 The next item of business is members' business debate on motion 15230, in the name of Willie Coffey, on congratulations to Cymarnock Football Club on its 150th anniversary. The debate will be concluded without questions being put. May I ask those who wish to speak in the debate to press the request to speak buttons? I call on Willie Coffey to open the debate for around seven minutes, please. I thank MSPs who have signed the motion. I think that there is about 29 at the last count. If you are making a contribution, it would be lovely to hear what club you support in Scotland adds to the rich colour of the debate today. It is with great pleasure and a great deal of pride that I am able to propose this motion in the Scottish Parliament in 2019 to commemorate and celebrate the 150th anniversary of my beloved Cymarnock Football Club. I am fortunate to still have in my possession the wonderful book Go fame, written for the club's centenary in 1969 by the leading sports author of that day, Hugh Taylor, and I hope to share one or two extracts from it today. As a native of Old Kelly and living there all my life, I am lucky to have also seen the club's 100th and 125th anniversaries. There is something really special when these landmark anniversaries arrive and they bring the club and the people of the town and wider district ever closer together. That is so much in evidence already this year. So how did it all begin for Cymarnock? We know that there were young men in the town in the mid-1860s playing cricket and looking for a winter sport to keep themselves amused, basically. This new sport, with the debate about whether it should be played with the hands or no hands, had actually been raging since the 1820s. Eventually, these cricketers joined with the boys from Cymarnock academy and adopted this kicking game. What was played around the 1860s could not have passed for either football or rugby. Their intentions seemed to be to have a good time socially and for those early pioneers that was all that mattered. The first recorded general meeting called on interested parties who wanted to become members of the Cymarnock football club appeared in the Cymarnock standard on Saturday 2 January. That historic meeting took place three days later in Robertson's temperance hotel in the town on Tuesday 5 January 1869, notified by a young 19-year-old John Wallace, who became the club's first secretary then president. So it had begun. Cymarnock football club was officially born. In those wonderful early days, because the rules were evolving and protests were commonplace about the outcome of a game. In one game, the new Ayrshire Association had to remind teams that they could not pick their own referee, nor should the referee appear as a 12-man for that team. Some might argue that little has changed since then. As early as 1873, Cymarnock became one of the eight founding members of the SFA, along with Queen's Park, Dumbarton and another 13 clubs, put up the money for the first Scottish Cup. Kelly played in what is thought to have been the first ever Scottish Cup match, sadly losing 2-0 to Renton. Interestingly, Renton claimed to be the first world club champions when, as the Scottish Cup winners in 1888, they challenged and beat West Bromwich Albion, who had won the English FA Cup. Scottish players were much sought after by their English counterparts and the drive to professionalism, still illegal but largely ignored in Scotland, was resisted by Queen's Park, who was supported in that by Cymarnock. Eventually, Cymarnock became a professional club in 1894 and joined the Scottish 2nd division a year later. That early support to retain amateur status had cost Kelly and it took until 1899, before they were voted into the first division. Steady, if not spectacular, progress followed and the club's first major trophy was in 1920, with a 3-2 win over Albion Rovers in the Scottish Cup final at Hamden in front of 95,000 fans. One of the players in the squad, Sandy Higgins, lost his father. Yes, I will, yes. Fulton MacGregor. Mr MacGregor, your microphone is not on. I was looking for an appropriate time to get an intervention in, and they mentioned if Albion Rovers allows me to do that. Albion Rovers, I have got a rich history in the game as well. 1882, they were founded and this is their 100th year playing in the professional league. I wonder if the member will agree with me that clubs like Albion Rovers, who offer so much to their local communities, play such an important role in Scottish life. Is there any else who would like to chip in something about their local team for Mr Cofi proceeds? Absolutely, I congratulate Albion Rovers and all the community-based Scottish football clubs. They are usually very well-running and, in many cases, better run than some of their bigger counterparts. In that fateful day, one of the players in the Cymarnock squad, Sandy Higgins, lost his father in the day of the final. Sandy Sr was one of the great early players and was the first Cymarnock player to play for Scotland. A similar tragedy was to hit our club many years later in 2012, which he will come to in a moment. A second cup vinyl victory was celebrated just a few years later in 1929, when Cymarnock beat the cupholders and league champions rangers 2-0. Interestingly, one of the Cymarnock heroes that day was our goalkeeper, Sam Clemmie, who made save after save and even saved a penalty to keep Killy in the game. At the celebrations later that night, Big Sam was asked to make a speech but told the audience that he couldn't make speeches but he could save penalties. To a tumultuous roar from the fans, I was lucky enough to see Sam Clemmie's medal from that day, some years ago, when my brother Danny and my dad, and I always fondly remember that tune. For me, as a young boy, the 1960s Cymarnock team under manager Willie Waddle was a dream. Our first European match was against Eintracht Frankfurt in 1964. Despite losing 3-0 in Germany and losing an early goal at Rugby Park to make it 4-0 for the Germans, Killy went on to score five goals in what was one of the most incredible comebacks in European football. That same season, Cymarnock and Hartz were fighting it out at the top of the league, and on the last day of the season, 24 April 1965, we won the championship. Killy had to beat Hartz at Timecastle by two goals or more to win on goal average, and they did just that. Bruce Crawford? I want to remind the chamber who was in third place on that occasion. Willie Coffey. It was Dynfermlyn. Cymarnock players Davies Neddon and Brian McElroy scored those vital goals and a sensational save by Bobby Ferguson in the last few minutes prevented Hartz from grabbing the title at the end, even in defeat. I remember the key moments, as though they were yesterday, even though I was only six years old and my brother Danny was ten. My dad's response to my worried mother about taking us to such a big game was, they're going, they might not see it again. He's been right so far, well, up until this season that is. Real Madrid then breezed into Rugby Park later that year in the European Cup and were lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw. Shortly after in 1967, Cymarnock played the magnificent Leeds United team in the semi-final of what is now the Europa League, a stunning period of achievement for the club. It's fair to say that an unspectacular period followed after that, but in 1997, glory returned again, Presiding Officer, with another Scottish Cup victory at Ibrox on 24 May, with a 1-0 win against an excellent fall cut team. To complete that trilogy of Scottish trophies, we had to wait until 2012 to lift the league cup for the first time, beating Celtic 1 mil at Hamden. That joy and elation soon turned to despair, when the news emerged that Cymarnock player Liam Kelly's dad had collapsed at the game and later died, echoing the very sad and similar circumstances of 1920. Presiding Officer, this famous old football club has made a huge contribution to Scottish football and is still going strong. We have some famous people supporting us from Marie Osmond, whose 70s paper roses is the club anthem, to Biffy Clyro, who are regular visitors to Rugby Park. Of course, we have the award-winning Cymarnock pie and Kelly pie, keeping our fans and visitors happy at Rugby Park. We enjoy a healthy battle for supremacy now with the second team in Ayrshire, Oculec Talbot. We are currently enjoying an amazing period under the magnificent Stevie Clarke, with Kelly ending up with most points in the SPFL season in 2018. To all the talented players and managers who passed in present to the wonderful club officials and staff across the years and to the incredible supporters of this famous old football club, congratulations, Kelly, on your 150th anniversary. May you enjoy many more successful years ahead and to kill the fans of the world over. Let's never forget that we are Kelly till we die. We move to the open debate. We have speeches of four minutes, please. Brian Whittle, followed by Kenneth Gibson. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I congratulate Willie Coffey for securing time in the chamber to debate and to celebrate the 150 years of Cymarnock football club. I am more than delighted to contribute to the debate, as I have to declare, Presiding Officer, an interest here because I coached Cymarnock football club, or was I coached Cymarnock football club, in the mid-90s, when Alex Totten was the manager there. There were some great names about at that time, such as Bobby Williamson, who went on to manage the club to the CUP-CUP-1 in 1997, to the Gary Holtz, who was pivotable in that 1997 CUP-1 in Monty, who was there. It's great to see him still with a prominent role at the club. Paul Wright was recently into the club at that time when he went on to score the goal that won the CUP-1 in the final. I am getting to do a little bit of that work with the team at the time. It was a real privilege. I have to say that when we are discussing who you support, I am my support for football clubs. It's fairly diluted, Cymarnock being one of them, but I moved to Cymarnock doing a bit of coaching on Cymarnock from Ayr. As Willie Coffey will attestify to, I discovered at the time that Rangers Celtic is not the biggest rivalry in Scottish football. I didn't recognise that at the time. Walking down the street in Ayr having moved to Cymarnock, I was reminded of that by several people walking down the street. I have to say that, in recognising how fantastically well Cymarnock is doing this season and welcoming the way that Cymarnock is doing this season, I also think that it is intriguing to see that, perhaps in the not too distant future, that local rivalry with Ayr United who are doing well in the division below. I think that that would certainly enhance the top tier of football. Infrequently, I have to say, go along to football matches, but if there is an air killy game, that is a game that you want to be at. The last time that we were there, I think that it was the cup, I would be happy to take an intervention. Emma Harper Intervention. He mentions air and killy and the rivalry between them, but there is another fitba team in the south-west, Stranraer Football Club, in the hometown of Mine, where I used to go to the matches when I was wee. It celebrates its 150th anniversary next year, so I would like him to comment on that as well. Brian Whittle Let's get all our constituency football clubs as much as we possibly can, but I'm going to go on to talk about the importance of football clubs in the communities. Mully was probably there as well at that game when Ayr and Cymarnock played each other at rugby parks full. Those kind of rivalries are things that really galvanise and enhance our community. To Emma Harper's point, I think that what I wanted to say was that football clubs are, genuinely speaking, very much the heart of the community. I think that Cymarnock Football Club is a great stall of that. I think that it's a model that others should follow. They have the ability to galvanise their community, to pull their community together. On what the Kelly Trust and the Football Supporters Club are now doing, it's fantastic work in pulling that community into Cymarnock Football Club. They have an all-weather pitch at Cymarnock. I went along a couple of summers ago to watch my daughter play in a netball tournament where they had set out six netball pitches on the Cymarnock Football pitch. That ability for the football club to reach out into the community and bring them in cannot be underestimated. That applies across every other club. I had so much more to say, Deputy Presiding Officer, but I hope that Cymarnock Football Club will continue to have that influence in the local community. It is a model for others to follow. I congratulate him on reaching the milestone of 150 years and doing so once again. I thank Willie Coffey for bringing the debate to the chamber. I wish Cymarnock Football Club every success on and off the pitch. Thank you, Presiding Officer, as a fellow Ayrshire MSP. I congratulate Willie Coffey on securing his debate and celebrating the longevity and success of Cymarnock Football Club, Scotland's oldest professional football club. Ayrshire is a heartland of junior football and I have six junior football clubs in my constituency. Killie, of course, has been historic Ayrshire's top team, but, after Ochan liked Talbot's performance in Beechwood Park last month, I can say he rated it. Of course, seeing a junior team winning against professional local rivals was momentous, memorable and really captured the spirit of what Scottish football is about. I'm sure that Killie fans shed few tears watching long-standing rivals air get put in their place just two weeks after Killie celebrated its 150th anniversary. That rivalry was over 100 years old, with the first match between the two sides held in September 1910, the same year that Air United was formed. It finished four each. Of course, Willie Coffey would argue that it was a dodgy penalty that it should have been given in the last minute, but sadly it wasn't. Cymarnock's story is taking the club far beyond Ayrshire from its match against Renton in October 1873, the first-ever match in the official Scottish Cup, to win the trophy for the first time, beating Albin Rovers and Hamden in 1920, with subsequent successes in 1929 and 1997. So, like my own club St Myrin, they have won the Scottish Cup on three occasions. In this Saturday, Killie faced Rangers on home turf on the final 16, and I certainly wish them all the best. Cymarnock is enjoying a 26th consecutive season of Scotland's top flight and doing brilliantly under Steve Clark with modest resources. Killie are one of those select band of clubs that have won all three domestic trophies, including the lead title in 1965 and the lead cup in 2012. Killie has enjoyed the international stage, first competing in Europe in the 1964-65 Intercity Spheres Cup, when their first tie came from 4-0 down on aggregate, as Willie Coffey has told us, with some passion to score five goals and a magnificent performance to defeat Eintrath Frankfurt 5-0. A year later on aggregate, five-1 on the night and five-4 on aggregate. A year later, they held eventual winners of the European Cup that season, Real Madrid 2-1 at home, while in 66-67 they reached the first cup semi-final, and indeed, if Hibs had knocked out leads earlier, there would have been three Scottish clubs in the quarterfinals of that competition that year. Killie has played nine seasons in Europe and Further Fields represented Scotland in the New York international tournament, being runner-up in that 1960 competition. The club's home stadium, rugby park, has a history almost as illustrious as the team itself. First used in 1899 during the Second World War, the army installed large oil storage tanks on the pitch. The club was never compensated for loss of their ground, but after the war, Italian prisoners of war helped to extend the North Terrace. Major redevelopment took place in 1994-95 and became the 17,889 capacity all-seater stadium that we know today. An addition to home matches, rugby park was also the venue for two Scottish internationals and even an Elton John concert. The success of a club is not just measured on the pitch, of course. Comarate FC's community outreach programmes have brought enormous benefit to the local community. In 2018 alone, Comarate Community Sports Trust delivered 747 football hours to 719 primary children through its schools programme, supported 20 players playing twice a week at walking football, hosted an eight-team central Scotland tournament at rugby park in September, provided 600 meals, football training and nutritional information to 60 young people in collaboration with TAC and Go Football in the park hotel to name but a few achievements. Since its inception in 2015, the trust has offered a wide variety of programmes to help to develop young players and to aspire to get active and involved in football, putting community at the heart of the organisation and offering children and young people opportunities otherwise close to them. I hope that this aspect of the club will prove as long-lasting as if football itself is making a huge difference to many lives. I read with interest Danny Garavelli's column in the Scotsman last weekend, Can Comarate Football Success, Revitalise a Town. In it, she has described how manager Steve Clark from Soul Coats, in my constituency, has transformed the team, taking them from bottom to near the top of the Scottish Premier League. This success has breathed new life into the club with a muff at stand, closed last season due to lack of ticket sales, reopened and morale high. The club's upward trajectory is almost in tandem with the fate of the town itself. Scottish Football is all about the fans and communities that support the club and the club that bolsters the community. I am sure that, regardless of the personal allegiances of members across the chamber, they will join me in saying that Comarate FC makes an invaluable contribution to the social fabric of Ayrshire and Scotland as a whole. As much as football sometimes devises, as the party unites, in victory and defeat, in saying that underdog win the day and in watching heroes triumph, I congratulate Comarate FC on its success over the last 150 years and look forward to seeing them going on to even greater heights. It is a privilege to join with other members in celebrating Comarate FC's 150th anniversary and I thank Willie Coffey for securing today's debate. We might not break out into a joint chorus of paper roses at a time of debates on Brexit and budgets with a fair share of disagreements. It is good to be taking part in a debate with such refreshing unanimous cross-party support. I was asked at the weekend by a constituent what I would be speaking on in the chamber this week and I explained the various debates and statements, including this one. He said to me, why are you talking about Comarate FC? I said to him, well, this is roughly what I am going to say, see what you think. I said that Comarate FC is not just any football club, it is Scotland's oldest professional club celebrating its 150th anniversary club, who is one of the first teams to take part in an association football's second oldest tournament, the Scottish Cup, back in 1873, a tournament that won in 1920, followed by a second success in 1929. When the beat rangers 2 now, in front of over 114,000 people at Hamden Park, before completing a hat-trick of Scottish Cup wins in 1997, in 1965 Willie Waddle led Kelly to the then top tier first division championship. Just seven years ago, the club defied the pundits by winning the league cup against Celtic. Most important of all, Comarate FC won the Ayrshire Cup 42 times. That is not to say that there have not been lean times, I remember, in the 1980s watching Kelly play in division 2, but I have a confession to make. I was there cheering on my local team, Queen of the South, as a Dunhamer, who celebrated, I have to say, a centenary this year. It is 26 years now, since Tommy Burns led Comarate FC back into football's top flight, where they have stayed ever since. Now, they sit proudly near the top, even flutton, with the top spot recently under Stevie Clarke's leadership, all despite having a budget, a fraction of the size of the old firm. There really is a buzz about the club today, and crowds are growing as more and more people head to Rugby Park on a Saturday. Bill Shankley once said that football without fans is nothing. It is the Kelly fans, a growing number who are at the very heart of Comarate FC, as they celebrate their 150th anniversary. At least, of course, through the establishment recently of the Kelly Trust in 2003, to bring the supporters closer to the club. In 2017, they launched the Trust and Kelly initiative, and supporters from around the world plays a remarkable £100,000 to buy unallocated shares in Kelly and put a supporter on the board of the club as a full and equal director. In May last year, that new director was appointed, giving fans a voice at the club's decision-making table. That director, of course, will be familiar to many members in this Parliament. Of course, Cathy Jamieson, former member of the Scottish Parliament for Carrack, Cymruc and Doon Valley, former member of Parliament for Comarac and Laudan. Cathy has already made a huge impact, leading the way and improving communication between the club and fans, and working with other directors Billy Bowie and Phyllis McLeish to develop Comarac as a real, true community club. The Kelly Trust itself is building on the success of the Trust and Kelly campaign, generating more funds for the club and looking at how those funds can be invested for the benefit of fans. Comarac FC is setting an example across football where fans do not just follow their club, they lead the club, so they fit in as a supporter to celebrate the 150 proud years. I began my comments by saying that the constituent asked me why I was talking about Comarac FC in Parliament. I have just told the chamber roughly what I said to him. You are probably wondering what his reply was. Unfortunately, he said, I still do not understand why you are debating Comarac Football Club. I have to tell you that it was an advice surgery in Ayr where I made those comments, and he confessed that he was an Ayr United fan. Congratulations to the players, directors, staff and supporters of Comarac Football Club in your 150th year. John Finnie, followed by George Adam. Can I, on behalf of the Scottish Game Party, congratulate Comarac Football Club, our nation's oldest professional club on this significant milestone, and thank Willie Coffey for bringing that motion here? Willie Coffey said at the outset that he would like to hear which club you support. Well, for the avoidance of any doubt, I refer people to my register of interests and my many associations with heart of a Lothian Football Club, which inevitably leads me to talk about something that Willie Coffey has already alluded to in the season 1964-65. Goals average. One and only time it happened. I think that it must have been devised by Stuart Stevenson. It is quite a mathematical set-up. Goal score divided by goals consecutive. Comarac had to win 2-0. Winning 3-1 or 4-2 would not have done it. I will not go into the figures now, but 38,000 people were there to see it. I was not one of them. Kenneth Gibson. What upsetting is the fact that if goal average had been used in 1986, hearts would have won the title that year that lost to Dundee on the last game. If goal difference had been used in 1965, I would not have won the title that year, so that I switched to the actual system round, hearts would now have two more league titles than it currently has. John Finnie, can I say that I am at a complete loss here? I am just going to have to explain this to me later. John Finnie. Well, Presiding Officer, if I can help, the intervention from the member was not meant to be of a therapeutic nature. Let me put it that way. If I had issues before about such matters, I would certainly have to reflect on them now. I was going to come on to say that people say that times a healer, while 86 in Dens Park, would prove that not to be the case. However, there is good news from 6465, because I am delighted that the member took an intervention from Bruce Crawford. Dumfermellan did end up three. The good news is that the gruesome, too-some were nowhere to be seen, and they were away down the league. That won friends and influence people. I do not think that our national sport has helped by the duopoly. I would say that there is a significant comradery among fans out with that, and that is healthy. I often get asked how a native of Lechabre, Ronan Breddon Highlands, came to support the hearts and get chided for not supporting my local team. I do support my local team. My local team is Lechabre Cameron, from Spinebridge, in Scotland's other national sport, Shinty. However, I am keen to lend support to both Inverness, Caledonian, Thistle and Ross County and hope that they will do well. My father was a hearts fan, and the generation-on-generation thing is very important. My grandson has been primarily a Barcelona and a hearts fan. The identity of the club with the community and vice versa is very important. I fondly recall Caledonia's win in 1997, and I fondly recall the celebrations in the wonderfully named John Finney street. That is the bus stop celebrations there. Again 2012, and the emotion that has been alluded to will not dwell on, but the mixed emotions and the sadness associated with that. I have enjoyed my visits to Rugby Park. Some good games, certainly good pies. As has been said, Caledonia has been a breath of fresh air of late. There were reflections on Eintrach, Frankfurt—that is a famous name, and that is a very famous game that was alluded to there. I am sure that many would like to see the European Nights Back at Rugby Park. I know that non-football fans—I might be surrounded with them in this part of the chamber—have no comprehension of the nuances, but it is a wonderful game. It is a wonderful way of bringing people together. The dark days endured these cold, wet days, and the glory nights savoured in the hope of repeating. I was 42 years of age before I had a glory day in 1998. Manac have a proud and contribution that they have made to Scottish football, and that is continuing with our beautiful game. I want to see them enjoy a long and healthy future entertaining the rest of us. At the end of the day, what is point nothing full of a go between friends? The last two contributions in the open debate, George Adam, followed by Graham Simpson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I thank Willie Coffey for bringing this debate to the Parliament and congratulate Commander FC on their 150th anniversary. I was just noting there that I cannot believe I wore a blue suit on the day that we were having this debate, because normally it would be black and white being my colours and part of the reasons. I have not mentioned this before, Presiding Officer, but I must admit that I am a supporter. In 2017, we were 140 years old, and we will probably join Kelly in eight years' time as 150 years old. One of the big things about the debate is the importance of football to our nation, not only is it our national sport, but those clubs are the heart and soul of many of the communities that we live in. As politicians, we should look at that and embrace that a wee bit more than what we currently do, because I think that they could help us in many of the things that we are currently looking at in this place, and we should embrace them on that side of things as well. However, you might be surprised, Presiding Officer, that I actually do some research for some of those speeches. While I was doing research, I found out that Kilmarnock in 1887-1890 strip was black and white stripes with black shorts and black socks. That sounds like a perfect colour scheme that they should have kept as time went on. At the same time, Sipmurn was wearing a black and white strip that had blue, ironically, shorts and blue socks. When you look at it, there are many things that connect Sipmurn and Kilmarnock. Not so much the fact that when Morton and Ayr are not in the same division, it is our nerdy game. It is our derby game that we get, because it is just a quick drive down the road. At this point, I apologise to Willie Coffey for various Adam family swarries in Kilmarnock at nerdy, where the new year's parties have continued. You might have started your club in the Temperance Hotel in Kilmarnock. That is a foreign word to some of my family members in the past. However, when you look at House Sipmurn and Kilmarnock have played with each other, they are winning at the moment, from 87 to 84 at Sipmurn. It is roughly about 50-50. However, there is a connection with the fact that the current manager, Stevie Clark, has started his career at Sipmurn football club before going on to Chelsea. Yes, I will do it. Brian Whittle Thank you. We also recognise the connection between Kilmarnock and Sipmurn and the same sprint coach over a period of time there as well. Yes, I was rather disappointed that you bragged about the time that you worked, Mr Whittle. In the air shorn, you did not talk about the time when you degraded up to the mighty Sipmurn, you know, and you became the sprint coach for them. However, the clubs have actually both, as has already been said, won the Scottish Cup three times and the league cup once. Although Kilmarnock is Scotland's oldest professional club, it is not a founder member of the Scottish Football League because, unlike Sipmurn, in the 30th of April 1890, there were two clubs in Paisley, Abercon, being one of which my great-great-grandfather actually played centre half for them. Along the other clubs that were there, they are still in business currently, where Sipmurn, Dumbarton, Hart's and Celtic. There are a few others from that season that are no longer with us, but Kilmarnock were founder members of something called the Scottish Football Alliance, which later, which seems quite strange in air, which became Air United, and Morton were part of that early league as well before they all ended up in the Scottish divisions. I think that when we look at the history of football, it is quite fascinating when you look at it, because, as Willie Coffey mentioned, football and rugby were at the very beginning of the clubs, so the rules were not there. In some games that we would look at now, we would think that they were rugby games. Both our clubs started as what we probably recognised as a rugby club, hence the reason why Kilmarnock is still called a ground rugby park. When you look at it now, we have, since 1877, Sipmurn have been playing football, but were, in 1876, originally a football team as well. I was looking at some of the things that actually came up, but in the same year that Kilmarnock was formed, Ulysses S. Grant was born in as the president of the United States, and University of Oxford won the very first boat race, so it shows you everything else that was happening in the world while we were just kicking a ball about a full field. When you look at the history of football, you have to remember that there are other people involved in our great game as well. Another Kilmarnock boy was Hugh McElvaney, who recently left us all. He did his apprenticeship as a journalist in the Kilmarnock standard. He once said of Newcastle United that he is typical canal wit. People talk of Newcastle United as a sleeping giant. The last one, the championship in 1927 and the FA cup in 1955, they already make Rip Van Winkle look like a catnapper, so perhaps, since both of our teams, Willie Coffey and I, have won a tournament a lot sooner than the Newcastle United, perhaps our teams are currently just having a catnap, and the glory days are just beyond the horizon. Graham Simpson I also congratulate Willie Coffey for having this debate. I was looking at his motion, one of the longest motions that I have ever read. It seemed to be the entire history of Kilmarnock FC. Certainly all the high points were in there. We almost don't need to have the debate, but I am glad that we have, because we have discovered that Brian Whittle is both a Kilmarnock and St Myrin reject. I am not a Kilie fan. I am a Celtic fan, but I have a soft spot for Kilmarnock. Mrs Simpson also has a soft spot for them, because Kilmarnock is the only away ground that she has ever been to in Scotland. I know how to treat her. It is there that we both discovered and fell in love with the Kilie pie. It was a cold Sunday morning, and it tasted absolutely fantastic. Presiding Officer, there is only one special one in football in my eyes, and it is not the former Chelsea and Man United manager. It used to be very easy in those days for old-firm fans to get tickets to go to Kilmarnock. You could just phone them up or you could just turn up and you could get in. Motherwell were in the same boat. Sadly, those days are gone, so it is much more difficult for people like me to go to grounds like Kilmarnock. That is a shame. It was a very open and welcoming club. I remember one of Kilie's many managers, Bobby Williamson. He also encouraged easy access. He would allow calls, phone calls from fans. He would take phone calls from fans to explain tactics and team selection, etc. He was a bit of a character, was Williamson. While he was Hibs manager, his silver Mercedes was clocked doing 107 miles per hour on the M74 near Lockerbie. He was found guilty of speeding and banned for three months, but his famous soccer boss sadly did not extend to Constable Jane Montieth. She said after the car was flagged down, Williamson was invited into the back of the police car and asked to give his details, and she told the court that he was polite initially, but then said, we should really appreciate who he was and could settle the matter at the side of the road. He kept saying, we should know who he was, but I didn't know who he was. In 150 years, you do go through a few gaffers. There have been Tommy Burns, Hew Leffa Selty, Alex Totten, Jim Jeffries, Kenny Shields and, right up to the present day, Steve Clark. I do like Steve Clark. He impresses me and he amuses me at the same time. Under that doure exterior, there's a bit of a comedian somewhere, but he's doing a fantastic job, and if they can finish second this season, I will be delighted. Kilmarnock collected more points over the course of 2018 than any other team in the premiership. Great stuff. Steve has given the players back their self-belief, says Sandy Armour, who is the editor of the club fanzine, the Killy Hippo. Why is it called the Hippo? I have absolutely no idea, but it sounds funny. Maybe somebody knows. No. Killy fans have plenty to be cheerful about as they celebrate their 150th anniversary and notch up a few more victories over Rangers, especially this Saturday, and we can all be very happy. I was reading like Kenny Gibson at the weekend how the team's current success is giving a feel-good factor to the town, and that's fantastic, because when I worked in newspapers, it seemed all you ever read about Kilmarnock was a story about this, the scheme star or that scheme star. Marvin's new teeth, paid for by the Scottish son, stood out as particularly ridiculous. On-thank has never, in my view, been representative of Kilmarnock. The feel-good factor has even seen a boost for the hard-lock tattoo shop, which may now have to change its name. Killy's first 150 years has been up and down. Let's hope that the next 150 can see them continuing on their current upward trajectory, just so long as they're not too successful. Before I call the minister, I've realised that if we really, really wish to hear from him, we'll need to extend the debate for up to half an hour under rule 8.14.3. I now invite Willie Coffey to move a motion without notice. Could I move that motion, please, Presiding Officer? Thank you. The question is that the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes. Are we all agreed? We are. That is agreed. I now call the minister for around seven minutes, please, Mr Day. Indeed, Presiding Officer, I'm not going to take half an hour. Let me begin by congratulating Willie Coffey not just for securing this debate, but for what was a smashing speech and one of a number that we've heard. As a supporter of a Scottish Cob that's only been around for 116 years, let me acknowledge the achievement of Kilmarnock reaching its 150th anniversary and marking that by enjoying a season to remember, albeit as an Aberdeen fan, I do hope that the season ends with the Dawns being ahead of Killy as they currently are. Presiding Officer, football is Scotland's national game. It's in our DNA. It can be a source of great banter. The fortunes of our clubs can have a major impact on our weekend. On and off-field activity dominates media and social media and discussion in communities. Indeed, it has an occasion being known to feature in Facebook interaction between myself and Mr Coffey. On the subject of the friendly rival William banter that John Finnie referenced, it was great to hear substantial contributions today from supporters of St Myrran, Hearts, Queen of the South and Celtic, but I have to say that the passing mentions secured for Albion Rovers, Dunfermwyn and Strunrar bordered on the shameless. I also noted Brian Whittle's diplomatic contribution describing his loyalties as diluted, and Kenny Gibson getting through four minutes without showing his hand. Scottish Football has its challenges, and we are working with clubs, the football authorities and other stakeholders, to address them. However, it remains a hugely important and generally positive influence on the day-to-day lives of Scots. Although our men's national team may not be as successful as once it was, our club sides are no longer feared across Europe. Scotland's women have reached the Euros two years ago and this year will contest the World Cup finals, a remarkable achievement. Domestically, our game remains strong. With a top flight that sees just 11 points covering the top four sides and the championship even more keenly contested, there is a competitiveness afoot, which can only be good for the sport. Attendances remain high, the highest for cabinet and Europe, and interest is as powerful as ever. There is much to celebrate, much to discuss, and we have heard that reflected in contributions from members this afternoon. As I noted earlier, and others have, this debate to mark the 150th anniversary of Cymaric FC could not be better timed, given the fantastic progress that has been achieved under the leadership of Steve Clarke. The club, despite relatively modest resources, is performing magnificently near the top of the table and is currently involved in an exciting tussle for the title. It has been a thrilling season so far, and I hope that Kilway will continue to keep up the pace for the remainder of the campaign. However, as a Government minister, I am, of course, required to not knowingly mislead Parliament, so let me say that my personal hope is pretty much the same as Graham Simpson's. That is to see Kilway finish runners-up in the week, albeit behind Aberdeen. However, unlikely that scenario might be, especially after last night. To be serious, Presiding Officer, let's recognise, as others have, the history and the standing of the rugby parkside within the Scottish game. It is the oldest professional football club in Scotland, one of the founding members of the SFA, and it took part in what was thought to have been the first-ever Scottish Cup fixture in 1873. I was half expecting Stuart Steven to be in the chamber to tell us that he had a relative taking part in that game or claiming to have been there. The club joined the Scottish league in 1895 and was elected to the top flight for the first time in 1899. In 1920, as Willie Coffey observed, Kilmarnock won the Scottish Cup, and that was followed soon by a second success in 1929, when Rangers were memorably beaten at Hamden in front of 114,708 strong crowd, as Colin Smyth noted. The club, of course, won the Scottish Cup for a third time in 1997, and its most recent honour was the league cup, when Celtic was defeated in 2012. However, and with apologies to John Finlay, because I do not want to intrude particularly on his personal grief, the greatest moment in Kilway's history was, of course, when the club won the top-flight title in 1964-65. It was, as we have heard, a dramatic title race with hearts three points clear in the days of two points for a win with two games remaining. The clubs went head-to-head on that final day of the season, and Kilmarnock won 2-0 to claim the championship. The club, as we have heard, has also made its mark in Europe, qualifying for European competition on nine occasions and its finest hour being reached in the semi-finals of the 66-67 fairs cup, only to be defeated by Leeds United. Kilway is, of course, one of only a few Scottish cobs to have played it in all three European competitions. As others have noted, like all SPFL cobs in many other football sites in Scotland, Kilmarnock is associated with a trust that fulfills an important community role. The Scottish Government greatly values the work undertaken in communities using the power of football to inspire the delivery of wider outcomes. That work is the main focus of engagement with football through individual organisations, as well as representative of national bodies like the SPFL trust and the Scottish FFA. Established in 2015, the Kilmarnock Community Sports Trust is a charitable organisation that aims to support the local community, working with local people from the age of three. In upwards, the trust offers a wide variety of programmes to assist in developing younger players and to help them to aspire to get active and involved in football. John Finnie I would absolutely concur with his comments about trusts. I wonder if he would agree with me that fan ownership is a way of building in that and building the community further closer to the club. Graham Dey I absolutely agree with that point. I think that the more that fans are involved in the running of their football clubs, the better. As I said to conclude, let me congratulate Mr Coffey again on securing this debate. Of course, I would like to congratulate Kilmarnock on its 150th anniversary and wish it almost every success on and off the field in this historic season. That concludes the debate on congratulations to Kilmarnock Football Club on its 150th anniversary and the meeting is adjourned until half past two.