Ruffs and Tuffs Issue 1

Ruffs N Tuffs 

THE KILWINNING RANGERS MAGAZINE 

THE TEAM FIXTURES CLUB NEWS THE ACADEMY ISSUE 1 

New Park 

New Players 

New Season 

AUCHINLECK TALBOT: 7TH AUG 2019 7PM KICKOFF WEST PREMIER LEAGUE

The Latest News from The Training Ground and The Squad Overview 

The Managers Report 

The dawn of a new year. 

Starts for us at the new Buffs Park on 

tonight. It's a very exciting time for the 

football club. Not only have we moved 

home ground but we've had a reshaping 

of the playing squad and everybody is 

very much up for the challenge which is 

now to create A successful environment 

at The Buffs Park. We had a good start 

at the weekend against Clydebank and 

we performed really well, the workrate 

was excellent. But in this short space 

of time it's something that's become 

very apparent to me that work rate and 

our application are something that is 

going to be very important for us and 

the boys showed on Saturday what they 

are all about, the challenge for us now is 

to maintain that over the short term to 

medium term and if possible in the long 

term increase that over the season 

Auchinleck is a difficult game for us. 

Coincidentally it was the last game at 

Abbey Park. And since then Auchinleck 

have won the league and the Scottish 

Cup is not something that phases us, 

it's something we are excited about, 

it's something that is a challenge to us 

and something we look forward to and 

trying to get the better of an illustrious 

opponent. We will just stick to what we 

do and if we do that well, I'll be pleased 

regardless of the outcome in the game. 

The object of the game is obviously to 

win it and as it’s the first home game 

and we want to go and do that however, 

it's more important that we make sure 

our behaviors are right and consistent 

that will stand us in good stead for the 

remainder of the season and hopefully it 

proves to be a fruitful season. 

There's a few things that we've tried to 

address in the closed season. One was 

the energy levels within the squad and 

secondly is the behavioural characteristics 

of the squad at times last season 

we let ourselves down by allowing our 

disappointment and our response to certain 

events was not the way I would like 

it to be. We've placed a great emphasis 

over the course of the close season on 

behaviors and creating a culture at the 

club which is something that we can be 

proud of and something that the kids 

around the club can aspire to be part of 

and that's something that we need to 

make sure that we are a good example 

to the kids 

So it's the dawn of a new year but more 

importantly it's another era for the football 

team to go and kick on and become 

more successful on a consistent basis. 

I think we'll get the players to do that 

hopefully we'll prove that tonight in the 

game and obviously looking forward to 

future games. 

The one that springs to mind is Saturday’s 

match against Irvine Meadow it 

willl be a difficult game but after we get 

the midweek game by it's good to look 

onto a derby day on and we hope to right 

a few wrongs from last season. 

I hope you enjoy the atmosphere and the 

show that’s on the park but special mention 

to the committee. The volunteers all 

the people who have worked hard over 

the close season to get the park ready 

were not fully there yet and we're a work 

in progress in that respect hopefully 

everyone has a good evening and enjoys 

the game. 

02

The Buffs Park Latest 

Pressing Ahead 

At Full Steam 

IT'S BEEN 16 WEEKS FROM OUR LAST MATCH AT ABBEY 

PARK AND DUE TO THE VOLUNTEER HELP WE ARE FIRMLY 

ON TRACK WITH THE PLANS 

 

New Match Day 

Suite on the way 

YOU'LL HAVE NOTICED 

THE NEW BUILDING IN THE 

CAR PARK. CURRENTLY 

AWAITING AMMENDED 

PLANNING PERMISSION 

Our Pitch and Terrace completion 

target was the first league home 

match. By the time Auchinleak 

Talbot arrive on Wednesday the 7th 

August we should have all the tasks 

complete that are within the control 

on the club. 

It's been a monumental achievement 

for the small team of volunteers 

that are given up pretty much every 

spare minute to make the Buffs Park 

a true, new home, for Kilwinning 

Rangers. 

While there is still much to be done 

the club are confident that by the 

end of our first season at our new 

home we will have a facility and 

infastrusture to rival the best teams 

at our level, and give the club a firm 

footing for progress over the next 

few years. 

03

1 2 

A Club To Be 

Proud of 

A Youth System 

That Works 

Our aim is to build a 

positive, welcoming 

environment with the 

best facilities we can 

offer 

3 4 

Sedon vel eros 

sem hasellus nec 

facilisis leordan, 

aterosullamcorper 

feliscos redis. Morbi 

tristique nunc id 

ante pellentesque 

Future-Proof 

Technology 

First 

Keeping an eye on our 

ever changing game 

and enviroment 

We aim to integrate 

player tracking and 

monitor systems to 

allow us to get the best 

out of our training 

Someone told me running this football club 

would be easy, “It’s all done for you” I was told. 

Now in my 3rd year as Chairman I can now say 

that isn’t the case. 

You need a team. A team to get the job done, have 

a laugh with and maybe fall out over small things, 

but a team that comes back together to finish the 

project. Our club are lucky to have a team running 

our club 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

We have now relocated and I can't thank the volunteers, 

members and supporters enough for their 

backing over the last 3 months. 

Although we had the vote to leave at the beginning 

of the year we only started work on the new 

ground when the season ended such is the intensity 

of running a club such as ours. 

On the day of the vote we made one last attempt 

to purchase the joiners yard next to Abbey Park 

but the price was out of our means and then there 

would still be more needed to turn it into usable 

changing rooms. 

Even on the last match against The Talbot a journalist 

asked “Are you looking forward to leaving” I 

had to tell him this wasn't the time nor the place, it 

was more a time to grieve rather than celebrate. 

But now it's time to come together and look forward. 

It’s been great to see the fans joining us at 

the new ground and the players, coaches and volunteers 

deserve the best support Kilwinning can 

give them. We welcome back all the fans to our 

new home, even the ones who said they wouldn’t 

be back. 

There are no grudges held, The Buffs Park is a 

positive new start for Kilwinning Rangers and as 

we’ve built it by doing things “One at a time” we 

also hope to see the fans return “One at a time”. 

Everyone is welcome and we ask you to bring an 

old or a new friend along to see for themselves. 

HOPE TO SEE 

THE FANS 

RETURN "ONE 

AT A TIME" 

// Set Goals and Move Towards Them 

When we made the plans for the move we expected 

a drop off from some fans and there to be a 

time when we’d need to attract a new audience. 

To cover the financial aspects of the drop off we 

set the commercial manager a target of bringing 

in £10,000 of new sponsorship. As of today, 

I’m delighted to say Colin Evans has completely 

smashed that goal which will give the club some 

extra resource to go into improving the ground. 

If the club wants to be one of the top teams in 

the area and continually improve, we must bring 

revenue in year round. We ask the fans to back 

our club events and offer your help in any way you 

can. Come along to our home matches, spend a 

few pounds where you can and buy half time draw 

tickets. 

Just for the sake of the rumour mill every penny 

that's generated by Kilwinning Rangers at The 

Buffs Park goes into Kilwinning Rangers. 

// What's Next? 

As the season starts we'll now be moving on from 

the pitch, path and services improvements. 

We have already lodged planning permission for 

the new club house and within the next few weeks 

will be working with a structural engineer to get 

plans into NAC for the stand to come from Abbey 

Park, while we've been promised fast turn arounds 

from the council, estimated dates won't be known 

for a while but we will work as fast as we can to 

get the stand up. 

With regards to Abbey Park at the moment, we 

haven't been approached by the council regarding 

the park or it’s potential use. We will update the 

fans if this changes. 

04 [ Ruffs N Tuffs ] Auchinleck Talbot

BOARD ROOM VIEW 

WE'VE MADE THE 

TOUGH DECISIONS 

TO SECURE THE 

CLUBS FUTURE 

7th August 2019 [ Ruff N Tuffs ] 05

Ben 10By 

Ben Grant 

 

10 YEARS AT THE BUFFS AND THE SECOND LONGEST 

SERVING PLAYER IN MODERN TIMES, WE CATCH UP 

WITH BEN TO GET HIS VIEWS ON THE UPCOMING 

FIXTURES 


BEN IS A PLAYER WHO IS A MANAGERS DREAM. 

HE IS A POSITIVE PERSON WITHIN THE GROUP. 

WHEN THE HARD WORK IS BEING DONE HES AT 

THE FOREFRONT 

MANAGER: CHRIS STRAIN 

B 

Ben Grant sat down with Ben 

Lewis to talk about his time at 

the club. Benji signed in 2008 

as a 17 year old and has stayed 

with the club throughout celebrating his 

Testimonial last season against Kilmarnock. 

He tells us about what it’s like playing 

for his local team, how pre-season has 

been and what he hopes to achieve in the 

season ahead. 

You signed as a 17 year old, what was that 

like? 

It was a great honour. Grew up watching 

the buffs for years and years with many 

great memories. It came about as my 

uncle had a friend on the committee, Peter 

Cochrane, and he asked me to come in 

for a trial and I played against Woodwynd 

Wolves and scored three goals and then 

they wanted to sign me and it’s went on 

from there. 

You’re a local boy and live in Kilwinning, 

what’s it like playing for your local club? 

It’s brilliant, it sounds dead cliched . As I 

say grow up watching them and I couldn’t 

think of anything better. I just love coming 

down and I'm really looking forward to the 

move as I played boys club here. It should 

be good. 

You been here for ten years., How did it 

feel to get your testimonial last season? 

I really appreciated the club doing that for 

me because in this day and age not many 

players stay at the same club for 10 years. 

The club put a lot on for me, they gave me 

a game against Kilmarnock and it was 

very well attended. I enjoyed that. There 

was a dinner dance too. I think ther is a 

golf date organised as well, looking forward 

to that. It's been great. 

Obviously been here for 10 years you’ve 

had some highs and lows what would you 

say your highs have been? 

Signing for a start, - a few finals and semifinals 

we got to the West of Scotland Cup 

final against Arthurlie although it wasn't 

a good result but I walked out as Captain 

with my daughter and step-daughter So 

that was a great day. We’ve had a couple 

good runs in the Scottish Cup. But I would 

like to be able to win some more trophies 

We won the Ayrshire Cup last year and 

that’s a non existent cup now so we were 

the last team to win that and I won that as 

captain so it was a great honour. 

So looking ahead to the season fastly approaching 

how’s pre-season been? 

It’s been good, I was at the first fews 

sessions and I went out in holiday and I 

missed a few Sessions so not ideal preparation, 

so I’m maybe not up to speed as 

the other boys. I’ve picked up a slight 

niggle at the Girvan Tournament. I'm just 

hoping to get fit and push for a place as 

there is a lot of competition and a big 

squad. I’m looking forward to the season 

ahead. 

The section cup is next against Ardeer, 

Saltcoats and Largs give us your thoughts 

on your opponents 

I've not seen any results pre-season 

for them but it doesn’t really come into 

account, this is when the competitive 

games start. Largs are in our league so it 

should be a tough game. Ardeer I think 

I've signed a few players so they will have 

a big squad and we haven't really seen 

much of Saltocats. But at this club your 

expected to go out and win every game 

even against the bigger teams. We hope to 

get 9 points from the Sectional Cup Group 

games and push on. 

DIFFERENT GENERATIONS HAVE 

REASONS FOR CONFLICT 

Finally what’s your aspirations for the 

team and as a player for the season 

ahead? 

As a player I always give my all for my 

team mates, make sure everyone is comfortable 

especially the new signings as I’m 

one of the more experienced boys in the 

team so I’ll make sure they settle in well. 

I’d like to score more goals and get a good 

run on the team as I said there’s a lot of 

competition for places. 

For the season ahead I'd expect us to 

compete for the league, it will be tough 

and obviously moving ground might take a 

bit to settle in. Also there’s a lot of younger 

boys in the squad so hopefully do well 

in the league and get a decent cup runs in 

the West and Scottish 





7th August 2019[ Ruffs N Tuffs ] 11

Preseason Review 

We kicked our pre-season campaign 

off with our first ever 

match at our new home The 

Buffs Park where we faced 

lowland league opposition BSC 

Glasgow. 

BSC would run out 1-0 winners in 

the end but a good first test for 

the boys at home. 

Next up was Darvel Juniors at 

Recreation Park. It was to be 

another loss for The Buffs with 

Darvel taking the spoils in a 2-1 

win. The Buffs in search of their 

first pre-season victory and it 

would come at the hands of Ardrossan 

Winton Rovers. 

A 4-2 win on our travels with 

goals coming from Ryan Wilson, 

Carlo Monti, Dean Agnew and 

Gary Fleming 

WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT 

PRESEASON MATCHES THAT HAVE 

SET THE SQUAD UP GREAT FOR THE 

SEASON AHEAD 

Chris Strain 

The team would return to Buffs 

Park for our family fun day 

match vs Dundee North End a 

2-0 win against the East Region 

side and goals from Gary Fleming 

and Mark Curragh would see 

the first win at our new home.The 

next test would see us face SPFL 

opposition in Hamilton Accies 

would started 5 first team squad 

members. A tough game against 

a well drilled team but it wasnt to 

be for Accies and we’d keep another 

clean sheet at home with 

another 2-0, Gary Fleming would 

find the scoresheet once again 

and it was a first goal for Alex 

McWaters. 

12 [ SPORT MAGAZINE ] Category Title

YOUNG BUFFS 

Robbie's Rules 

ROBBIE LYNCH, AT THE AGE OF 17 CAME ON AGAINST THE TALBOT 

AT THE LAST ABBEY PARK MATCH AND COULD BE THE YOUNGEST 

PLAYER TO EVER PLAY FOR THE BUFFS IN THE WEST PREMIER 

LEAGUE. 

Ewan Curragh 

Thomas Johnston 

Jack McMahon 

Daniel Sweeney 

A solid centre back, currently 

playing for our under 

21s, Ewan recently made 

his debut against Saltcoats 

where he featured alongside 

his brother, Mark. 

TJ was thrown into the 

deep end last season due to 

injures and suspensions 

and came on against Pollok. 

This season he's training 

with the first and will feature 

in the squad 

Jack the midfield mater has 

been tearing up all compeitions 

and opponents that 

stand is his way. He's name 

is often mentioned by SPFL 

club scouts but we hope to 

see him in a Buffs 1st Team 

kit one day. 

Daniel has rejoined 

the Under 17s side from 

Kilmarnock after a couple of 

seasons playing with their 

youth teams. A buffs star of 

the future and one to look 

out for. 



AUCHINLECK TALBOT 

The Benchmark of Junior Football 

Andrew Leishman 

Gordon Pope 

William Lyle 

Jamie Glasgow 

Neil McPherson 

Gareth Armstrong 

Stephen Wilson 

Graham Wilson 

Dwayne Hyslop 

Calvin Kemp 

Mark Shankland 

Craig McCracken 

Steven White 

Keir Samson 

Jack McDowell 

Bryan Boylan 

Kieran Healy 

Corey Pearson 

Brian Hewitt 

Aidan Wilson 

Dillon Young 

Goalkeeper 

Defender 

Defender 

Midfielder 

Defender 

Defender 

Midfielder 

Forward 

Midfielder 

Forward 

Forward 

Defender 

Midfielder 

Forward 

Midfielder 

Forward 

Defender 

Midfielder 

Goalkeeper 

Defender 

Defender 

We welcome Talbot for 

the first time to The Buffs 

Park. 

Talbot are a team we 

know well and always 

provide the fans with hotly 

contested matches. They are 

the last league to play us at 

Abbey Park and will be the 

first league team to play The 

Buffs Park 

The “Bot” were formed 

in 1909 after being gifted 

Beechwood Park from Lord 

Talbot de Malahide. 

Those not so familiar with 

junior football will be sure to 

be aware of Talbot’s efforts 

in the William Hill Scottish 

Cup putting out Championship 

side Ayr United winning 

1-0 at Beechwood Park with 

a goal from Craig McCracken. 

They were drawn against 

SPL side Hearts in the next 

round at Tynecastle their 

Scottish Cup journey was to 

come to end as The Jambos 

thrashed them 4-0. However 

they would find success 

in the junior ranks winning 

the McBookie West Region 

Premiership and The Macron 

Scottish Cup against Largs 

Thistle 

One person who is no 

stranger to The Buffs is striker 

Bryan Boylan who signed 

for the Beechwood Park side 

in the close season. Bryan 

a fans favourite at Abbey 

Park had this to say ahead 

of the match “Firstly I’d just 

like to thank the fans for all 

their support over the last 

few months since moving on 

from Kilwinning to talbot it’s 

been much appreciated. I’'ll 

be back following Kilwinning 

as a fan and am looking 

forward to the season 

ahead,unfortunately I am 

going to miss tonight’s game 

through injury but I’ll be 

looking forward to welcoming 

Kilwinning to Beechwood 

Park later in the season” 

Another person who will 

be well known to The Buffs 

fans is manager Tommy 

Sloan. Tucker was a part of 

the all conquering Kilwinning 

side who won the Scottish 

Cup at Firhill in 1999. After 

a short spell with Ardrossan 

Winton Rovers where 

he played alongside his son 

Tommy jr. He joined Talbot in 

2003 as player coach before 

taking up the manager’s 

job. Sloan has had a very 

successful spell so far as 

manager winning 6 league 

titles and 7 Scottish Junior 

Cups including back to back 

wins in 17/18 and 18/19. 

Talbot have added Kieran 

Healy, captain of Renfrew, 

defender Corey Pearson 

from Petershill. Ex-Stranraer 

defender Dillon Young and 

of course Kilwinning’s own 

Bryan Boylan. Sean McIlroy, 

David Waite and Ross Harvey 

have departed Talbot in the 

summer. 





20 [ Ruffs N Tuffs ] Auchinleck Talbot 

Clydebank 1 

The Buffs 3 

Holm Park

The Buffs travelled to Holm Park to play a 

Clydebank side who recently took up home 

ground sharing with Yoker Athletic. The 

Bankies were quick to remind Buffs fans of 

their 5-0 win last season against us. However 

the tables were turned when Chris Strain’s 

side ran out 3-1 winners in the opening 

match of the McBookie.com West Region 

Premiership 

Chris Strain would make 6 changes from 

the side who faced Saltcoats in the Sectional 

Cup. Adam Strain would claim the no.1 

jersey and there would be a start for new 

signing Michael Hewitt. 

The Buffs started with a great intensity 

seeing a lot of the early possession. With 6 

minutes on the clock a backpass to Adam 

Strain saw the keeper launch the ball upfield 

it fell nicely to forward Carlo Monti who got 

in behind the Clydebank defence before 

calming chipping Waters in the Bankies 

goal. 

Buffs continued the pressure towards 

half time and on the 37th minute Chris 

McGowan picked up the ball on the half way 

line playing in Ryan Wilson on the 18 yard 

box who slotted the ball past the keeper to 

put the Buffs 2-0 ahead. 

As fans headed for the pie stalls to sample 

the half time fare. Alex Mcwatters would 

pick the ball up on the wing before passing 

to Carlo Monti, the striker fired a shot 

on target which deflected off a Clydebank 

defender and into goal. Goals a plenty in the 

1st Half 3-0 Buffs. 

With 6 minutes to go a Bankies corner 

was swung into the box, McLean rose and 

met the ball in the air sending a bulleted 

header past Strain. 

The game would fizzle out as Clydebank 

tried to keep the pressure on and the buffs 

would win 3-1. 

A GREAT START TO THE SEASON 

KRTV spoke with Chris Strain after the 

match who was delighted with his team performance 

“it would be unfair to single anyone 

out and I thought we thoroughly merited 

the 3 points” 

Clydebank would come out with fire in 

their belly and put up a good fight, the buffs 

would contain the pressure with Clydebank 

forcing a couple of saves out of Adam 

Strain. Clydebank pushed closer with buffs 

new signing Michael Hewitt make an impressive 

goal line clearance. 


Adam Strain 

David Marky 

Sam McCloskey 

Chris McGowan 

Position: 

Goalkeeper 

Position: 

Goalkeeper 

Position: 

Defender 

Position: 

Defender 

Gary Fleming 

Ben Lewis 

Darren Fyre 

Dean Agnew 

Position: 

Midfield 

Position: 

Midfield 

Position: 

Mid/Forward 

Position: 

Mid/Forward 

Carlo Monti 

Kieran McLaughlin 

Alex McWaters 

Ryan Wilson 

Position: 

Mid/Forward 

Position: 

Mid/Forward 

Position: 

Mid/Forward 

Position: 

Forward 


David Syme 

Tommy Maitland 

Jamie Whyte 

Ricky Hanvey 

Position: 

Defender 

Position: 

Defender 

Position: 

Defender 

Position: 

Midfield 

Steven Tan 

Robbie Lynch 

Thomas Johnstone 

Mark Curragh 

Position: 

Midfield 

Position: 

Midfield 

Position: 

Forward 

Position: 

Forward 

Match Ball Sponsor 

Alastair McColm 

Position: 

Forward 


Name These G 

// TAM'S HALF TIME TEASERS 

1. In Darts what’s the lowest score that cannot be finished with 2 darts? 

2. Who do Barcelona play in the Barcelona Derby Match? 

3. Name the Scottish Golf Courses that host The Open Championship? 

4. Name the manager of St Mirren? 

5. Name the Team who play at Holm Park? 

6. Name the manager of Newcastle? 

7. Name the team who plays at Guys Meadows? 

8. Who won the Masters in 2019? 

9. Who does Jordan Jones play for? 

10. The Mets play in which city? 

Answers posted on our Facebook Page later tonight, let us know how many 

you got right. 


New 

Rules 

The rule-makers have 

decided upon a number of 

changes to the Laws of the 

Game - but what are they? 

The idea behind the change is to 

avoid time-wasting and disturbances 

between players that 

may result in physical altercations. 

rounds 

The IFAB said: "There is no 

legitimate tactical justification 

for attackers to be in the ‘wall’ 

and their presence is against 

the ‘spirit of the game’ and 

often damages the image of the 

game." 

-Free kicks: No attacking players 

in wall 

-Substitutions: Players must 

leave pitch at nearest point 

-Yellow & red cards for coaches 

-Penalty kicks: Goalkeepers 

must have at least one foot on 

line 

-Handball: Accidental offences 

deemed free kicks 

-Drop ball no longer competitive 

Can You Name All These 

Players 






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Ruffs and Tuffs Issue 1

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