In 1967, Ayr Council eventually approved the siting of floodlights at Millbrae. There had been concern that the installation would in some way adversely affect the vista of the Burns Monument. The furore was quelled when the Ayr provost stepped in and approved the floodlights on the condition that four of the tripoles were resited closer to the halfway line. This bizarre decision resulted in the four dark corners that blighted night games at Millbrae for the next fifty years.
Ayr became one of only three rugby clubs in Scotland that could boast of having floodlights, with the total cost being around £2000. The first match “under the lights” took place on Thursday 19th October 1967 against Jordanhill College School F.P. and the first man to score a floodlit try was Jock Craig who emerged from a maul and dived over the line. In later years, when asked about this feat, Big Jock claimed that there was a 60-yard sprint involved…… But it wasn’t enough to win the game which was drawn 11 apiece.
Improvements were made to the floodlights over the years, including a major overhaul in the eighties, but it was becoming clear that the lights were past their best. Then in January 2020, the Ayr v Melrose fixture had to be abandoned in the 68th minute after the lights went dark.
Parts were becoming increasingly costly and difficult to obtain. Once repaired, a test was carried out and the Millbrae floodlights were producing just 40 lux of illumination. In comparison, Melrose’s new LED floodlights at Greenyards were producing 500 lux. The issue was further exasperated by the TV production companies who were struggling to cope with the poor light levels when transmitting live matches from Millbrae.
Everybody knew what the problem was but the cost of completely replacing the floodlights was in the region of £120,000. This was money that the club simply did not have and there was still the question of whether the club would remain at Millbrae.
In January 2021, Alan Macdonald set up the £3 million Macdonald Legacy in favour of Ayr Rugby Football Club (In memory of his son and former Ayr player, Barry.) A condition was that Ayr RFC had to remain at Millbrae, incorporate and become a charity. This was overwhelmingly approved by the members at a historic Extraordinary General Meeting in October 2021.
This decision meant that the future of Millbrae was now secured and the redevelopment of the grounds and facilities could be planned. Part of the ambition was to improve the playing facilities at Millbrae and the main pitch floodlights were at the top of the list.
Today, we are within touching distance of the end of phases 1 and 2 which will officially open on the 6th of February. The following evening, we have a televised night game against local derby rivals Marr RFC, this will be the first night game since the new LED floodlights were installed.
To celebrate we are going to have a “turning on” ceremony before the match and you are all invited. To enjoy the spectacle, please ensure you are in your seat or favourite spot by 7.25pm in advance of the 7.35pm kick-off.
I look forward to sharing another historic moment at Millbrae.
Brian Williamson (Chairman)
