Rugby Park

A football stadium located a half-mile (0.8 km) southwest of the centre of Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire, Rugby Park has been the home of Kilmarnock Football Club - known affectionately as Killie - since 1899. Prior to that the team - which was founded in 1869 and represents the oldest professional team in Scotland - had moved between several local playing fields.

A new Main (or West) Stand was built in 1960-61 and renovated in 1989. A complete modernisation in 1995 was accompanied by the building of three new stands; Chadwick, East and Moffat. The all-seated capacity is now 18,128, although the largest recorded capacity was 35,995 when Kilmarnock played Rangers in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final of 1962. The pitch was replaced in 1999 and a modern drainage and underground heating system installed.

Kilmarnock had their greatest success in the 1960s. Having been runners up in the Scottish Football League in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1964, they were crowned league champions in 1965. They have won the Scottish Cup on three occasions: 1920, 1929 and 1997.

The stadium is occasionally used for other events, including Scotland football international matches (1997) and a rock concert by Elton John in 2005. The club opened a hotel and conference centre on an adjacent site in 2002, which had previously been occupied by training pitches.


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