Ardrossan Academicals is a

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

team from

Ardrossan Ardrossan (; ) is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in southwestern Scotland. The town has a population of 10,670 and forms part of a conurbation with Saltcoats and Stevenston known as the 'Three Towns'. Ardrossan is located on the east shore ...

North Ayrshire North Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Àir a Tuath, ) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and so ...

. The men's side play in the ; the women's side play in the . The team's home ground is Memorial Field, across the road from

Ardrossan Academy Ardrossan Academy is a Scottish secondary school, opened in October 1882, serving Ardrossan, with pupils also coming from nearby Saltcoats, West Kilbride, Seamill, Fairlie, Largs and other areas. Notable alumni * June Andrews, nursing ex ...

History

Two previous

sides started in Ardrossan in 1870. The Ardrossan Castle Foot-Ball Club began playing at the practice ground at Clutha Park before moving to the Castle grounds. Its local rival was the Ardrossan Football Club that played on the Clutha Park practice ground. The Ardrossan Football Club was rugby union until it made the switch to association football in 1874; but only lasted another two years as an association side. The Ardrossan Castle Foot-Ball Club remained rugby union until around 1880. It switched to association football, dropping the hyphen in its name on making the switch. The present club was founded in 1921. In 2005, they won the BT Bowl by beating

Greenock Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...

Ardrossan Sevens

The club run the Ardossan Sevens tournament. The men's competition began in 1954 and sides play for the Past Players Trophy. A woman's competition was started in 2016.

Honours

*Ardrossan Sevens ** Champions: 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1976 *Cambuslang Sevens ** Champions: 1979 *Wigtownshire Sevens ** Champions: 1975 *Stirling Sevens ** Champions: 1972

Notable former players

Glasgow District

The following former Ardrossan Academicals players have represented Glasgow District at provincial level.

References

* Massie, Allan ''A Portrait of Scottish Rugby'' (Polygon, Edinburgh; ) Scottish rugby union teams Rugby union in North Ayrshire Ardrossan−Saltcoats−Stevenston 1921 establishments in Scotland Rugby clubs established in 1921 {{Scotland-rugbyunion-team-stub