Portland Park is an Association football stadium located in the coastal town of Troon, in South Ayrshire, Scotland. The stadium has a capacity of 2,000, and is largely terracing. It is host to the men's West of Scotland Football Leaguefootball team Troon F.C., a former Junior football side, and this is a ground Troon F.C. have called home since their formation after the Second World War ahead of the 1946–47 season. Portland Park has always been known for having a magnificent playing surface, and as a result has often been used by some of the biggest teams in the world in training camps and friendly matches. Thanks to this, Portland Park is famous for one big claim to fame – it is the only park in Scotland which both Pelé and Eusébio have graced.
History
Troon Athletic, and Troon Academicals before them, first called Station Park their home ground, a park in Troon located from the Station Hill to the Yorke Road bridge until 1923. From 1923 onwards they were inhabitants of the brand new Portland Park. Before moving into the new modernised facility beside the seafront, Troon Academicals F.C. had spent most of their existence playing at Station Park before Portland Park was constructed. Up until its closure, the old park was basic at best and had one of the poorer playing surfaces in Junior Football. In 1923, it was demolished and replaced with the clubhouse and car park for Troon Links Golf Course.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento once graced the hallowed turf at Portland Park, Troon. In a training camp to acclimatise the players ahead of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, Brazil stayed at the Marine Hotel in Troon & the team trained at our very own Portland Park. Brazil played Scotland at Hampden Park on June, 25, 1966, as part of the South American side’s World Cup warm-up schedule. The game finished 1-1 with Stevie Chalmers scoring for Scotland in the first minute before Servilio equalised for Brazil on 15 minutes.
Eusébio and Portugal
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira also played at Portland Park, as his club side Benfica trained ahead of a European Cup Quarter-Final against Celtic at Celtic ParkParkhead on 12th November 1969. Eusebio’s side were to lose the match 3-0, before winning 3-0 at the Estádio da Luz in the return leg. Billy McNeill’s Celtic eventually progressed courtesy of a coin toss.
The legendary Jock Stein brought Celtic’s European Cup winning Lisbon Lions team to Portland Park in May 1969 for a friendly match. European Cup winners John Clark, Bobby Murdoch, Stevie Chalmers and Lou Macari were in the Celtic ranks that day, which the Hoops triumphed in 7-2.
Facilities
The stadium can hold up to 2,000 spectators, with one covered enclosure holding 500 supporters. This enclosure is adjacent to the main clubhouse, containing a large bar & function room, hospitality lounge and the dressing rooms. Opposite the main enclosure is two steps of terracing, with an open terrace located at the "road end". Behind the opposite goal is the floodlit training park.
Accessibility
The ground is only walking distance away from Troon railway station. By road, it is located near to the A79 leading onto the A77, M77 and M8.
