Football NewsDaily Mail FootballUnverified source· 13 Aug 2026
Ayrshire Derby Returns After Years in Hiding
Rugby Park braces for a rare clash as Kilmarnock and Ayr United renew a fierce rivalry.
Kilmarnock
team
Fixture
Friday night at Rugby Park
Recent meetings
Four Championship jousts in 2021-22 (three Killie wins, one Ayr)
Cup meetings
Seventh in cup competitions this century
What happened. Kilmarnock and Ayr United are set to clash in the Ayrshire derby, a fixture that has been rare due to their differing league statuses over the years.
- Kilmarnock were top-flight for 28 years until relegation in 2021.
- Ayr last in top division in 1978, while Killie were champions in 1965.
- Rivalry intensified by rarity, with heroes like Andy Walker and Dean Shiels remembered.
“They were certainly waving at me.”
— Garry Hay
The derby's scarcity adds spice, with fans divided geographically around Symington.
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