Rugby Park
Encyclopedia
Rugby Park is a football stadium
situated in the Scottish
town
of Kilmarnock
. It was first used in 1899 and is the home of Kilmarnock F.C.
.
It underwent a major redevelopment in 1994–95, becoming an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 18,128. In addition to its main duty of hosting home matches for Kilmarnock it has been the venue for two Scottish
international matches.
It can also be used for concerts, with Elton John
playing to 15,000 in a first for the venue. In 2002, the club constructed Park Hotel, a 4-star
complex next to the ground.
and rugby
teams - sports which Kilmarnock had played previously - and the connection with rugby gave the ground its name. This name was taken with the club when they moved to their present stadium. The ground was inaugurated with a match against then-champions Celtic
on August 1, when Kilmarnock fought back from a 2–0 deficit to secure a draw. It was their first match in the top tier
of Scottish football, having won the Second Division the previous season.
Originally, the ground was constructed with a running track
around its edge, a pavilion
and a stand along the west side. In 1935 a cover was added to part of the south terrace. During the Second World War, the army
used the ground as an ammunition dump
, as league matches were suspended. The pitch had to be reconstructed after the war and Italian
prisoners of war helped rebuild and extend the north terrace. A roof was added to the east terrace in 1959, and the West Stand was renovated during the 1960–61 season. The following season a record 35,995 fans saw Kilmarnock lose 4–2 to Rangers in the Scottish Cup
. However, the fans were to witness happier times as the team clinched the league championship in 1964–65. During the summer of 1968 the floodlight
system was upgraded to accommodate live television broadcasts. The ensuing years saw little change at the ground.
By the early nineties pressures within the game, especially following the Taylor Report
, meant that Rugby Park would have to become all-seater. A move to a new stadium was discussed, but rejected in favour of redevelopment. The last game at the before reconstruction was played May 7, 1994, when Kilmarnock beat Rangers 1–0. Building work commenced the next day. During 1994–95 season the stadium capacity was significantly reduced as three new stands were constructed; the Moffat Stand, the Chadwick Stand and the East Stand. Their completion brought the capacity of the stadium to 18,128.
Kilmarnock lowered the curtain on the new Rugby Park on August 6, 1995, in a friendly match against English
champions Blackburn Rovers. Alan Shearer
hit a hat-trick
as the home team lost 5–0. On May 12, 1998 Rugby Park hosted the last ever Ayrshire Cup
final, as Kilmarnock fought back from 0–2 to beat Ayr United 4–2. In the summer of 1999, league regulations meant that Kilmarnock had to install undersoil heating at the ground. This was the first time the pitch had been relayed in fifty years, and represented the last major development of the stadium. On August 26 of that year, Kilmarnock celebrated one hundred years at Rugby Park with a victory over KR Reykjavik in the UEFA Cup
.
Some work has since been done to increase the revenue created by the ground. In June 2002 the Park Hotel was opened adjacent to the stadium. The hotel
was built on the site of Kilmarnock’s training pitch. The hotel has fifty twin/double bedrooms, a conference centre, a café bar and a restaurant. In November 2004 and new sports bar was opened in the West Stand, sponsored by Foster's Lager
.
Despite becoming a modern, all-seater stadium, a number of features in the design of the stands give it a unique look. All stands bar the West Stand have very little beneath them, as the tea bars and toilets are located under the lowest possible point towards the pitch. The rest of the area underneath is open tarmac, with the steel framework fully exposed. Moreover, the turnstiles
for the three newer stands are built into a perimeter wall rather than the stadium itself, and there are very large open air spaces before the stands themselves. Other stadiums have a similar design - for example Tynecastle’s Roseburn Stand, although there is considerable less space there. One advantage is that since the public smoking ban has come into force it has been possible for fans to stand in the open areas at half-time for a cigarette.
The East Stand is distinctive in appearance as it does cover the full length of the pitch, tapering before ending around 15yds before the extremity of the pitch. This is because the ground behind the stand is residential, and can not be built on. However, the gap is not as large as a similar truncation at Fir Park
, for example, and is filled by flags. There is an electronic scoreboard
at either end of the stadium - this is unusual in Scotland as only four other Scottish Premier League
teams have any form of scoreboard and only Rangers
and Celtic
have more than one.
film A Shot at Glory
. The film also starred former Kilmarnock striker Ally McCoist
.
, but two matches were played at Rugby Park while the south stand at Hampden was being rebuilt. During the 1997 match against Wales
, Kilmarnock were able to parade the Scottish Cup at half time, having captured the trophy at Ibrox
on the previous Saturday.
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Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
situated in the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
. It was first used in 1899 and is the home of Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
.
It underwent a major redevelopment in 1994–95, becoming an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 18,128. In addition to its main duty of hosting home matches for Kilmarnock it has been the venue for two Scottish
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
international matches.
It can also be used for concerts, with Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
playing to 15,000 in a first for the venue. In 2002, the club constructed Park Hotel, a 4-star
Star (classification)
Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
complex next to the ground.
History
Kilmarnock first played football matches at the present Rugby Park site in 1899. Despite this, the venue is actually Kilmarnock’s fourth home ground. The Grange, Holm Quarry and Ward's Park all hosted matches, before the club moved to Rugby Park in 1877. This was not the present stadium, but one situated close by near South Hamilton Street. This ground was shared by cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
teams - sports which Kilmarnock had played previously - and the connection with rugby gave the ground its name. This name was taken with the club when they moved to their present stadium. The ground was inaugurated with a match against then-champions Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
on August 1, when Kilmarnock fought back from a 2–0 deficit to secure a draw. It was their first match in the top tier
Scottish Football League First Division
The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
of Scottish football, having won the Second Division the previous season.
Originally, the ground was constructed with a running track
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
around its edge, a pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
and a stand along the west side. In 1935 a cover was added to part of the south terrace. During the Second World War, the army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
used the ground as an ammunition dump
Ammunition dump
An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump, ammunition supply point or ammo dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives....
, as league matches were suspended. The pitch had to be reconstructed after the war and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
prisoners of war helped rebuild and extend the north terrace. A roof was added to the east terrace in 1959, and the West Stand was renovated during the 1960–61 season. The following season a record 35,995 fans saw Kilmarnock lose 4–2 to Rangers in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
. However, the fans were to witness happier times as the team clinched the league championship in 1964–65. During the summer of 1968 the floodlight
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
system was upgraded to accommodate live television broadcasts. The ensuing years saw little change at the ground.
By the early nineties pressures within the game, especially following the Taylor Report
Taylor Report
The Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Inquiry report, better known as the Taylor Report is a document, whose development was overseen by Lord Taylor of Gosforth, concerning the aftermath and causes of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. An interim report was published in August 1989, and the final...
, meant that Rugby Park would have to become all-seater. A move to a new stadium was discussed, but rejected in favour of redevelopment. The last game at the before reconstruction was played May 7, 1994, when Kilmarnock beat Rangers 1–0. Building work commenced the next day. During 1994–95 season the stadium capacity was significantly reduced as three new stands were constructed; the Moffat Stand, the Chadwick Stand and the East Stand. Their completion brought the capacity of the stadium to 18,128.
Kilmarnock lowered the curtain on the new Rugby Park on August 6, 1995, in a friendly match against English
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
champions Blackburn Rovers. Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...
hit a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
as the home team lost 5–0. On May 12, 1998 Rugby Park hosted the last ever Ayrshire Cup
Ayrshire Cup
The Ayrshire Cup is an annual Scottish association football regional competition. The cup competition is a knockout tournament between football clubs in the historic county of Ayrshire in south-west Scotland and has led to a rivalry between the two largest and most successful football clubs in...
final, as Kilmarnock fought back from 0–2 to beat Ayr United 4–2. In the summer of 1999, league regulations meant that Kilmarnock had to install undersoil heating at the ground. This was the first time the pitch had been relayed in fifty years, and represented the last major development of the stadium. On August 26 of that year, Kilmarnock celebrated one hundred years at Rugby Park with a victory over KR Reykjavik in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
Some work has since been done to increase the revenue created by the ground. In June 2002 the Park Hotel was opened adjacent to the stadium. The hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
was built on the site of Kilmarnock’s training pitch. The hotel has fifty twin/double bedrooms, a conference centre, a café bar and a restaurant. In November 2004 and new sports bar was opened in the West Stand, sponsored by Foster's Lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
.
Stadium design
Turnstiles
Turnstiles was the fourth album by Billy Joel, released in 1976. In part, the album was made to celebrate Joel's return to New York City after his sojourn in California. Three of the album's tracks reference New York: "Summer, Highland Falls", "New York State of Mind" and "Miami 2017 "...
for the three newer stands are built into a perimeter wall rather than the stadium itself, and there are very large open air spaces before the stands themselves. Other stadiums have a similar design - for example Tynecastle’s Roseburn Stand, although there is considerable less space there. One advantage is that since the public smoking ban has come into force it has been possible for fans to stand in the open areas at half-time for a cigarette.
The East Stand is distinctive in appearance as it does cover the full length of the pitch, tapering before ending around 15yds before the extremity of the pitch. This is because the ground behind the stand is residential, and can not be built on. However, the gap is not as large as a similar truncation at Fir Park
Fir Park
Fir Park Stadium is a football stadium situated in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The stadium plays host to the home matches of Scottish Premier League club Motherwell.- History :...
, for example, and is filled by flags. There is an electronic scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
at either end of the stadium - this is unusual in Scotland as only four other Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
teams have any form of scoreboard and only Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
have more than one.
Use in film
In August 1999, Rugby Park was used for a fictitious Scottish Cup semi-final in the Robert DuvallRobert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA over the course of his career....
film A Shot at Glory
A Shot at Glory
A Shot at Glory is a film by Michael Corrente produced in 1999 and released in 2001, starring Robert Duvall and the Scottish football player Ally McCoist. It had limited commercial and critical success. The film features the fictional Scottish football club Kilnockie, as they attempt to reach their...
. The film also starred former Kilmarnock striker Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist
Alistair Murdoch "Ally" McCoist, MBE ; 24 September 1962) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Rangers in Scotland....
.
International matches at Rugby Park
Two Scottish international matches have been staged at Rugby Park. Normally, Scotland international matches are played at Hampden ParkHampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, but two matches were played at Rugby Park while the south stand at Hampden was being rebuilt. During the 1997 match against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, Kilmarnock were able to parade the Scottish Cup at half time, having captured the trophy at Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
on the previous Saturday.
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