Who Is Allan Auld ??

Killiefc.com Co-Webmaster

Hello ...... My name is Allan Auld !! Thanks for visiting my Killie website !! Who am I ?? Here is some background on myself ....... I was born in October 1958, in Prestwick, and today live in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

For background on this website's history click HERE

My Dad is Andy Auld, and mother was Flora Auld. I have a big sister Elaine Auld-Lauder, who is married to Adrian who have their own business ( tsmv GANNET) in Benderloch, just North of Oban. I had four brothers; Andy who is married to Nina, and lives in Tadley (Hamps), Graeme who lives in Port Glasgow, and Tom (on right of the pic to the left) who also lives in London ! My brother Iain, passed away in June 1999 lived in Frejus, in the South of France.

I attended Dundonald primary school1964-71, and then Marr College in Troon from  1971-78.

I moved to Hamilton in 1978 and attended Bell College of Technology from 1978-80, where I completed my SHND in Business Studies. 

Did you know that  Ally McCoist was also a student at Bell at the same time?  I believe he was taking Engineering !! I thought he was crap then, we (all the Killie fans at Bell) used to beat him and the rest of the unknowns at indoor "footy" frequently in the Bell gym.

I fancied myself as bit of fitba player back then and played frequently and played for Windsor Utd (in Hamilton) & Troon Athletic. As of 2007, I stillplay over-40 "soccer" here in the States.

From 1982-83, I attended the University of Albuquerque in New Mexico, and completed my BA degree in Business Studies.

Because my mother Flora, had been born in the US (my Grandparents were in the States between the wars looking for work when my mom was born in the States, and then returned to Scotland at the age of 2 ), it was relatively easy for me to apply for my US Green Card, and become a resident, and also find a career !

In August of 1983 I started at Dun & Bradstreet as a Business Analyst, and in Albuquerque NM.  23 years later, after working in Phoenix, AZ, San Francisco, CA, Des Moines & Dubuque, IA,  I ended my career as a project manager out of their Tucson AZ, office.  In Oct 2006 I moved to Las Vegas, NV. and in May 2007 moved to Atlanta, to work for a GA based company, Ryla Teleservices that has me spend quite a bit of time in Kenya, Africa, working in call centre management. As of Oct 07, I became more State-side based... thank goodness the travel was killing me!

In May 2008 my contract expired with Ryla, and Yvonne & I decided  to take the plunge and become our own employers! In Aug 2008 we purchased the "Atlanta Antique Gallery", in Chamblee, GA.
Do take a look!

Allan & Killie

As an avid Killie fan, I looked back in time to the day that I was born to my surprise it was a Saturday.
 It was October  18th 1958 and Killie won 5-0 that day! I guess I was destined to be a lifelong follower of "the Killie"

My first Killie game was in November the 8th 1969 Vs Morton   Killie had a 5-2 victory over Morton that day as Eddie Morrison and Tommy McLean scored. Suffice to say I have been "hooked" on Killie since that day!

I didn't miss a home game from 1971-79. I attended the majority of these games with my Papa Auld ...."Tam Auld"..or the late Thomas Auld.

My favorite players from the 70's & early 80's were; Tommy McLean (Pictured below...who was my boy-hood hero, and I was heart-broken when we sold him off to Rangers), Eddie Morrison, Gordon Smith, Davie Provan, Alan McCulloch, Ross Mathie, Big "D", Stuart McLean, Alan Robertson, Ally Hunter and Jim Stewart."...... to name but a few!!

Some of my other stand-out  memories from the 70's & 80's (not all good I'm afraid!) would be the 1970 Coleraine home loss in the fairs cup to a bunch of part-timers!

The 1969-70 Scottish Cup run to the Semi's Vs the Dons at Perth, 1972-73 final day of the season being relegated to Division 2 after a 2-2 home draw to Falkirk. We'd been 2 up at the half! Greeted all the way home!

The 1973-74  League Cup Semi Vs Dundee. (The winter of power cuts!), and promotion later that season, we clinched at home Vs a Frank Beattie managed Stirling Albion. We also scored 96 goals that season with Ian Fleming getting 33 goals & Eddie getting 25!

The 1977-78 season Cup win over holders Celtic, (having beaten Premier St Mirren at Love St in the previous rd) when we were just a first division side, (my car was broken into that night in the first game at Parkheid ..."Mr... Gonna gee us a shilling tae watch yir motor ?"). Then there was big "D's" (right) magical winner over Celtic in the replay, ensuring Rangers would have to destroy the Rangers Vs Celtic QF tickets that had all ready been printed.

The 1979 Tennants Caledonian Cup win at Ibrox, after our promotion winning season of 1978-79 was certainly special also!

Probably one of my most memorable matches was from the 1979-80 season, when on the 23rd of April 1980 Killie beat Rangers 1-0 via a 1st half Bobby Street strike. This win ensure Killie's Premier League survival, and represented Killie's FIRST attempt at "staying up" in the top flight until the 1993-94 season.

In 1982 I left Scotland and missed the majority of the "highs & lows" of the next 13 years of Killie's existence. I did buy papers every Monday morning to see how they were getting on, but as we all know as the 80's ended Killie were going from bad to worse.

I did get to see us take on Raith Rovers on April 15th 1989. We lost 1-2 that day (after being up 1-0 at the half), but I do remember thinking that the newly acquired Ray Montgomerie looked like he showed the proper "Killie Spirit", and that Willie Watters looked like quite a "handful". I was lucky enough to be an invited guest of Killie that day, due to John & Mary Porter (some our family friends) being local councillors and that Walter McRae (then club sec) needed his trees trimmed up by the council. Well we were relegated just a couple of weeks later, and the rest as they say is history!!

In July of 1995, I bought my first computer, and started "fooling around" on the internet  with my # 1 category being my Be-Loved Killie ! My first E-Mail I ever sent was to Morris Tonner (pictured at J D's pub in Crosshouse below on Cup Final night) who I picked at random, because he had made several Killie references, on a mailing list. Morris replied ..... Do you know who I am ???..... I am your Dad's cousin !!... A huge Killie fan himself, he told me about ..... "I've just seen your Gran (Lilly Auld of Ayr)......" and nowt about Killie.!! 

Morris did keep all of "us" exiles in the loop, in particular the relegation escape of 96-97 ! We all know how that season finished up with Killie's historic 3rd cup triumph. I booked my trip home within 5 minuets of the Cup Replay being over, so I could be there with the 25,000+ Killie fans who took in an unforgettable day on May 24th 1997!!

Andy & Allan Auld, May 24th 1997, Ibrox, Glasgow

In many ways I believe Morris was the forefather of Killie on the Internet !!! (More on the 97 Cup Final Win HERE)

In Feb of 1999 I started the "Killie Experience" website in  on at Geocities (as some of you may remember).

During my visit home to Scotland in June of 1999 I was asked to  participate in the Killie Vs Ayr Internet Fans Charity Match. Looking "Pretty Chuffed" with myself ......after a 2 goal's in a twenty minute "supersub" performance !! I have since played two more games for the internet team Vs Morton Oct 2000, and Motherwell in Aug of 2001... ALL WINS !!

In Nov of 1999 I moved the "Killie Experience" into its own domain at .... killiefc.com . The site was then signed up as the Rivals network Killie website as of Jan 2000.

In March of 2000 I was fortunate enough to be invited as a guest of KFC club secretary Kevin Collins to attend the Dundee SPL Match which ended 2-2.

Also during my visit I got  to have a 45 min conversation with then Killie manager Bobby Williamson (as pictured right). I had a long and enjoyable chat with the manager  and then thanked Bobby for taking the time off from his busy schedule. I found Bobby to be a real "straight shooter", and very down to earth.

In Aug 0f 2000 after the Killie Supporters Magazine "KTS" became defunct I invited Barry "baz" Richmond to become a co-publisher of the site, which he gladly accepted ! More "About Our Site" HERE.

In Oct of 2000 I returned home to take in the Rangers (3-0 SPL), Hibs (2-1 CIS) & Celtic (0-1 SPL) matches.
The 3 goal win at Ibrox will live with me forever...WHAT A DAY !!!
On the way into Ibrox that day my brother Graeme & I ran into my former boy-hood idol Tommy McLean (who then worked for Rangers) ...I asked Tommy who was going to win (while wearing my Killie top) ... he replied "You'll get bait!"...... funnily enough we ran back into Tommy after Killie's shock win.... to which he replied "We Won!" (nice to know there's still a wee bit o Killie left in Tommy!)

I also attended a Crosshouse Waverley fund raiser & got to meet Craig Brown!

In March 2001 I could not resist the urge to take in a double Hampden Trip... to see the CIS Cup Final, and the Scotland-Belgium World Cup qualifier.... Need I say any more about these 2 results !!!
But a good time was had by all, if only Ian Durrant could have played the whole Final! (See my brothers Graeme, Tom & I at the CIS Final to the right!). It was still a guid day oot however, despite a certain number 7 for the Tic netting a hat-trick. 

At the end of April my job took me back over to the UK, and I snuck up "home" again to take in the UEFA Cup Hearts battle, which was a great treat... and what a goal "Big Kev" scored in the 1-1 draw that Friday night !!!

In Aug of 2001 I jumped on a plane and decided to participate in  Baz's idea of the "killiefc.com on tour". So I therefore headed back over to Scotland, and with brother Graeme got on the boat to Belfast. On the ferry over I met Malkie McCormick and a fun visit with him. After Chris Innes saved our blushes in the 1-0 win over Glenavon (our first European win in 25+ years!) the Killie crew partied the night away in Lurgan, "Paper Roses" certainly was at full volume that night!!

On the following Sunday, after the Lurgan trip, it was off to see Killie at Motherwell.
We were very unfortunate that we had Ngonge sent off, and give up an undeserved equaliser to the Steelmen, in the 93rd min, but we still got a 2-2 draw !

In Jan 2002 I took in the Celtic 0-2 home loss to Celtic, but was very impressed by our play,

In May 2002  I came "home" to participate with baz in the Killiefc "day oot" festivities including the 1-4 home loss to Motherwell. During the half-time of the Well match I fulfilled a boy-hood dream as I got to participate in the "shoot-out" with Shug representing this site !!  I also "did the honours"  and presented Alan Mahood with his 2001-02 Player of the Year award. did also take in the 3-0 win at St Johnstone the prior week!

I also got to meet Jim Jefferies and I cannot believe how he has gotten such a "bad rap" in the press, as I found him to be a complete gentleman, very interested in the website, and basically a very genuine man!.... And not the least bit "dour".

Also in June of 2002 the killiefc.com website was no longer part of the Rivals network as they choose to discontinue all Scottish football. So baz & I moved this site into its own server  & I'm happy to report that the site is now generating more than 850 unique front page "hits" per day & has the most active message boards for Killie fans anywhere in the world. (About our site Here)

In June 2002 I headed over to Korea with brother Graeme to take in some 2002 World Cup action, where I ran into French player Youri Djorkaeff, who did remember playing against our Killie a couple of years earlier.  To see my 2002 World Cup photo scrapbook click HERE

In Nov 2002 I was back in Scotland for my Gran's 90th birthday and took in the Dundee Utd last min 1-2 loss. Another heartbreak for Allan! I was lucky enough to have with me for trip was my future wife to be Yvonne. The match was followed by the 1997 Cup Final revisited night at the Howard. (See Yvonne and myself pictured with cup final hero Paul Wright above).  Yet another great night was had by all.

In Feb of 2003 I took in my first game of the year, when Killie travelled to Tynecastle to take on Hearts, in a 3rd Vs 4th SPL match. Killie lost 0-3, to make it my 3rd defeat on the trot watching Killie.  Got to meet O'Boab (see pic left ... great top he has on!)

Worse was to follow as our end of year match was the SPL decider in May of 2003 against Celtic at home. We were gubbed 0-4 and had to sit amongst the "great Unwashed' as Celtic lost the title on goal difference.

During this trip it was my pleasure to present Stevie "Baggio" Fulton with his 2003 killiefc.com Player of the Year award. (pictured left), and play in the Bazcelona Squirrels website match. Here

One of my worst fears is that I would become a jinx to my beloved Killie! I sure hope this does not turn out to be the case because I am ....."Killie Till I Die"!!

But not to worry I made a triumphant return in Oct of 2003 to see Killie beat Ayr Utd 1-0 in the West Sound challenge match and then made a mad dash up to Hampden with brother Graeme to see Scotland beat Lithuania in the Euro 2004 qualifying match... Brilliant.... We all know that the Killie win was much more important in the scheme of things ....... right??

During my next trip back to see the famous Ayrshire Killie was in May of 2004 where Yvonne, Graeme and I took in the Aberdeen 4-0 demolishing. Davie MacKinnon helped us out with Directors Box tickets, and we also stayed at the Park Hotel. After the game it was my pleasure to interview out of contract Killie star Freddie Dindeleux. Freddie shared that he definitely wanted "to stay" and that he "loved Kilmarnock"... "me too!".... I replied.

On the same trip we took in the season finale at Partick Thistle, and enjoyed the 2-2 draw.

Yvonne is pictured at Firhill (left) wearing her new Killie jacket as she did a great job dealing with the fairly pleasant (& dry) Scottish Spring weather.

Prior to the start of the new season 04-05, the site has some unfinished business from the 2003-04 season, namely our POTY (Player of the Year).

So in July of 2004 it was over to take in the "The Open" at Royal Troon, and the site's "day oot". Kris Boyd was our winner, and is pictured right, picking up his award at the Howard, after the 2-2 draw with Ayr at Scumerset.

Then I was over for my birthday in Oct of 2004 to take in the 3-1 demolition of Hibs

My next match was in May of 2005 as Killie thrashed the Pars 4-0 on the final day of the season! I also attended the 1964-65 league champs dinner at the Park Hotel. (below) the Friday night before the Dunfermline match.

With the passing of my 93 year old grand-mother Lilly Auld (of Ayr) there were 4 of the "Auld Clan" present to take in the 2-2 draw at Motherwell on  Nov 5th  of 2005 as pictured below are ; Allan, Tom Graeme & my French nephew Ronald Auld (Iain's son from France).

My next trip "home" was in  Mar of 2006  to participate in the Kaiserslautern "fans match"  against our German friends.

Also we all took in the Falkirk 2-1 home win, as Killie went 4th in the SPL!.

It was also my pleasure to a bit of website "catching-up", and present our site's 2004-2005 "Player of the Year" award to goalkeeper Alan Combe.

My next trip for me was to be the 2006 World Cup, and got to "visit" with our Kaiserslautern friends again.

In Kaiserslautern above you can see (brother) Graeme & I before a Trinidad match, at the World Cup in Germany, where as you can see Davie Sneddon's name lives on! My pic scrap book is - Here

In  Dec of 2006  I took in the year end finale against Hearts, which finished 0-0. I was lucky enough to be accompanied by my 2 step daughters Bella (left) & Nani (right) in the above pic! Don't they look cute in their Killie hats?

In Oct 2007, when I saw a battling Killie, field an under-strength team in the 2-2 home draw with Inverness. A great game, and I also did a guest "spot" on the "Killie World"  club internet broadcast, which was fun also!

At the end of Feb 2008, I  took in the 2-4 Gretna "fiasco" & the 1-0 Buddies home win.

I took my Day Andy Auld "Senior" (right) to this match, which was his first game in some some 37 years, 5 mo’s & 2 days, Sept 29^th 1970, to be exact when we hosted Coleraine in the European Fairs Cup.

More on my trip "home" - HERE

My most recent trip home was at the end of Aug 2008, where I took in the 1-0  2008-09 "home opener" win over Hibs at Rugby Park.

Acknowledgements

Some of the folk I  have to thank for helping me start, run & maintain this site... firstly baz (what can I say!), Sandy Ferguson (for his excellent photos) the late Tom Brown (club photographer), former club sec Kevin Collins, former manager Bobby Williamson, former CEO David Heath, former general manager  Davie MacKinnon, current manager Jim Jefferies, my brothers Andy & Graeme, the late Mr John Porter,  both my Papa's (Blakeley & Auld, for taking me to the games when I was just a wee boy!)..... and anyone else who has anything to do with Kilmarnock Football Club.

Should'nt forget my beautiful wife Yvonne  who allows me the time to maintain this site especially when the rubbish is needing taken out!

 "Killie till we Die".....Allan

About killiefc.com Here

 

Allan's New Millennium Killie Matches Attended  Here