football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club based in
Hurlford
Hurlford (Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile Àtha Cliath'') is a village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It has a population of 4,968. Hurlford's former names include Whirlford and Hurdleford. The village was named Whirlford as a result of a ford crossing ...
, near
Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
Kilmarnock (, sco, Kilmaurnock; gd, Cill Mheàrnaig (IPA: ʰʲɪʎˈveaːɾnəkʲ, "Marnock's church") is a large town and former burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland and is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire Council. With a populatio ...
. 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 202 ...
. They won the
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association. The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA in 1886 and, as of the 2022–23 edition, 108 teams compete ...
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 1913 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 (soccer), 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).
G ...
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. The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA in 1886 and, as of the 2022–23 edition, 108 teams compete ...
for the first time, beating East Ayrshire rivals
Glenafton Athletic
Glenafton Athletic Football Club is a Scottish football club, based in New Cumnock, Ayrshire. Members of the Scottish Junior Football Association, they play in the West of Scotland Football League. The club has won the Scottish Junior Cup twice ...
3–0 in
the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
at
Rugby Park
Rugby Park, also known as The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium situated in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock. It was first used in 1899 and is the home of Kilmarnock F.C. Rugby Park has also been used for con ...
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 reg ...
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 ...
, 'Ford overcame away ties against Highland League opponents
Clachnacuddin
Clachnacuddin Football Club is a part-time, senior Scottish football club based in the city of Inverness, that currently plays in the Highland Football League.
Clachnacuddin have won the most Highland Football League championships in the com ...
(7–1) and
Inverurie Loco Works
Inverurie Loco Works Football Club are a senior semi-professional football club from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who currently play in the Scottish Highland Football League (SHFL).
The club was founded in 1903 by workmen from the Great ...
(3–0), then took
Scottish League One
The Scottish League One, known as cinch League One for sponsorship reasons, is the third tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottish League One was e ...
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 Scottish League Two as a member of the ...
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
Auchinleck Talbot Football Club is a Scottish football club based in Auchinleck, East Ayrshire. They currently play in the .
The club is also a member of the Scottish Junior Football Association, and have won the Scottish Junior Cup on a reco ...
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
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
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
*Assistant Manager - John Dempster
*Goalkeeping Coach - Ally Brown
*Scout - Alex Montgomery
*Physio - Sam Tata
*Kitman - Ross Hume
Honours
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association. The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA in 1886 and, as of the 2022–23 edition, 108 teams compete ...
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