football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club based in
Hurlford
Hurlford is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland, situated on the outskirts of Kilmarnock, the largest and administrative centre of East Ayrshire and East Ayrshire Council. It has a population of 4,968. Hurlford's former names include Whirlfor ...
, near
Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
Kilmarnock ( ; ; , ), meaning "the church of Mernóc", is a town and former burgh in East Ayrshire situated in southwest Scotland. The town has served as the administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council since 1996 and is the region's main ...
. Nicknamed ''The Ford'', they were formed in 1912 and play at Blair Park, wearing red and white. They currently play in the Premier Division of the
West of Scotland Football League
The West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) is a senior football league based in the west of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–10 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Founded in 20 ...
. They won the
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA). The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA on the 2nd October 1886 and, as of the 2023–24 ed ...
in 2014.
League record
1972–73 The Invincibles
In 1972–73, under the guidance of manager Davie Sneddon, Hurlford went the entire league campaign undefeated en route to the Ayrshire First Division Title.
2012–13 West First Division Champions
In 2012–13, under long-term chairman Lorimer Headley and manager Derek McCulloch, Hurlford won the SJFA West Super League First Division to win promotion to the West Super League Premier Division for the first time in their history. Hurlford completed their programme on Saturday, 4 May 2013 with a 3–0 victory away to
Kilsyth Rangers
Kilsyth Rangers Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire. Nicknamed ''The Wee Gers'', they were formed in 1914 and play at Duncansfield Park, which used to be one of the bigger ''non-league'' f ...
, which guaranteed second place and promotion. However,
Rutherglen Glencairn
Rutherglen Glencairn Football Club is a Scottish football club based in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, near Glasgow. Nicknamed ''The Glens'' and formed in 1896, they play at The Hamish B Allan Stadium (New Southcroft Park).
Glencairn currently ...
had seven games left to play and were 21 points behind. The league title was finally confirmed eleven days later when Glencairn played out a goalless draw away to Thorniewood United on 15 May. This title win was all the more remarkable given that Ford had only avoided relegation the previous season by beating 2012 Scottish Junior Cup Winners Shotts Bon Accord in their last match of the season.
Junior Cup win, senior Scottish Cup and strong in the league
In the 2013–14 season, Hurlford not only kept their place in the Super Premier with a strong 3rd-place finish, but also won the
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA). The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA on the 2nd October 1886 and, as of the 2023–24 ed ...
Rugby Park
Rugby Park, also known as The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park for sponsorship reasons, is a association football, football stadium which is the home of Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock F.C. and is situated in the Scotland, Scottish town of Kilmarnoc ...
in Kilmarnock. This meant the club entered the senior
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,local amateur team Hurlford Thistle also won the
Scottish Amateur Cup
The Scottish Amateur Cup is a nationwide knockout tournament supported and organised by the Scottish Amateur Football Association. The Scottish Amateur Cup is contested by hundreds of football clubs every year. The first and second rounds are re ...
in 2014, another achievement which granted entry to the senior Cup – but from the next season onwards, thus a historic double qualification into the country's most prestigious competition from the same village was narrowly missed due to its timing.
In the
2014–15 Scottish Cup
The 2014–15 Scottish Cup was the 130th season of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The tournament was sponsored by bookmaker William Hill in what was the fourth season of a five-year partnership.
The defending champi ...
Inverurie Loco Works
Inverurie Loco Works Football Club are a senior semi-professional football (soccer), football club from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who currently play in the .
History
The club was founded in 1902 by workmen from the Great North of Sco ...
(3–0), then took
Scottish League One
The Scottish League One, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League One for sponsorship reasons, is the third tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foot ...
club
Stirling Albion
Stirling Albion Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the city of Stirling. The club was founded in 1945 following the demise of King's Park after World War II. The club currently competes in as a member of the Scottish Profession ...
to a replay, extra time and a penalty shootout, which was eventually lost 13–12.
Hurlford finished Super Premier Division runners-up in both the 2014–15 and 2015–16 campaigns, finishing four points behind champions Auchinleck Talbot each time, and also being eliminated from the Scottish Junior Cup at the semi-final stage in both years. They reached the final again in
2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
but this time lost, again to neighbours Auchinleck and in dramatic fashion, conceding two goals in stoppage time after being 2–1 ahead on 90 minutes.
Current squad
Coaching staff
*Manager -
Darren Henderson
Darren Henderson (born 12 October 1966) is a Scottish former footballer. He made over 500 appearances in the Scottish Football League over a 21-year senior career and is currently the manager of Hurlford United in the Scottish Junior Football As ...
*Assistant Manager - John Dempster
*Goalkeeping Coach - Ally Brown
*Scout - Alex Montgomery
*Physio - Sam Tata
Honours
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA). The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA on the 2nd October 1886 and, as of the 2023–24 ed ...
West of Scotland Junior Cup
The West of Scotland Junior Challenge Cup was an annual Scottish football competition played in a one-leg knockout format (played at 'home' team grounds as drawn, until the final at a neutral venue), organised by the West Region of the Scottish ...
* Winners: 2017–18
* Runners-up: 2015–16
West of Scotland League Cup
* Winners: 2021–22
Ayrshire Cup winners (4): 1968–69, 1972–73, 1973–74, 2014–15
Ayrshire League Cup winners (5): 1940–41, 1944–45, 1971–72, 1975–76, 2015–16
Ayrshire District (Irvine Times) Cup winners (3): 1944–45, 1965–66, 1968–69
Kilmarnock & Loudoun Cup winners (5): 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93
East Ayrshire Cup winners: 2000–01