Troon, Scotland

Troon are a Scottish Junior Football Club, who play in the Stagecoach Ayrshire District League.
I haven't seen a game there, but took these snaps in late May 2010. It's a ground I'd love to see a game at, although I almost certainly never will! Why?...

My first ever visit to Scotland was pre-season 1999, & I went to Celtic versus Leeds United, as my brother supports Leeds. We flew into Prestwick Airport, & the train went past the Troon ground, which we glimpsed out of the window, & it thus became the first ever Scottish (non-league) ground I saw with my own eyes. Yeah, I know...rather sad eh? ;-)



Presumably this is the way in on matchdays?



Possibly disused, as I guess people stroll through here & pay, or maybe not.



This entrance in is the corner of the ground. You can see a small section of open terrace behind the goal, to our right.



But we are going to go straight ahead, in a clockwise direction. The ground is railed off all the way round, & this open area must be a car park on matchdays.



A smart club sign is on the side of the main building.



This gap in the rails is the way onto the pitch before a game for the players.



Moving along, on the left, is the main club structure, changing rooms & bar area.



This is the players & officials door.



Toward the end is the bar area.



Beyond this is a covered terrace, and one of the dugouts.



There is also a small section of terrace before the roofed area.



Here we look back toward the pavilion.



The dugout is the home one. Like many Scottish grounds at this level, the away one is on the far side.



This is the covered terrace, pitchside.



As you can see, the roof has a steep slope on it.



At the back is this plaque. Not too clear, but it says it was opened in April 1987.



Moving along, we glance back down the terrace.



Reaching the end of it, we look over the wall, & see there is more shallow open terracing past it.



From here it looks extremly basic behind the goal.



Simply railed off, grassed, with a training area behind.



From the curve we look back along the covered side.



This is the area behind the goal.



From behind the goal we look over to the covered terrace.



Moving past the net it is open along the railway line side.



A corner flag(less) shot, over to the main side.



Down the next touchline we see it's just railed, no concrete underfoot.



At least the grass, specatator side, is kept mown, just like the pitch!



Almost at the halfway line, we look over to the cover.



Next up is the away dugout.



With more grassed flat standing beyond.



Toward the corner there are a few advertising banners on the chain link perimeter, including 'The Lonsdale Bar'.



Not sure what this is? I am guessing some long since aborted attempt at fllodlights?



Behind the goal now, where we came into the ground at the other corner. Grassed off, with some concrete terraced steps set back, behind the goal.



Who knows, maybe it once had a roof? This is the harsh climate of Scotland, so maybe it was blown off in a storm long past.



At the front, by the pitch rail, we look once more at the main side of the ground.



A pitch roller further along, as we reach the corner, & finish out quick tour of Troon FC.