"Playing against Celtic on Sunday will be the biggest thing to rock the villagers of Auchinleck since The Who. The English Mod groundbreakers played Auchinleck Community Centre in 1969 as a warm-up for their historic appearance at the Woodstock music festival. An amazing fact when you consider all 3000 inhabitants could fit into one section of one of the stands at Celtic Park."
"Even if every man, woman and child bought a ticket for what is technically the "home" end at the Sunday's Scottish Cup fourth-round tie, they would still be outnumbered by the away support at Rugby Park. That "home" caveat is because the game has had to be moved 15 miles away to the home of Kilmarnock after the "surrounding infrastructure" around the 4,000-capacity Beechwood Park was considered unsuitable for such a big occasion."
"Former Talbot left-back Gordon Pope has fond, but ultimately painful, memories of the last time the part-timers came up against top-flight opposition 14 years ago. A brave, backs-to-the-wall effort held Hearts at bay until goalkeeper Andy Leishman, who had earlier saved a penalty, fumbled as he collided with team-mate Bryan Slaven and Gordon Smith slotted the hosts ahead with six minutes left."
Auchinleck Talbot, a sixth-tier team from a village of about 3,000, faces Celtic in a Scottish Cup fourth-round tie moved from Beechwood Park to Rugby Park. The match relocation followed concerns that the surrounding infrastructure around the 4,000-capacity Beechwood Park was unsuitable for a large occasion. Even if every local resident bought a home-end ticket, the away support at Rugby Park would outnumber them. Talbot’s part-time squad includes tradespeople such as plumbers and joiners. A previous cup tie against top-flight opposition ended in a narrow, painful defeat that still leaves a what-if memory.
Read at www.bbc.com
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