Ayrshire teams in Championship scraps as Outlander star watches Killie abroad
All eyes in Ayrshire and Scotland will be on Rugby Park tonight, and even some in Barcelona.
Last updated 22nd Apr 2022
Fans in East Ayrshire, and all of Scotland will be tuning in tonight in to watch the potentially title deciding fixture between Kilmarnock and Arbroath. There will also be eager eyes watching in Barcelona.
That's right, but its not what you think. Scots actor, Outlander star, and die hard Killie fan will be tuning in from Spain.
He tells our reporter: "There isn't many people in the world who would rather be at Rugby Park than the Nou Camp, but I'm one of them."
All eyes on Rugby Park
With only two games left to go of the Scottish Championship season, fans in Ayrshire can look forward to scraps at the bottom and top of the table this weekend.
The full season has lead to this moment for both Kilmarnock and Arbroath fans.
The East Ayrshire side had a somewhat turbulent start to the season, but after out of work former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes joined in January, it’s been nothing but up for Killie.
However, the team they come up against tonight have had a fairy-tale season of their own. Dick Campbell’s part-time Arbroath side are continuing to stun the entire Scottish footballing world by sitting just one point behind Kilmarnock.
A win for the home side means promotion and the championship title, a loss means Arbroath go two points ahead with one match to go, and a draw means it will go down to the final day of the season – Championship fixtures don’t come much bigger than this.
Dick Campbell insists all the pressure and expectation is on the league leaders, but speaking ahead of tonight’s match, Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes emphasised how much he was looking forward to the game and embraces the pressure. He also said how important playing at home tonight will be.
He said: “Our home record has been really strong. Nobody has won more points in the league since we came in at the start of the year, so I’m pleased with what the players have done since then.
“I’m delighted that we now have this opportunity to overcome a good side, but Arbroath need to do the same.
“I’m glad we’re at home, I think the fans have responded brilliantly.
“It’s a fantastic level of backing support from the crowd and hopefully they’ll get right behind us again.”
Celeb fans
It may be a match to look forward to from the manager and players point of view, and certainly the neutral. However, some fans were hoping the league would be wrapped up by now.
Two fans who are excited but extremely nervous are Outlander star Steven Cree, and Editor of the Killie Hippo, the well-known Sandy Armour.
Steven will be watching in Barcelona with his old footballing friend who is a Manchester United fan, and they’ll both be attending a local match at the weekend.
“Who would’ve thought it’s a better time to be a Killie fan than a Man Utd one”, he jokes.
“There is not many people in the world who would rather spend their weekend at the Killie v Arbroath game and not the Nou Camp, but I’m definitely one of them.”
“I think after 28 years in the topflight, we belong back in the Premier League. If we win, the feeling will just be relief, absolute relief.”
Killie Hippo Editor, Sandy Armour said its all about nerves for both teams.
He said: “When you get to this stage of the season, it’s more about holding your bottle and how you handle the occasion as much as its about ability.
“I just hope we can hold our nerve the bottle that’s required more than we did in the last play-offs against Dundee last season.
“I’m hopeless at predictions, but I think it’s going to be a big night for us. I’ll go with 1-0 to Killie with Kyle Lafferty being the hero on the night.”
Ayr United's bottom of the table scrap
Elsewhere in Ayrshire and the Scottish Championship table, Ayr United face a bottom of the table scrap as they hope to stay in the league that Kilmarnock hope to depart.
The Honest Men sit second bottom on 35 points, the same as Dunfermline, with both six points clear of bottom Queen of the South.
However, after Queen of the South kept their survival hopes alive with a victory over Inverness CT, they play both Ayr this weekend, and Dunfermline next.
Lee Bullen’s men will be hoping to put any thoughts of a great escape to bed as they travel south tomorrow.
He said: “Queens seem to be our bogey team, and it’s not easy down at Palmerston, so it’s going to be a really tough game.
“But if we play like we did in those 70 minutes against Dunfermline then we will give any team in this league a good game.”
“We’ve got to be focused on that. Hopefully we get the result and fingers crossed they go our way elsewhere.”