Story byClive Lindsay - BBC Sport ScotlandSun, January 18, 2026 at 8:36 AM UTC·5 min readPlaying against Celtic on Sunday will be the biggest thing to rock the villagers of Auchinleck since The Who. The English Mod groundbreakers played Auchinleck Community Centre in 1969 as a warm-up for their historic appearance at the Woodstock music festival. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAn amazing fact when you consider all 3000 inhabitants could fit into one section of one of the stands at Celtic Park. Even if every man, woman and child bought a ticket for what is technically the "home" end at the Sunday's Scottish Cup fourth-round tie, they would still be outnumbered by the away support at Rugby Park. That "home" caveat is because the game has had to be moved 15 miles away to the home of Kilmarnock after the "surrounding infrastructure" around the 4,000-capacity Beechwood Park was considered unsuitable for such a big occasion. It is the latest "what if" in sixth-tier Auchinleck Talbot's illustrious history. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut how is the Ayrshire village and its team of plumbers, joiners, engineers and other trades gearing up for the ultimate David v Goliath tie?What about that Hearts near miss?Former Talbot left-back Gordon Pope has fond, but ultimately painful, memories of the last time the part-timers came up against top-flight opposition 14 years ago. A brave, backs-to-the-wall effort held Hearts at bay until goalkeeper Andy Leishman, who had earlier saved a penalty, fumbled as he collided with team-mate Bryan Slaven and Gordon Smith slotted the hosts ahead with six minutes left. Throwing caution to the wind, Talbot won a free-kick and Pope was played through the Hearts defence only for the linesman to flag for offside as he was slotting home what he thought would be an equaliser five minutes into stoppage time. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It leaves a 'what if'," Pope tells BBC Scotland as he watches a replay of the incident. "It is a tight decision and it's just one of those moments in the history of the club."We had never played at that level [fourth round] before, so going back to Rugby Park for a replay would have been massive for the club."James Latta, who was captaining Talbot for the first time that day, recalls: "Most of our team had played at senior level at some point and we knew if we stayed tight and stuck to our formation, we'd have a chance depending on how Hearts played."However, the former defender recognises that they face an even tougher task against Scottish champions who have had a new lease of life after club legend Martin O'Neill returned as interim manager after the sacking of Wilfried Nancy. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"If you asked me that last week, it would have been a good time to play them," Latta says. "It would have been hard before - it is going to be a lot harder now."Who are Auchinleck Talbot?For Talbot programme writer Jim McAuley: "It will be the greatest day in the club's history to play a world-renowned team like Celtic.