Hurlford United Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Hurlford, near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. 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. They won the Scottish Junior Cup in 2014.
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.
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, which guaranteed second place and promotion. However, Rutherglen Glencairn 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.
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 for the first time, beating East Ayrshire rivals Glenafton Athletic 3–0 in the final at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock.[2] This meant the club entered the senior Scottish Cup, a great feat for the small community of Hurlford, but almost even more remarkable, as local amateur team Hurlford Thistle also won the Scottish Amateur Cup in 2014,[3] 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, 'Ford overcame away ties against Highland League opponents Clachnacuddin (7–1) and Inverurie Loco Works (3–0), then took Scottish League One club Stirling Albion to a replay, extra time and a penalty shootout, which was eventually lost 13–12.[4]
Hurlford finished Super Premier Division runners-up in both the 2014–15 and 2015–16 campaigns, finishing four points behind champions Auchinleck Talbot 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 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.[5]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
SJFA West Region First Division
SJFA West Region Ayrshire District League
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
55°35′56″N 4°27′16″W / 55.59900°N 4.454452°W / 55.59900; -4.454452