A TROON FC legend is to be honoured this weekend with a testimonial match.

The Seasiders' assistant manager Dean Keenan - often known as Deano - retired from playing at the end of the 2021/22 season after joining Troon from Ayr in 2012.

Two matches are set to take place at Portland Park during this event on Saturday, with the first kicking off at 12.15pm.

This will see Scott 'Chappy' Chatham lead out a Troon Legends XI against a 'Deano XI' made up of Keenan's former team-mates at Ayr United, Morton and some of his favourite opponents from throughout his career.

The tunrstiles and social club at the ground will be open from 11am ahead of the match, which will last for an hour in total.

Following this, at around 2pm, 'Somerset Boab' will "entertain the troops" before Ayr United and Troon head out for their warm-ups at 2.30pm.

The match itself will kick off at 3pm, with Troon Youth Academy players taking to the field to provide entertainment during the half-time interval.

The social club and beer garden will both be open after the match - and Carly Bridgeman will be performing at the club at 6pm.

Football will be shown on the big screens from 8pm, with the social club then remaining open "til late".

Saturday's action is the last instalment in a series of events held for Keenan's benefit year which he was awarded "to mark his glorious years of service as a fan’s favourite".

Previous events included a testimonial dinner and golf day.

In a tribute posted on the club website, Troon explained how Keenan's career began at Morton, where he made his debut aged 16 in 2002 and helped the club win the Second Division title in 2007.

Later that year he joined Ayr United on loan - a move which was made permanent in 2008, with Keenan a crucial player as the Honest Men became a force to be reckoned with.

Among the highlights of that season was his wonderful header against bitter rivals Kilmarnock in a Scottish Cup clash at Somerset Park.

Ayr ended that season winning promotion via the play-offs after a season-long battle with Raith Rovers for the title.

But his career suffered a major setback when he suffered a devastating injury to the cruciate ligament in his knee while training with Ayr at Belmont Academy.

While an injury of that type would end the career of many players, 'Deano' refused to let it stop him and battled hard to regain his fitness - only to suffer a recurrence of the same injury during his comeback.

Two operations later he accepted his senior career was all but at an end - at the age of just 26.

But he refused to give up on his playing days, and made his comeback at junior level - first with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, and then with Troon, who he joined in January 2012.

After a stuttering start to his time at Portland Park, he eventually shook off his injury troubles and quickly became the heartbeat of the team, and the dressing room, as Troon won back-to-back promotions, as well as the Ayrshire Cup and the Super First Division title in 2014.

Alongside Gavin Collins at the heart of the Seasiders' defence, he helped lead Troon into the Super Premier Division in 2015, going on to consolidate his position as one of the top performing junior players in Scotland, season after season.

 

In 2019 he moved into the role of player/assistant manager, a role he has excelled in ever since as Troon have established themselves as a firm fixture in the top flight.