Generous Irvine Vics players have donated a chunk of their team fines kitty to help hire a supporters’ bus for a crunch cup tie this weekend.
The Ayrshire outfit head for Glasgow on Friday night to face Rossvale in the second round of the South Challenge Cup.
And the team will be backed in good numbers after they agreed to stump up half the £500 hire cost for a 54-seater fans’ bus.
Captain Fraser MacDuff, who is in charge of team fines, said it was the least the players could do to thank the Vics’ faithful for their backing.
He said: “When we heard the fans were talking about getting a bus all the boys wanted to help out.
“I collect the fine money and we’ve built up a good wee pot. The boys agreed to pay half the £500.”
Hard taskmaster Fraser revealed he dishes out fines for anything from being late, to leaving things behind in the dressing room.
He added: “Put it this way, I don’t think I’ll be getting the players’ player of the year award this season!
“I don’t miss anything when it comes to fines. I’ve been waiting for the winter to come so I can start fining boys for having dirty boots!
“Sometimes we’ll hold a wee court in the dressing room where we’ll hear a case and a three-man jury will decide how much the fine will be. Franny Kilpatrick is a bit of repeat offender. We got £25 out him one time. We put the money to team nights out, things like that.”
Vics manager Dougie MacDuff - Fraser’s father –admits he’d love to pull off a cup upset at New Petershill Park.
Rossvale play in the West of Scotland League First Division - two divisions above Vics.
He said: “It’s a chance for the boys to test themselves against a team playing at a higher level. All the pressure is on Rossvale. We will go there looking to win but the league is our priority.”
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