Somerset Park, Ayr. 7th February 2025.
I’d never been to Ayrshire, I hitched down one Saturday Friday night;
Sixty miles to Kilmarnock Ayr to see Hibernian play – The Proclaimers, Joyful Kilmarnock Blues.
Auld Ayr, wham ne’er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonny lasses. – Robert Burns, Tam O’ Shanter, 1790.
What a priviledge to reach the last 16 of the cup and not have to deal with Rangers or Celtic and, more importantly, to still be visiting the lower league sides. Not that Ayr are that lowly – strongly challenging for top spot in the Championship, they present a stern test for Hibernian.
Somerset Park has been home to Ayr United since their formation in 1910 and its main stand is the work of Archibald Leitch , designer of many grounds around the UK (not least Hampden) , so I’m delighted to have an excuse to make this trip. And it’s my first Friday night match, as dictated by the TV coverage, wee Jonathan Sutherland doing his thing under the lights as I made my way in.
I am a Hibee for the evening and nipping on the train and (despite missing the train I was due to catch) arriving in Ayr in good time to drop bags at the Arrandale Hotel and ride up to the ground. Among its many unique features are a series of stained glass windows, a well looked after garden dedicated to Ally MacLeod (a legend in these parts) and a brand new bike shelter, complete with repair kits, track pump are secure storage. Kudos to United.
The game was pretty even, Ayr having many chances and a worthy match for Hibs, much to the delight of their hefty support. This was a proper, no hold barred, cup tie in front of an expectant sell-out crowd. The streets around thronging to “We are Hibernian FC, we hate Jam-Tarts and we hate Dundee“, met with “We are Ay-ur, super Ay-ur, no one likes us, we don’t cay-ur, we hate Killie, fat bastards, and we’ll chase them everywhey-ur“. It’s not clear to me what other baked goods the Hibs fans prefer, or why Dundee is so hated, maybe it just scans well. The place was rocking, though.
Plenty of pyrotechnics to add to the occasion. Can’t say I was impressed and as I watched the smoke billowing out of the stand where Ayr’s ultras had set themsleves up, I felt glad to be in the more sedate, and very comfortble new North Stand with a tasty pie and warming Bovril (£5.50), sat next to a chap with his young son, both of whom became increasingly agitated at their side’s failure to breach Ayr’s stubborn defences. Untold joy, then, when Rocky Bushiri, Hibs’ Congolese centre back, managed to get his head to one with only a few minutes remaining. Joy unleashed amongst the green and white fans, and a bit more pyro action for good measure. Bushiri is a great example of the modern peripatetic professional, having plied his trade in Belgium and England through various loan spells before settling in Edinburgh.
Ayr have a grand new facilty for pre-match drinks, which was alas not open to visiting fans, so I made my way towards the town and had a refreshment at the Brig, which I would not recommend, and on to the Tam O’ Shanter (known locally as the Tammy) which I very much would. Sitting in front of the (albeit fake) fire with a Pentland IPA reading Tam O’Shanter in a pub of the same name, right in the heart of Burns’ country. You can’t say I didn’t fully engage. I do wish I had stumbled into Wee Windaes earlier than Saturday morning, though – that looked like it would have been a good use of my time.
Ayr itself is blighted by the high street decay felt by many towns, and its charms, such as they are, as well faded. The High Street is a sorry sight, other than the Wallace Tower (1832) and the tremendous leftovers of Cromwell’s Citadel (1654), which must have been quite a sight, despite being rendered useless by the Restoration in 1660.
And so, the morning after, under clear, blue skies I crossed the old brig for the journey home. Alas, the planned stop at Mancini’s was a disaster, put my finger through the cone and the large dollop of raspberry ripple dropped agonisingly into the sand drift on the balcony. Inconsolable, I was, though the wee red face in the cafe window seemed to think it funny.
I can recommend the Victoria cafe, though, which did an excellent coffee and a breakfast that fuelled me for the ride north, via Troon, Kilwinning and Lochwinnoch. A pleasant wee look about the RSPB site at Lochwinnoch was enjoyed all the more having had some lunch at Lynne’s deli , I cannot recommend it highly enough , home made soup and a filled roll, offered with the most Scottish of options for the roll – “soft or crispy”.
And so , Hibs are in the hat for the quarter finals, and with siesmic events at Ibrox, where Queen’s Park pulled off the shock of the round , I can look forward to the last three Hun-free rounds with some excitement.
Scottish Cup, 2024-25:
Matches: 7
Goals: 21
Total miles cycled: 179.78
Pies: 4
Grounds visited: 6
In the Hat 
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