August 1899

First match played at Rugby Park when Kilmarnock fought back from a 2–0 deficit to secure a draw against Celtic.


16th September 1899

First victory on Rugby Park pitch – Kilmarnock 2-1 St Bernards.


5th March 1910

First international match at Rugby Park – Scotland 1-0 Wales. Attendance: 18,411

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5th October 1935

The Dundonald Road end of Rugby Park, which had undergone improvements, was officially opened for the visit of Celtic in a Division 1 game, which ended in a 1-1 draw.


25th May 1940

The West Regional League game against Airdrieonians, which Killie lost 5-1, was the last first team game to be played at Rugby Park for 5 years as the War Authorities requisitioned Rugby Park for the War Effort. The ground was used as a Fuel Depot by the armed forces, thus Kilmarnock FC was forced to close down as a playing concern for the following 4 years.


April 1945

The armed Forces de-requisitioned Rugby Park, however, it was in a terrible state of disrepair. Fine work by German and Italian P.O.W.s helped to build up the terraces.

18th August 1945

The Killie first team played their first home game in over 5 years, losing 4-1 to Aberdeen in the Southern League before a crowd of 10,914.


28th October 1953

The official opening of floodlights at Rugby Park. Killie were beaten 3-0 by Manchester United watched by a 12,639 crowd.


7th April 1954

Admira Wien from Austria became the first foreign team to play at Rugby Park. Killie defeated the Austrians 5-0 in front of a crowd of 12,540.

Summer 1959

The work was completed to erect a covered enclosure over the East Stand terracing at Rugby Park. The cost of the project, which had begun in the Spring, was £13,500.


17th April 1961

The first non-European visitors to Rugby Park were Bangu (Brazil). Killie won 1-0 in front of an 18,166 crowd. This is the record attendance for a friendly game at Rugby Park.


Summer 1961

Rugby Park was further enhanced by the building of a new West Stand, seating 4,200 compared to the old stand which held 1,900. A new enclosure in front of the stand had the standing capacity for over 2,900. New offices, dressing rooms and a treatment room were built within the new stand.

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10th March 1962

The record attendance for any game at Rugby Park watched Killie lose 4-2 to Rangers in a Scottish Cup Quarter Final tie. A crowd of 35,995 saw this game, for which 36,500 tickets were sold.


22nd September 1964

First ever competitive European fixture at Rugby Park, and Killie produced one of their greatest results. On a rainy Tuesday evening, Eintracht Frankfurt were beaten 5-1 on the night for a 5-4 aggregate victory. The attendance was 14,930.


17th November 1965

European Cup 2nd round 1st leg and the mighty Real Madrid visited Rugby Park – Ferenc Puskas, Francisco Gento and all – attracting a crowd of 24,325. Killie did well to gain a 2-2 draw but they were eventually eliminated on an aggregate of 7-3.

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11th February 1967

A unique occasion at Rugby Park, which the Red Flag of the U.S.S.R. flew from the Rugby Park flagpole. The Prime Minister of the U.S.S.R. Mr Alexei Kosygin, attended the Division 1 game against Rangers, which Killie lost 2-1. The special guest was introduced to the teams before kick-off and gifts were exchanged.


24th May 1967

The largest attendance at a European tie at Rugby Park. 24,831 watched Kilmarnock draw 0-0 with Leeds United in the Fairs Cup Semi Final 2nd leg. Leeds went through on a 4-2 aggregate having won by that score at Elland Road the previous Friday evening.


12th April 1969

Kilmarnock FC celebrated their Centenary with a friendly game against Eintracht Frankfurt. Many old players were introduced to the 10,513 crowd before the game and later in the evening, a banquet was held in Glasgow. The game against the Germans ended in a 1-1 draw.

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14th May 1971

The Frank Beattie Testimonial game attracts an attendance of 8,727 to Rugby Park to witness Killie play Celtic.


31st December 1983

The first ever time a Kilmarnock FC team had been fielded with a sponsored name on the strips. In a First Divison fixture with Partick Thistle, which they lost 2-1, Killie wore the name of A.T Mays.


5th May 1990

A crowd of 8,526 witnesses Killie beat Cowdenbeath 2-1 to gain promotion from the old Second Division.

Summer 1990

The standing enclosure in front of the main West Stand at Rugby Park was changed into an all seated area, with new dugouts installed. The scoreboard at the Rugby Road End was removed and the Stand offices, dressing rooms and Killie Club refurbished.


15th May 1993

12,380 watch Killie clinch promotion to the Premier Division with a 0-0 draw against Hamilton Accies.


7th May 1994

The last ever game at Rugby Park before the bulldozers moved in to demolish the East and South terracings in preparation for the building of the new Rugby Park. A crowd of 18,012 saw Killie beat Rangers 1-0. Tom Black scoring the last goal at the old-style ground.

Rugby Park Redevelopment

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8th August 1995

The official opening of the all-seated Rugby Park was celebrated by the visit of English Premiership champions Blackburn Rovers. Watched by a crowd of 10,004, the Lancashire Club won 5-0 with their star striker Alan Shearer scoring a hat-trick.


29th March 1997

The first full international played at an all-seated Rugby Park and the first at the ground for 87 years. It was also a World Cup Qualifier, with Scotland beating Estonia by 2-0 in front of a 17,996 crowd.


Summer 1999

The Rugby Park turf was uplifted and the ground underneath dug up for the £450,000 installation of a computerised sub-air system, designed to keep the new grown turf and pitch-free from either frost of flooding.

26th August 1999

Kilmarnock celebrated one hundred years at Rugby Park in front of a crowd of 11,760 with a victory over KR Reykjavik in the UEFA Cup. Killie defeated the Icelandic side 2-0 to progress by an aggregate score of 1-2.


29th August 1999

Rugby Park was used for a fictitious Scottish Cup semi-final in the Robert Duvall film A Shot at Glory. The film also starred former Kilmarnock striker Ally McCoist.


June 2002

In June 2002 the Park Hotel was opened adjacent to the stadium. The hotel was built on the site of Kilmarnock’s training ground.

August 2010

The West Stand is renamed the Frank Beattie Stand in honour of the man who captained Kilmarnock to the historic Scottish League Championship triumph of 1965.


June 2014

Work begins to install a top of the range FIFA and IRB compliant 3G pitch at Rugby Park. Work is completed for the beginning of the 2014/15 SPFL season.


May 2018

Kilmarnock achieves a club record points total of 59 during the 2017/18 season as the club finish in fifth position under manager Steve Clarke.