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United are First Visitors to Celtic Park.
Ayr United's opening first division match for the 1913/14 season was also the inaugeral first division match at Celtic Park, Glasgow, the home of Glasgow Celtic FC. The Ayr United team that day was Herbertson, Bell, McStay, Rennie, Connell, McLaughlin, Middleton, Robertson, Phillips, McGowan and Gray.
The crowd for this match on 16th August 1913 is reported in various journals as being between 20,000 and 25,000 people with the kick off being delayed for 10 minutes to let the crowd in.
Alas it was all too much for Ayr as Celtic rattled in 5 for a solitary Ayr goal scored by Robertson. Sam Herberston thought it was his Christmas dreams come true being selected to play for Ayr against Celtic at Somerset Park on 27th December 1913 for only is second game for the club. He was wrong! A large following had used car, bike and train to get to Ayr from Glasgow for the match to see a 6-0 win the Bhoys.
Over the next 7 years Ayr managed only two more goals as Celtic recorded a combination of wins by 4-1, 5-0 and 3-1. The closest match occurred on 7th September 1918 when the hoops won by only 1-0.
However, it wasn't long before Ayr did manage their first win at the hallowed ground - and what a win it was. On 11th November 1922 the super U's banged in 4 goals to win 4-1. Who could have forecast such a score with Ayr having had a bad run of defeats up to September. The arrival of Fred Howard had changed their fortunes as Nisbet, Smith, McLoy, Hogg, McLeod, Gibson, Kilpatrick, Slade, Howard, McKenzie and McLean lined up at Celtic Park.
The half time score of 1-0 to Ayr after a McKenzie drive thrilled the away support. Not for long. A Minute after the interval Nisbet's thrown ball hit his defender Smith on the arm and the referee awarded a penalty to Celtic. 1-1.
In the 54th minute Hogg restored Ayr's lead with a mazy run round three Celtic defenders. Mc Kenzie taunted the Celtic defence and after hitting the bar had a goal disallowed. However, in the 83rd minute he made it 3-1 for Ayr and Slade wrapped up a memorable day with a long range goal. 4-1 to Ayr.
Ayr's success was not to be repeated until season 1933/34 when ayr united completed a historic doble over Celtic. On 18th November 1933 United won by 3-1 at Somerset Park. However, on 24th March 1934 Holland and McGibbons put Ayr into a 2-0 interval lead at Celtic Park with McGibbons making it 3-0 in the second half. In between Celtic had knocked Ar out of the Scottish Cup with a 3-2 win at Someset on 3rd February 1934.
It was a nice reprieve for Ayr as the next two years ended in 7-0 (3rd November 1934) and 6-0 (18th April 1936) wins for Celtic. Ayr did better in home matches winning by 1-0 on 23rd March 1935. Two 1-1 draws were crafted on 20th November 1937 at Ayr and 26th March 1938 at Celtic Park. On 5th November 1938 United earned a 3-3 draw in Glasgow although they lost at home on 4-1 on 11th March 1939.
The war years gave Ayr a 1-1 and 3-3 draw and a 3-1 regional league win for Ayr on 13th January 1940. not to mention a 1-0 win at Ayr on 27th April 1940 - another double over the Glasgow giants. It was another 19 years before Ayr recorded their another win at Celtic Park by 3-2 on 7th November 1959.
On 13th September 1967 United were at Celtic Park to face the European Champions in a League Cup quarter final. The task was overwhelming and United found themselves down 3-0. But Ayr’s Bertie Black hauled the score back 3-2 before the Hoops notched up a few more to win 6-2. The return leg on 27th September 1967 finished 2-0 to Celtic.
On 8th October 1969 Ayr United almost caused a major Cup shock when they took on Celtic at Hampden Park for a Scottish League Cup semi-final. United were not overawed by their more famous opponents and Bobby Rough put them ahead in 32 minutes only for Celtic’s John Hughes to equalise before half time.
Gemmell made it 2-1 for Celtic after the break but Davie McCulloch made it 2-2 on the hour. Incredibly United went into a 3-2 lead in extra time through Bobby Rough but Celtic’s Bertie Auld brought them level and into a reply which Celtic won 2-1 a few days later in a very hard earned victory.
In a League Cup sectional tie on 21st August 1971 Ayr again found themselves at the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat at Somerset park with Kenny Dalglish getting a late penalty score for Celtic. John Doyle scored a rare gaol against Celtic on 30th August in the return match when Celtic one by 4-1 at Celtic Park.
United did record an excellent 3-2 win again in a League Cup sectional tie on 14th August 1974, Doug Somner, Doug Mitchell and Alex Ingram getting the goals. Celtic won the return match on 21st August 1974 by 5-2, Doyle and Fleming getting Ayr’s goals.
Ayr United's only recent win was a relegation saving 2-1 win on 24th April 1976 which helped secure Ayr's premier league survival that season.
It was 4-1 for Celtic in another League Cup tie on 17th August 1988. On 22nd August 1990 Celtic again scored 4, this time winning 4-0 in a League Cup 2nd round match.
On 16th August 1994 United kept the score to one losing 1-0 in another League Cup 2nd round match. Cup matches were the only competitive sport with Celtic, Ayr United playing their football out of the Premier League. A 3-0 Coca Cola cup win for Celtic on 19th August 1995 was followed a few seasons later by a 4-0 win for the Glasgow club in the League Cup on 13th October 1999.
United found themselves at Hampden Park twice in a week in 2002, the second being on 23rd March 2002 in the Scottish Cup semi-final where they were beaten 3-0 despite a spirited performance by the Honest men.
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