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Ayr United Ground Name: Somerset Park Capacity: 10,243 (seated 1,549) Address: Tryfield Place, Ayr, KA8 9NB Telephone No: 01292 263 435 Fax No: 01292 281 314 Pitch Size: 110 x 72 yards Club Nickname: The Honest Men Year Ground Opened: 1896* Home Kit Colours: All White Official Web Site: www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk Unofficial Web Sites: The Honest Page Ayr United History |
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| Contents |
| What's The Ground
Like? Future Developments Main Stand & Railway End (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Main Stand & Somerset Road End (photo) Where To Drink? How To Get There By Car & Where To Park Anyone Seen A Pot Of Gold At Somerset Park? (photo) By Train Layout Of The Ground Admission Prices Programme Price Local Rivals Fixtures 2008-2009 Record & Average Attendance Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
| What's The Ground Like? |
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A classic traditional
looking ground that is predominantly terracing. Only one side has a
seating area, in the old Main Stand, part of which dates back to 1924. This stand is covered and the seated area
is raised above pitch level. There are also a few supporting pillars
which could impede your view. This stand was extended
sideways in 1989. In front of the stand are some small sections of
terracing, the team dugouts and a small conservatory type structure, that
looked to be used by the Police. On the other side is a large
open terrace that extends around the corners of the ground. This area is
split between home and away fans, who are segregated by a large fence
running down the middle of it. At the back of the home fans section is a
strange concrete box like structure that looks to have been built behind
the existing terrace. This appears to house a number of hospitality boxes
that overlook the ground. Both ends are
quite similar looking, as they are of roughly the same size and both are
covered terracing. The home end, the Somerset Road end is partly covered
(to the rear) medium sized terrace, that has a row of supporting pillars
running across the front of it. Away fans are located in the opposite end
in the Railway Terrace. The ground is completed with a striking set of
four floodlight pylons, one located at each corner of the ground. |
| Future Developments |
| The club have commenced construction of a new stadium in the Heathfield area of the town. The proposed covered capacity is 7,650, complete with hospitality suites and a supporters club. The complex will also include office space as well as an indoor training facility. If things go to plan then the club will be kicking off in their new stadium at the start of the 2009/10 season. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? |
| For the majority of games away fans will
be housed in the small standing enclosure in front of the Main Stand at one
side of the pitch. For the bigger games against Partick Thistle & Morton
then away fans will allocated the covered
Railway End Terrace at one end of the ground, as well as some open terrace
to either side of it. So visiting fans for these games have a choice as to whether to view
the action from either an end or side of the pitch and unless there is a
huge travelling support you will normally get a good view of the playing
action. With the away end being covered, a relatively small number of
away fans can really create some noise, adding to the atmosphere. There are
two refreshment kiosks in the away section serving the usual array of
pies, hot dogs & burgers. Unfortunately though there is only one set of
toilets that are right by the entrance turnstiles to the away end. I would
have to say that the mens urinals looked as if they dated back to when the
ground opened. I did notice on my visit that parts of the open terrace had a
fair few white blobs all over them, thanks to the large local population of
seagulls. It may be an idea to make sure you wear a hat if you use the open
terrace! Simon Lyndsay a visiting Falkirk supporter adds; 'This is my favourite away game. It is a great old fashioned ground. With good pubs, pies, great fish and chips and I have never had a bit of bother there. The fans can have a go at one another during the game (loads of verbals), but walking away at the end, there never seems to be any hassle. An enthusiastic two thumbs up from me for Somerset Park'. |
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| Where To Drink? |
| There are no bars in the immediate vicinity of the ground. The nearest I could find was the 'The Prince Of Wales' which is about a five minute walk away. It is a fair sized comfortable bar with a large screen television showing SKY Sports. This bar is situated on the A719 (Whitletts Road) going towards Ayr town centre. Otherwise, the town centre is about a ten minute walk away from the ground, where there are plenty of good bars to be found. |
| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park |
From the A77 take the A719 (Whitletts
Road) into Ayr. After passing the racecourse on your left, turn right at
the next set of traffic lights for
the ground, or turn left to take you down to an unofficial car park. Turning
right will take you into Burnett Terrace, then left into Hawkhill Avenue and then right into Somerset
Road. The ground is down on the left. There is a small car park at the
ground adjacent to the Main Stand which costs �1.50, otherwise there is plenty of
street parking to be
found in the area around
the stadium. |
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| By Train |
| Ayr station is a ten minute walk away from the ground.
Exit the station through the back entrance (to the left as you come off
the platform, over the footbridge) and turn left once outside. Walk up to
the roundabout at the fire station, and go straight ahead at the
roundabout, past the left hand side of the Civic Theatre. continue up this
road (Craigie Road) to the traffic lights at the top. Go straight across
again at this junction, then take a left and a right and you're there.
Away fans walk to the left, behind the Main Stand.
Thanks to Ruaridh Watson for providing the directions. Callum McCabe adds; 'Newton-On-Ayr station is closer to the ground than Ayr main station, although not as many trains stop there. Go up the hill from the station onto the main Allison Street (A79). Turn right along Allison Street and then cross over to the other side of the road. Continue along Allison Street for a short distance and just before the the bridge where the road crosses the railway, turn left into McCall's Avenue. Go all the way up this road until you cross a railway bridge, and then turn right into Somerset Road. The ground is at the bottom of this road on the right'. |
| Ground Layout |
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| Admission Prices |
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All areas of the ground: |
| Programme Price |
| Official Programme �1.50. |
| Local Rivals |
| Kilmarnock. |
| Fixtures 2008-2009 |
| For the Ayr fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website). |
| Record & Average Attendance |
| Record Attendance: 25,225 v Rangers, 1969. Average Attendance: 2007-2008: 1,139 (Division Two) 2006-2007: 1,202 (Division Two) 2005-2006: 1,272 (Division Two) |
| Hotel Accommodation |
| If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. To access their Ayr page click here. |
| Feedback |
| If anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please
e-mail me and I'll
update
the guide. * The present Somerset Park ground overlies part of the
original Somerset Park ground which dates back to 1888. |
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