Scottish non-league side surpasses Ajax record

East Kilbride, a non-league team which plays in the fifth tier of Scottish football, notched its 27th win on the trot surpassing the record of 26 set by Dutch powerhouse Ajax in the the 1970s.

Published : Nov 06, 2016 15:53 IST

East Kilbride captain Barry Russell (R), celebrates with the players and staff with beer presented by Ajax club officials.
East Kilbride captain Barry Russell (R), celebrates with the players and staff with beer presented by Ajax club officials.
lightbox-info

East Kilbride captain Barry Russell (R), celebrates with the players and staff with beer presented by Ajax club officials.

East Kilbride, a team which plies its trade in the fifth tier of Scottish football, broke Ajax's record of 26 successive victories after a 3-1 win over BSC Glasgow.

Ajax, which set the record during the 1971-72 season, sent two club officials to cover East Kilbride's match and also surprised the Scottish side by delivering 27 crates of beer as a congratulatory gesture.

The four-time European Cup winner had another surprise for East Kilbride in the form of a video message from Edwin van der Sar, the former Netherlands and Manchester United goalkeeper, who is now a marketing director at Ajax.

East Kilbride manager Martin Lauchlan said, "It was relief because I don't think we played particularly well - I'll need to have a word with the boys about that. But we're absolutely ecstatic to get 27 wins; I would say it's the biggest day of my career. It's the biggest achievement I've had but I don't want to take credit away from the players."

"It was a special moment and a touch of class. Ajax have been very respectful of us. They have tweeted a few times, but to send over 27 crates of beer and two bottles of champagne just makes it special and I would like to say a great thanks to them."

Despite the win surpassing Ajax’s 26-match winning run, it will not be officially recognised by Guinness World Records as East Kilbride, who play in the fifth tier, are not a top-level side.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment