. 'It'll be a great night for me and my family, who have always supported me. And just to have all my friends and family there, it'll be a great occasion. 'There have been a couple of times I could have left Killie, but the move wasn't right for me or my family. I was enjoying my football, so why leave? 'I'm a big believer in the saying, 'What's for you won't go by you', and being able to play for your local team for so long is nothing to be sniffed at. "I was always happy here. I love the club, I love the people at the club, and it's been a good fit for me and my family." A one club man - a Killie man - through and through.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Why are Lambretta scooter fans riding to Ayr?
It is an invasion that might have created panic among locals in the than 1,000 Lambretta scooter enthusiasts are descending on Ayr this weekend, coming from as far afield as Canada, Australia and Argentina. The reason is that the region is hosting the 34th Euro Lambretta Jamboree, a worldwide gathering for fans of the famous Italian is the first time the event has been held in Scotland since the 2004 edition, which took place in Kelso. The days of mods and rockers scrapping by the seaside are long gone and John McMillan, the chairman of the Lambretta Club of Scotland, told BBC Scotland News camaraderie and friendship will be key aspects of the event, held at Ayr racecourse. "Speak to anyone at the event and they'll be your best pal," says John, a Lambretta devotee since he was 10 in 1979. "Whether they're from Sweden or Germany or wherever, they'll be friendly. After the gala dinner on Saturday, everyone will be swapping T-shirts of their different clubs. "I've got an Austrian one from a couple of years ago, for example. There's folk riding 1,000 miles just to speak to other enthusiasts, which says a lot about the community." Entertainment planned throughout the weekend includes various ride-outs, repair workshops and a parade of vintage models. Lambrettas were designed by Ferdinando Innocenti in Milan in the late 40s and their popularity in the UK peaked in the late 50s and 60s with the rise of mod were considered essential to the movement, along with sharp suits and a love of bands such as the Who and the Small brand itself ran into difficulty the following decade but scooter culture continued to be popular, tied to the two-tone movement in the late 70s and a revival of the mods. It was around this time the Lambretta captured John's attention for the first time. "I went to Scarborough on holiday with my mum and dad," he recalled. "A group of scooters went past and that was me – I saw Quadrophenia [ a film inspired by the Who's 1973 concept album] at the same time and I was hooked. "All I wanted was a Lambretta. The one I currently use I've had since I was 17, so it's been there for almost the whole of my life." An accountant by trade, John and his club colleagues have prepared various Scottish entertainment for their guests, including a ceilidh and a pipe band. It is a chance for John to return the favour to other enthusiasts, having travelled abroad on many occasions himself."I remember in 1991 being on my first trip abroad where I met my friend Franco at a Mod rally in Rimini. "We've been pals ever since – I'll go over every other year to Italy to see him. The last big trip I did was 2017 in Italy, and it was four days travelling there and four days back."It's just the fun you have on these trips. It's getting away, having a laugh and just riding with your pals. You see things on the scooter. It's not like you're on a big bike, you can appreciate it all." Around 1,300 people are expected to attend the gathering in Ayr, a big jump from the 500 or so devotees who came to the Kelso show in John will be the only one in that number missing a scooter - as he is bringing so many things he is having to take a car there his love for the scooter will always be present. "They're these stupid looking wee shopping trollies that we've all fallen in love with. It's just part of your life now."
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Prestwick Cricket Club ready to mark 70 years not out at Henry Thow Oval
All roads lead to the Oval this Saturday for a birthday bash to remember. They've been bowling maiden overs for 70 years…now proud Prestwick Cricket Club are planning a birthday bash to celebrate. A host of eager worthies will pitch up on Saturday to mark another chapter in the club's long history which culminated in becoming Scottish champions eight years ago. Blasts from the past will team up with present day players and members ahead of the Henry Thow Oval clash against derby rivals Ayr. A spokesman said: 'Everyone with a connection to Prestwick Cricket Club is welcome to attend. A lot of planning has gone into the event and hopefully the weather will be on our side.' Alongside an afternoon of cricket, there will be food, drink and entertainment with karaoke at night in the club bar. Cricket was first played in Prestwick around 1929 but it wasn't until March 1955 that the first general meeting of a newly formed cricket club was held. The determined efforts of founder members Henry Thow, John Turnbull, Stanley Beaton, Bill Chisholm, Bill Crew and Colin Campbell laid the foundations for the start of a great journey. Prestwick Cricket Club's first officials were: honorary president: Sir Thomas Moore MP; hon vice chairman: Provost Gilbert Steele; hon vice presidents: Dean of Guild Kerr, Clr McNair, A Hay, J C Collins, Baillie G Nickson, James Thow, Dr Higgins; president: Colin Campbell; vice president: Robert M Gardiner; secretary and treasurer: William Crew; club captain: John Turnbull; vice captain: Henry Thow; committee: Brodie, Wilcox and T Maxwell. The first game took place on April 30, 1955 and resulted in an easy win for the newcomers - Prestwick scoring 80/9 and then bowling out visitors Jordanhill for only 29 with Bill Crew taking four wickets for 11. Former Rangers penalty king Johnny Hubbard skippered the team to their first major honour in 1972 when they won the Glasgow and District League. Hubby, who has a memorial bench in his honour at the ground, later proclaimed that despite all his footballing honours, the Prestwick title triumph rated as one of his best sporting achievements. The win was the launchpad for Prestwick to establish itself as one of Scotland's premier clubs and a string of league titles followed. They entered the Scottish Countries Championship which they won in 1990 and 1991 with Scotland star David Haggo as captain. They were Scottish League First Division champions in 1999 and 2002 before their biggest triumph in 2017 when they were the first west side to become Scottish Grand Finalist winners, Shahzad Rafiq's side beating Heriot's in a low scoring final. A thriving junior section has always been a cornerstone and as the club hurtles towards a century not out that ethos remains as strong as ever.
Daily Record
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Anton Dowds hands Ayr United pre-season boost by signing new deal at Somerset Park
The striker was in red hot form before his season was cut short last year with a serious knee injury. Anton Dowds has given Ayr United a huge pre-season boost by agreeing a new deal at Somerset Park. The striker, 28, was forced to miss the majority of last season after rupturing his cruciate ligament following a flying start to the campaign. Dowds had banged nine goals in 11 games and was named August's Championship Player of the Month as United got off to a sizzling start. But he was cut down in the prime of his best ever campaign and had to watch on from the sidelines as Ayr ultimately went on to lose out in the promotion play-offs. One of Britain's top knee surgeons - who has helped the likes of Virgil Van Dijk recover from a similar injury - operated on Dowds, who has since been undergoing nine months of rehab. Dowds has now committed to staying on with Scott Brown's side and delivers a fresh boost in a week where the club added experienced trio Stuart Bannigan, Liam Dick and Shaun Want to their ranks. United are continuing to cast the net for new additions and are in advanced talks over the establishment of a partnership agreement with a Premiership club. The new SFA-backed Cooperation System could see up to three players made available to United, should a deal be agreed.
