Broxburn Athletic v Ayr United: What Honest Men can expect on their Scottish Cup trip to Albyn Park

-Credit:West Lothian Courier
-Credit:West Lothian Courier


When Ayr United make the trip to West Lothian tomorrow, it will arguably be the most high profile home game in the Albyn Park club’s history.

Having had various periods of both positives and negatives as a Junior outfit over the years, the Brox have mounted a sustained challenge to Linlithgow Rose as being the region’s top non-league side over the last decade and a
half.

Having made the switch to senior football in 2018, they finally bagged themselves promotion to the Lowland League last term after a couple of near misses.

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And they’ve shown they belong in the fifth tier, currently sitting in sixth place.

They also boast a remarkable Scottish Cup record given this is only their sixth season of eligibility for the competition.

This is their second trip to the fourth round - having lost 3-0 away to St Mirren five years ago - while last year a third round penalty shoot-out loss to Buckie Thistle cost them a trip to Celtic Park.

Players of note are skipper Nick Locke, a tenacious midfielder who has spent most of his career at the club, and young centre-back Ruari Ellis who will be desperate to get one over the Honest Men given he’s on loan from Kilmarnock.

In terms of their Albyn Park home, even by lower league standards it is hardly at the top of the pile, but United fans will no doubt enjoy their day out - assuming it stays dry.

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There’s just one enclosure which will host the home fans with the rest of the ground simply being a railing and grass bankings.

That does give you the chance to be right in at the action or have a better view from the top of one of the hills if you wish.

Just remember to take your thick hooded jacket!