Kilwinning Rangers 23/24

[rhubarb1974]

23 minutes ago, Size Five said:

Abbey Park was a great traditional junior venue and the atmosphere at some of the big cup ties was brilliant. 

It was badly run down however despite attempts to improve it in the years running up to them leaving the ground.

The sports club ground has potential and to be fair there’s good cover there. However, it seems things have stalled. Is it still the case that work on the ‘away’ stand behind the goals still hasn’t been finished? Did the money dry up? 

Can’t shake the feeling that some really bad decisions behind the scenes have thwarted years of progress. 
 

 

What is the main stand is terrible, unless you are sitting the the uncovered stand, that full side is virtually impossible to watch football from. Stand sits in front of dug outs, so you have s seating area in the way of viewing, dug outs in the way of viewing, water tank in way of viewing. Really poorly thought out. 

 

Last time i was down, was a mid week game, there just seemed to be something off about the place never seemed to be many committee/volunteers around and seemed loads of small jobs not being done. Unsure if a mid week game gave true reflection as work commitments etc...may be in the way of some attending that would have been there at weekend or it may simply be not a great deal of volunteers I am not sure to be honest. 

 

Not sure much about behind the scenes at KR however there is a feeling not all going great. I never quite understood the Colin Boyd situation with us either and if he is or isn't back at the buffs, he is still VP of WOSFL so assuming he has to be attached to a club. Seemed strange him swooping in at us then sort of disappeared very quickly. 

 

Too much ugly money floating around which isn't new, personally I would get rid of some of our sponsors, ironic I know given that we are actively seeking them, however when/if we are looking to be a community club, it needs to be a safe place and certain individuals shouldn't be connected to the club via sponsorship. I know other teams have similar sponsors which seems fine someone throwing money in the hat however, there is still a moral obligation to ensure clubs aren't a vessel for dirty money. There are some that throw the same allegation to Gartcairn, I know a couple of the guys up there in the buisness club and trust them 100% when they say it is a group of legit buisness friends that all chip in each month, given my relationship with them and how well I know a couple of them I do not believe they would be putting money in for one minute if there was funny money flowing into Gartcairn, I think at the moment they have struck it lucky that you have a pool of wealthy backers all putting in a sum of money each month as oppose to just one sugar daddy. 

[Peter Culter]

3 hours ago, Size Five said:

Whatever happened to Kilwinning's pledge to use the pathway? 

The aforementioned 'seasoned veterans' hot on the heels of old timers like Kevin Nicoll, Chris and Mark Millar et all.

The club seems to have lost it's way in terms of having a community ethos.

As for Aitken, he says the same weak platitudes week in-week-out.

I think it would be a big mistake to keep him on next season for another tilt at getting back up to the Premier.

Aitkens poor routine is definitely being found out now.

Comes across as a bit of a knob on most occasions in my opinion.

I wasn’t blown away by his appointment as he accomplished an unbeaten run with a team who, being honest, should have been on an unbeaten run and then got the sack.

As our previous Manager found out, once you start having a go at the supporters (as he did a few weeks ago when he mentioned hearing “bad shouts”) things very rarely go to plan thereafter.

In the same interview he talked about giving the player in question “all the support” and then replaced him for the next match.

A fresh face required for next season.

[Lokloyal]

Liked Abbey Park but appreciate it was getting a bit run down.Must admit not a fan of the sports centre location now as just not good to watch a game and soulless/atmosphere-less.

[Size Five]

4 minutes ago, Lokloyal said:

Liked Abbey Park but appreciate it was getting a bit run down.Must admit not a fan of the sports centre location now as just not good to watch a game and soulless/atmosphere-less.

There’s no arguing that tbf. 

Possibly not helped by the noticeably smaller home support. 
 

 

[99Buffs]

Ive been a long time browser on here without setting up an account but interested in some of the conversations on this page now and thought be wize to pop in with some opinions and facts. I have been on the Kilwinning committee in the past, all be it not for a good few now.

Ayone associated with the club that suggests sacking chris strain was right decision should be chased. As others huv said, 10 years of progress finished in one bad heat of moment move fter he played himself. Crazy to see the drift apart and everything since he left has been a horror picture.

These opinions about the old park are uneducated. I'm a member of the club and have been regular attendee at agms for years now. Outsiders will not be privy to these workings but the club staying at abbey park was not even possible. The changing facilities were just never fixable and were a disgrace in all honesty- i'm actually very embarrassed they were never address in my time at the club. Almost everyone within the club now believes the club to be in a better place but outsiders can disagree for now. I guess it is up to the current custodians to keep improving the place to greater specs. A proper stand is a must but might take years to fund and build. One fact i remember was the need for a new sewerage drain before even building new clubhouse at £50k estimate. The club couldn't even start that project.

Our youth pathway is ok, i don't expect it to be perfect yet and very impressed with our young midfielders that have had plenty experince this year and should be better next year for it. Can it be better> Yes i think so, weve a young striker i did expect to be a first team regular now.

So what's going wrong now? We are a cocky club that doesn't learn its lessons. Believe we have a right to beat the clubs at a "Lower" level than us and watch in horrror as they finish in higher league positions over the past two years. Like Chris Aitken as a man but hes never bringing in the level of players we need at this level so how long will he stick it and will the club stick him? I was close to asking about the sacking of starin once at the agm but it is embarrassing as the new management team were in attendance. He wont come back but we need a manager with greater networks at the local level of the game.

Who sacked him? It was for poor performance while 4th in premier league and club dropped like a stone since. Cant see us back in the top league for another 5 years while we regroup.

Would liek to see the friday night games return too. My grandson can't make the saturdays and loved the nights under the lights with 3 generations.

 

 

[Ben10]

Crazy decision tae get rid of Strain. Love tae hate him but the boy is a gid manager. 
 

I liked Boylan still a few year left wi the right guys roon aboot him. 

[Size Five]

1 hour ago, 99Buffs said:

Ive been a long time browser on here without setting up an account but interested in some of the conversations on this page now and thought be wize to pop in with some opinions and facts. I have been on the Kilwinning committee in the past, all be it not for a good few now.

Ayone associated with the club that suggests sacking chris strain was right decision should be chased. As others huv said, 10 years of progress finished in one bad heat of moment move fter he played himself. Crazy to see the drift apart and everything since he left has been a horror picture.

These opinions about the old park are uneducated. I'm a member of the club and have been regular attendee at agms for years now. Outsiders will not be privy to these workings but the club staying at abbey park was not even possible. The changing facilities were just never fixable and were a disgrace in all honesty- i'm actually very embarrassed they were never address in my time at the club. Almost everyone within the club now believes the club to be in a better place but outsiders can disagree for now. I guess it is up to the current custodians to keep improving the place to greater specs. A proper stand is a must but might take years to fund and build. One fact i remember was the need for a new sewerage drain before even building new clubhouse at £50k estimate. The club couldn't even start that project.

Our youth pathway is ok, i don't expect it to be perfect yet and very impressed with our young midfielders that have had plenty experince this year and should be better next year for it. Can it be better> Yes i think so, weve a young striker i did expect to be a first team regular now.

So what's going wrong now? We are a cocky club that doesn't learn its lessons. Believe we have a right to beat the clubs at a "Lower" level than us and watch in horrror as they finish in higher league positions over the past two years. Like Chris Aitken as a man but hes never bringing in the level of players we need at this level so how long will he stick it and will the club stick him? I was close to asking about the sacking of starin once at the agm but it is embarrassing as the new management team were in attendance. He wont come back but we need a manager with greater networks at the local level of the game.

Who sacked him? It was for poor performance while 4th in premier league and club dropped like a stone since. Cant see us back in the top league for another 5 years while we regroup.

Would liek to see the friday night games return too. My grandson can't make the saturdays and loved the nights under the lights with 3 generations.

 

 

The story I heard was that Strain was sacked for playing himself at the expense of promoting someone from the youth system as that was the supposed club ethos. 
 

if that was the case the subsequent appointment of Gormley and his policy of signing guys almost ages with Strain makes zero sense! 

I agree about a feeling of cockiness about the club. No lessons learned or self reflection over why the club was relegated last year. 

 

 

 

[funky monkey]

13 hours ago, 99Buffs said:

Ive been a long time browser on here without setting up an account but interested in some of the conversations on this page now and thought be wize to pop in with some opinions and facts. I have been on the Kilwinning committee in the past, all be it not for a good few now.

Ayone associated with the club that suggests sacking chris strain was right decision should be chased. As others huv said, 10 years of progress finished in one bad heat of moment move fter he played himself. Crazy to see the drift apart and everything since he left has been a horror picture.

These opinions about the old park are uneducated. I'm a member of the club and have been regular attendee at agms for years now. Outsiders will not be privy to these workings but the club staying at abbey park was not even possible. The changing facilities were just never fixable and were a disgrace in all honesty- i'm actually very embarrassed they were never address in my time at the club. Almost everyone within the club now believes the club to be in a better place but outsiders can disagree for now. I guess it is up to the current custodians to keep improving the place to greater specs. A proper stand is a must but might take years to fund and build. One fact i remember was the need for a new sewerage drain before even building new clubhouse at £50k estimate. The club couldn't even start that project.

Our youth pathway is ok, i don't expect it to be perfect yet and very impressed with our young midfielders that have had plenty experince this year and should be better next year for it. Can it be better> Yes i think so, weve a young striker i did expect to be a first team regular now.

So what's going wrong now? We are a cocky club that doesn't learn its lessons. Believe we have a right to beat the clubs at a "Lower" level than us and watch in horrror as they finish in higher league positions over the past two years. Like Chris Aitken as a man but hes never bringing in the level of players we need at this level so how long will he stick it and will the club stick him? I was close to asking about the sacking of starin once at the agm but it is embarrassing as the new management team were in attendance. He wont come back but we need a manager with greater networks at the local level of the game.

Who sacked him? It was for poor performance while 4th in premier league and club dropped like a stone since. Cant see us back in the top league for another 5 years while we regroup.

Would liek to see the friday night games return too. My grandson can't make the saturdays and loved the nights under the lights with 3 generations.

 

 

Great post. I'm in complete agreement.

For me, Chris Aitken doesn't appear to have the network to attract the players that we need. There was a lack of signings at the start of the season, resulting in a very poor start. The goalkeeping situation continues to bamboozle, we sent Henderson out on loan, dropped Gordon for whatever reason who knows and now developing a young keeper for Stranraer who has had a number of mistakes that have cost us points.

Whilst we have steadily improved, we are nowhere near the standard required to get promotion and then to stay in the premier league. We'll be in the first division next season, we need to be looking at potential signings just now with a view to putting a better side together next season. Can Chris do that, the jury is out.

As you say, there was no choice but to relocate from Abbey Park for the reasons stated, but despite the facilities being better at KSC, the overall match day experience and atmosphere has yet to recover from the move.

As for Chris Strain being sacked and Colin Boyd leaving, two big jerseys to fill. Chris has gone on to prove himself at Beith, Boyd's ability to promote the club hasn't been properly addressed.

[jimbaxters]

9 minutes ago, funky monkey said:

Great post. I'm in complete agreement.

For me, Chris Aitken doesn't appear to have the network to attract the players that we need. There was a lack of signings at the start of the season, resulting in a very poor start. The goalkeeping situation continues to bamboozle, we sent Henderson out on loan, dropped Gordon for whatever reason who knows and now developing a young keeper for Stranraer who has had a number of mistakes that have cost us points.

Whilst we have steadily improved, we are nowhere near the standard required to get promotion and then to stay in the premier league. We'll be in the first division next season, we need to be looking at potential signings just now with a view to putting a better side together next season. Can Chris do that, the jury is out.

As you say, there was no choice but to relocate from Abbey Park for the reasons stated, but despite the facilities being better at KSC, the overall match day experience and atmosphere has yet to recover from the move.

As for Chris Strain being sacked and Colin Boyd leaving, two big jerseys to fill. Chris has gone on to prove himself at Beith, Boyd's ability to promote the club hasn't been properly addressed.

Is the fella Boyd still at Darvel?

[Size Five]

1 hour ago, funky monkey said:

Great post. I'm in complete agreement.

For me, Chris Aitken doesn't appear to have the network to attract the players that we need. There was a lack of signings at the start of the season, resulting in a very poor start. The goalkeeping situation continues to bamboozle, we sent Henderson out on loan, dropped Gordon for whatever reason who knows and now developing a young keeper for Stranraer who has had a number of mistakes that have cost us points.

Whilst we have steadily improved, we are nowhere near the standard required to get promotion and then to stay in the premier league. We'll be in the first division next season, we need to be looking at potential signings just now with a view to putting a better side together next season. Can Chris do that, the jury is out.

As you say, there was no choice but to relocate from Abbey Park for the reasons stated, but despite the facilities being better at KSC, the overall match day experience and atmosphere has yet to recover from the move.

As for Chris Strain being sacked and Colin Boyd leaving, two big jerseys to fill. Chris has gone on to prove himself at Beith, Boyd's ability to promote the club hasn't been properly addressed.

Strain had already proved himself surely? He didn’t need Beith to do that? 

He took you from the bottom rung to the top and so close to the premier title. 
 

 

[rhubarb1974]

1 hour ago, jimbaxters said:

Is the fella Boyd still at Darvel?

If he is he has been AWOL for some time. Couldn't tell you the last I seen him. 

 

I wouldn't have let him anywhere near the club and personally do not know why/how he can be VP at WoSFL

[funky monkey]

2 hours ago, Size Five said:

Strain had already proved himself surely? He didn’t need Beith to do that? 

He took you from the bottom rung to the top and so close to the premier title. 
 

 

Maybe better terminology is he's proved a point.

[99Buffs]

7 hours ago, funky monkey said:

Great post. I'm in complete agreement.

For me, Chris Aitken doesn't appear to have the network to attract the players that we need. There was a lack of signings at the start of the season, resulting in a very poor start. The goalkeeping situation continues to bamboozle, we sent Henderson out on loan, dropped Gordon for whatever reason who knows and now developing a young keeper for Stranraer who has had a number of mistakes that have cost us points.

Whilst we have steadily improved, we are nowhere near the standard required to get promotion and then to stay in the premier league. We'll be in the first division next season, we need to be looking at potential signings just now with a view to putting a better side together next season. Can Chris do that, the jury is out.

As you say, there was no choice but to relocate from Abbey Park for the reasons stated, but despite the facilities being better at KSC, the overall match day experience and atmosphere has yet to recover from the move.

As for Chris Strain being sacked and Colin Boyd leaving, two big jerseys to fill. Chris has gone on to prove himself at Beith, Boyd's ability to promote the club hasn't been properly addressed.

Our current chairman is great and i'm sure he promotes the sponsorships for years successfully. COlin Boyd seemed to be more influential with decisions makers but he left to focus on his family during tough times we heard.

Our best players may not want another season in this league so will be interesting to see who we have lined up to come in.

[funky monkey]

56 minutes ago, 99Buffs said:

Our current chairman is great and i'm sure he promotes the sponsorships for years successfully. COlin Boyd seemed to be more influential with decisions makers but he left to focus on his family during tough times we heard.

Our best players may not want another season in this league so will be interesting to see who we have lined up to come in.

Colin Evans is a great guy, as open and honest as you'll meet. He's responsible from bringing in much of the sponsorship at the club, I think he's a hard negotiator, difficult to say no to.

As for our 'best' players not being up for another season in this league, they are the same players more or less who got us in this mess. If they don't want to stay, they know where the door is. They are well looked after at Buffs Park.

[Peter Culter]

A must-win match on Saturday.

Absolutely no doubt about it.

[Lokloyal]

Is the lad Colin Boyd a Kilwinning fan?

[funky monkey]

20 hours ago, Lokloyal said:

Is the lad Colin Boyd a Kilwinning fan?

He was a fan before he got involved in the club, not sure how big a fan. He is from Kilwinning and lives in the town.

[Peter Culter]

A victory but that didn’t inspire confidence.

I wonder how much gate revenue has been lost since we were in the Premier Division as the last few home league matches have shown a noticeably small support.

 

[Size Five]

18 hours ago, Peter Culter said:

A victory but that didn’t inspire confidence.

I wonder how much gate revenue has been lost since we were in the Premier Division as the last few home league matches have shown a noticeably small support.

 

Just watched the highlights and that is indeed a very poor crowd by the look of it. 
 

Has the community lost interest or are the club themselves not doing enough to attract fans other than the same social media ‘next game’ posts? 

[craigkillie]

On 19/02/2024 at 08:22, rhubarb1974 said:

"Pathway" is just a buzz word for teams looking to promote their club for SFA license or community funding purposes. KR imo lost their way when they left Abbey Park to rot. One of the best ground to go to. Lack of vision for the park led to it being run down and subsequently moved to the sports centre in Pennyburn, Yes for youth games/training facilities are good however as a stand alone ground it doesn't do it for me.

The move to the sports centre promoted other fans to rebrand the club as "Pennyburn Rangers", a once giant of the club playing outwith their community and playing in a sports centre.

I know I am a bit of traditionalist when it comes to this level, Abbey Park should never have shut. Strain should never have been sacked. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. P.S. Not sure what happened to the land at Abbey Park however would personally like to see KR return there.

Too many glorified boys club teams in the ranks now playing out of soulless venues, Abbey Park had history, character etc...St Cadocs, Drumchapel, Gartcairn spring to mind. 

Pennyburn is in no way "outwith their community" - it is still in the middle of the town and only about 15 minutes walk from Abbey Park.