An Attempt to Change Scottish Football

[BJT]

Reality Sets in - Ayr United, Season 6

After the success of last year, I was really hoping that the board would be willing to invest further in players. With 2.5 million in the bank and only 400k of that set aside for improving our training facilities, that to me leaves 2.1 million left?

Well the maths seem to be different for our board. The initially 250k transfer budget set didn’t move one bit, and after only being able to purchase one player to replace Dolly Menga who wasn’t interested in signing a new contract, my hands were completely tied. How stingy are our board??

I was able to bring experienced international James Forest in on a free from Celtic. Surplus to requirements, although at the age of 32 he can still offer something to the squad this year as a back up to Alan Forest. But look at all this money to spend....

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Squad Issues Unresolved

Trying to then bring in a goalkeeper for free, our wage budget was now severely constrained, so that deal never happened. So I’m stuck with our keeper who rolls the ball out to their strikers. (Yep, just watch the video clip again!)

Both our advanced playmakers now dropped to 2.5 star ratings and I really have a feeling we could get over-run this year by not having enough quality in there. Looking at youngsters I could loan, I located Jonny Boyle from Celtic. At 18 years old he’s a highly technical player, only his off the ball movement is poor – but I’ll get him trained on that. He’s marked at 3 stars, so it looks like he’ll be starting this year ahead of two times in a row fans player of the year winner Ian McShane.

But he still has a role to play with us. He’ll be a good bench warmer and fill in for when Boyle isn’t there. I’m hoping his experience will rub off on Boyle so he’ll perform as well as he can for his age. I am worried though in this central midfield area this year.

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Trust in Youth

One positive is spotting one of our youth prospects. Ross Herron at 19 years old has been given a 3.5 star rating. He looks like he can put the ball in the back of the net. Finishing, composure, anticipation all at a good level. He’s got pace and acceleration too. He’s just like a new signing up top, and I’m putting him in the first team this year.

With all our extra fixtures this year, our squad is going to be put under strain that much more than in the past. So yes, I am feeling the pressure already and I can sense it’s going to be a tough year. Only now do I regret not going in for the Hearts job. I can see the writing on the wall now though – I’m going to have to move if I’m going to compete for Champions League places.

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Board and Personal Objectives

Media Prediction – 8th
Scottish Premiership – Mid-Table
Scottish Cup – Qtr Finals
Betfred Cup – Qtr Finals
Euro Cup – 4th​ Round Qualifying

Not much has changed here except we’re now expected eighth rather than ninth plus we have the Euro Cup to contend with. We start in the 3rd​ qualifying round.

You can already sense my disappointment in the willingness to invest. It was tempting to resign and wait for a new job to crop up. But after the efforts of achieving Europe, I’m going to at least go as far as I can here and see how well we’re doing in the league at the same time.

So many clubs fail to perform well in the league when in cup competition that aren’t considered one of the top clubs. You just have to look at Burnley’s struggles in the Premier League after making it into Europe. Everton another prime example.

I’ll do what I can do this year, but it’s time I find the right club in a position to try and fulfil my ambitions. Champions League football and wrestling the Scottish title away from Celtic.

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[BJT]

The Honest Men’s Euro Cup Adventure Continues….

Our 3rd​ round qualifier pitched us up against well known Austrian side Vienna. After a ding-dong battle in the first leg, we came away with a 3-3 draw. Giving us three away goals we were always in with a chance, and we took the home tie 1-0.

The last qualifying round then matched us with Partizan. Not an easy place to go, we dug out a 0-0 away draw meaning a victory at home would send us through. That we did, winning convincingly 3-0.

Our Euro Group was not an easy one. Eintracht Frankfurt, Lokomotiv and Olympiakos were the teams. I was hoping we wouldn’t embarrass ourselves and try to at least get a victory if we could.

Well we did more than just that. After getting a 1-1 draw away at Lokomotiv first game and actually outplaying them, I thought we could give a really good account of ourselves in this group.

Greek Giants Brushed Aside

Next up came Olympiakos one of the big Greek sides with plenty of Champions League experience. Our young kid Herron who has been fantastic so far this year was the game breaker giving us a 1-0 home win.

Losses to Frankfurt at home and away were not surprising. It left us with a home game against Lokomotiv and an away one to Olympiakos.

With the knowledge Olympiakos would be baying for blood in the rematch, our best chance to go through was beating Lokomotiv, as with how the results went in the group it would secure our qualification before the last match.

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And that we did! A fantastic performance gave us a 4-2 home victory. Kid Herron banged in a hatrick…and with it, we scored an excellent team goal.

The funny thing with this goal, is I thought we were about to score an own goal from the build up!!!! But credit to the lads, they kept passing the ball and we eventually opened them up.

Here it is!

[video=youtube;-mHwCVclBGI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHwCVclBGI[/video]

So here’s the league table with one game to go. Already through to the next round, and our financial position is excellent with 4.8 million now in the bank. We got 2.6 million from getting to the group stages, with our results prize money adding to it.

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[Jedd95]

You're doing a fantastic job, thoroughly enjoyed the read through. Shame to see the board are showing their true colours with the stingy transfer budget. Hopefully this season they will see you're the man for the job and back you!

 

[BJT]

You're doing a fantastic job, thoroughly enjoyed the read through. Shame to see the board are showing their true colours with the stingy transfer budget. Hopefully this season they will see you're the man for the job and back you!

Thanks and glad you're enjoying the read. Indeed...I guess a full year being under them and maybe they may be a bit more willing. Attendances are always on the up and if we have another good year it would be inexcusable if we don't get a good amount of cash to splash next season!

 

[BJT]

Villarreal overturn 1st​ Leg defeat putting The Honest Men to the Sword

****…our European adventure is over. Drawing Villarreal in the 1st​ knockout round of the Euro Cup, it would have been a giant killing of all proportions. If only it was a one leg match we would have gone through!

Our 1-0 win at home gave us hope, and we were leading on away goals for a while but they grabbed a goal just before half-time which scuppered our chance to regroup for the second half . Then their quality told and the floodgates opened.

Still, I’m almightily proud of the lads for getting us this far. I couldn’t have dreamed getting out of our group, but we did and the financial boost to the club and reputation of Scottish football is well and truly enhanced from this cup run.

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League Form Unaffected

Despite losing our first three games this year that saw us come up against Hearts, Celtic and Aberdeen, we did well to keep our heads and play ourselves up into mid-table at which point we then really pushed on.

Following our Euro Cup exit we were able to fully focus on getting high as we possibly could in the table. We suffered a hammering on our own turf against Celtic 6-1 which could have set the wagon off the rails. but we did not let that effect us and we finished in an amazing 3rd spot after thirty three games.

With the league split now due to take place, we’re again battling for a European spot for the second year running and we also have a chance to surpass last season’s fourth spot finish by going one better.

That’s my ambitious aim for the rest of the year, taking 3rd spot. We’ll need to perform as the five remaining games are always going to be tough.

Rangers and Celtic however as you can see, will never be in our sights and are miles above the rest of the pack. So let’s try and top what I would call the other league in the Division.


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[BJT]

Ayr Hold firm on to grab 3rd​ Place

Ayr left their best till last, losing only the game against Celtic in the five games that booked The Honest Men’s place in the Euro cup for a second consecutive year.

The second game away at Hibernian was a nerve wracking one. With two points the gap between Aberdeen and Hearts it was a game we really could have done without losing.

Strength and Belief

Despite taking an early 2nd​ minute lead, Hibs notched the next three goals. But with 14 minutes left to play, our star man now 20 years of age Ross Herron grabbed two late goals that also gave him his hatrick to give Ayr a share of the spoils.

It’s not just the point, but the manner in which we came back epitomises the mental strength of the squad and the manager. A 2-2 home draw against Rangers in the next game kept Ayr’s chances alive going into the last two games.

I have to admit, there was a little fist pumping when we got the third equalising goal at Hibs!

What Pressure?

Hearts then visited Somerset park. It was a game if Ayr won they would secure their European spot. And Ayr were to produce under pressure, an outstanding performance, dismantling Hearts comfortably 3-0.

And for good measure, to show their form the past two years was not luck, a 2-1 away win at Aberdeen left Ayr on 60 points as their end of year total six points ahead of 4th spot, and it was also the club’s best ever finish in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

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Board and Personal Objectives

Media Prediction – 8th
Scottish Premiership – Mid-Table (finished 3rd​, Euro Cup)
Scottish Cup – Qtr Finals (Qtr Final, lost to Kilmarnock)
Betfred Cup – Qtr Finals (Semi-Final, lost to Hearts)
Euro Cup – 4th​ Round Qualifying (1st​ KO Round, lost to Villarreal)

So that’s my sixth season in Scottish football done. Far exceeding our expected 8th​ spot, and going on an amazing European adventure was a real highlight in my time at Ayr thus far.

The board were delighted on both accounts and had no doubts about renewing my contract which I accepted.

There doesn’t appear to be any managerial roles I can consider at the end of this year. The Hibernian job was very insecure, but it appears they’ve decided to stick with Romanian legend Gheorge Hagi.

Our bank balance at the end of this year is looking very nice indeed. At 7.3 million and a better attendance average, surely the board must increase our wage and transfer budget?

I guess I’ll find out soon enough….

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Key Men

There were many stars from our squad this year. The fans voted for the signing from Rangers Glen Middleton. I can’t argue with that. With an average rating of 7.21, grabbing 24 assists and 16 goals that truly is a great return.

The loanee from Celtic Jonny Boyle did a superb job taking the responsibility from Ian McShane as our advanced playmaker in the middle. Averaging 7.11 and at such a young age, I’m hoping I’ll be able to buy him permanently next year if possible.

But my player of the year was our youth find Ross Herron. I knew he had all the attributes to be our goal scoring machine this year. And with a whopping thirty five goals, smashed the previous club record of twenty four in a year. If only he could take penalties, I’d have had him on them too.

For next year, well again I’ll try to find a keeper. But they seem very scarce at this level to be of sufficient quality worth investing in. Otherwise I’ll look to make improvements where I see fit, depending on our budget and our assistant manager’s report on their development.

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Manager of the Year

Maintaining European football wasn't the only achievement. I was again voted Manager of the Year for the second year running. So yeps, I'm happy with that. Hopefully it may help the board be a bit more receptive and will be willing to trust me with greater funds next year.

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[BJT]

Ayr United – Season 7, Moss earns Board’s Trust

After being given pennies to spend last year despite having funds available, the board this year have given me a 4.3 million transfer budget along with a considerably higher wage budget. This is great news!

It has given me the chance to be a bit more ruthless with the squad, looking at who makes the cut and who is perhaps a little short of the desired level.

The dealings this off-season have been very fruitful. Bringing in a good centre-back in on the free was a great way to kick off proceedings.

Summer Signings

Danny Finlayson previously at Hearts looks like a real king in the air. Although not the most agile, he’s surprisingly quick and possesses great stamina and strength. He’ll likely start in our first XI this year.

An advanced playmaker in Jack Byrne, listed for 700k has been brought in from Reading. He’s got the important attributes for the role and will help our team tick this year.

I was also to purchase my loan player from Celtic Jonny Boyle. After impressing last year, he’s highly technical and will be excellent backup to Byrne.

Lewis Ferguson from Motherwell has also been snapped up. He looks like he could replace our current centre mid bought from Aberdeen Bryn Moris this year in the starting line-up. 700k wasn’t bad value here.

A little over 1 million was George Williams. Coming in from QPR, he’ll be playing on the right flank for us. Alan Forest has been excellent for us, but sadly he’s a player that will only take us so far. With a diminished rating, I felt it would be a good move to get some quality years out this 28 year old.

And our expensive signing is the 2 million Oli Shaw. Bought from fellow Premiership club Hibs, he has a Scottish cap to his name and at 26 is about to come into his prime years.

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Squad Thoughts

So that makes five of my purchases likely to walk into the starting XI. It is a mini overhaul, and I have to be patient as it will take time for them all to gel together.

Fortunately there isn’t a mad rush for this, as by finishing 3rd​ last year we should automatically quality for the Euro Cup Group stages.

When you now look at my squad, we have a decent outfield first team and with decent enough bench warmers. The clear weakness is within the two goalkeeping positions.

It’s yet another year I’ve not been able to invest in this area. But it’s another year on for a goalkeeper, and with Liam Kelly now at 28 he’s still young for a player in this position.

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Board and Personal Objectives

Media Prediction – 7th
Scottish Premiership – Top Half
Scottish Cup – Qtr Finals
Betfred Cup – Qtr Finals
Euro Cup – Group Stage

It’s unsurprising the expectations have gone up slightly this year. With all the spending and my improving reputation more is expected from this Ayrshire club.

We’re now at 25-1 odds to win the title. Long gone are the days we were 1000-1. But when you look at all the teams now competing in the league, finishing in the top 6 or top 5 in the case of European football has now become so competitive since our emergence.

You could argue that when looking at us and the stature of the clubs around us, eight teams should be expected to fill six positions. Well that won’t bode too well for those managers missing out on the top half.

I’m intrigued to see how these new investments will affect how well our season goes. I am tempted to play more offensively as I do now have a pacey backline. But that only holds true if the first four are starting.

I’ve always thought if you’re going to win things, you’re going to have to play more offensively. With that said, finishing in 3rd​ spot although ambitious, is achievable as we’ve proven it can be done – all whilst competing in European football too.

However I do have better players at my disposal this year…and I’d really like to book a cup final date as the furthest we’ve ever got is to the semi-finals a couple of times. Even better would be to bring home my first trophy at Ayr to add to my Ladbrokes League 1 title at my old club Peterhead.

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International Management?

There appears to be a number of jobs available at the moment. I've never taken on a dual role before, but it's something I am considering in this save.

It would be great if the Scotland job was available. That would be my first choice, and would work nicely in trying to bring Scottish football well and truly on the map.

 

[FM_TNSSO]

How have you done 7 seasons in less than a week mate? Are you simming most of it?

 

[BJT]

Nope, but I only watch key highlights fastest and my tactics are plug n play. Along with excessive playing time this week! which is not normal for me usually I don't play friendlies though.

 

[FM_TNSSO]

Nope, but I only watch key highlights fastest and my tactics are plug n play. Along with excessive playing time this week! which is not normal for me usually I don't play friendlies though.

Cool...was gonna say I thought I'd done well to get through nearly 2 seasons in 2 weeks.....but then I watch extended highlights and chop and change things up between games etc....and I play my friendlies as well.

Still good going down 7 in a week mate lol! Enjoying the read anyway and will continue to follow your rise to the top of Scottish football

 

[BJT]

I don't normally play midweek don't usually have the time. So I've always preferred to try and watch as much as I can whilst making good progress. I've not made so much quick progress before until now though!

Cheers - or decline may it be!

 

[BJT]

Scotland Turn down Moss, but Belgium don’t

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With several International jobs available following the Euro Championships, Moss has decided to try balance his club commitments with gaining experience with International Duty.

Not experienced in this area, it’s a brand new challenge and a different type of pressure that will be placed on the current Ayr United boss. His dream job of managing Scotland was however declined by the Scottish board, not thinking he was good enough for the job.

However, Belgium saw differently and offered the job to the Ayr boss. It’s going to be a great opportunity to make a name for himself outside the domestic game, and give valuable experience handling big star names such as Courtois and De Bruyne.

Nation on the Decline

Although a very much ageing squad with not a lot of talent coming through so it seems, it will be a challenge but one to enjoy on the side. It will sure be nice to get away from the wintry Scottish climate once in a while.

The European League is my first task. A group with Spain and Turkey, it won’t be easy to top the group. Most would expect 2nd​ place the most likely outcome. I wouldn’t be disappointed with that, but a good performance or two would be a satisfactory start. That’s my aim for now.

Quotes from the new Belgium boss’ first Interview:

“It was disappointing to not be given the chance to manage Scotland my home. It’s the country I’m managing in and want to stay in for a considerable amount of time. But the offer that came in from Belgium was one I couldn’t turn down as I have thought about breaching into International management for some considerable time.

I’m really looking forward to working with De Bruyne and Courtois along with the rest of the squad. Hopefully we can share some good footballing moments together and bring this to the Belgian people too.”

 

[BJT]

Moss’ first International Achievement – Dumping out Spain

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It may only be the Euro League, but victory at home against formidable nation Spain meant Belgium topped the group and eliminated the Spaniards in the process.

After losing away 1-0 against Turkey in the previous game, it was important Belgium bounced back strongly to re-instil confidence that would have been lowered from that poor result. That they did, whilst scoring a great team goal involving patient crisp passing breaching a world-class Spanish back-line.

Here it is!

[video=youtube;D1q457VL8-Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1q457VL8-Q[/video]

It ended up being the winning goal, with Spain grabbing a late consolation which left a final score line of Belgium 2 – 1 Spain.

 

[BJT]

Half way – Interesting Developments

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The Ladbrokes Premiership is looking a little bit different for once. Rangers are no longer the closest team challenging Celtic. That award goes to Hearts.

For much of the season they had been top, but Celtic have rallied and overtaken them into top spot.

Meanwhile we had a relatively poor start. There have also been some lengthy injuries to important players, not as huge a problem in previous years. Notably Glenn Middleton our player of the year last year has missed many games along with new signing George Williams on the right, meaning our wing play hasn't been as potent this year so far.

But with Rangers lacking consistency, it means the 2nd​ Champions league spot is up for grabs. With that said, Hearts are in an extremely strong position and it will require them to screw things up if they are to surrender second place.

No giving up here though, because this is the best chance in years for another team to steal a Champions League spot out of Rangers and Celtics grasp.

Euro Cup

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Having automatically qualified for the group stages, it’s been less of a European adventure this year but more simply getting down to business.

Drawing Malmo, Dinamo Kiev, and FC Copenhagen two of these three sides are Champions league regulars so it was not an easy group at all to come out of.

However the European enthusiasm remains and it has brought some fabulous performances from us, including a devastating 0-4 away win at Copenhagen. Only Dinamo Kiev beat us on their own turf, but with winning the home match 1-0 and doing the double over Malmo we ended up topping the group!

I’m hoping we’ll get a kinder draw than last time around against Villarreal. I think we deserve a bit of luck…

Betfred Cup Final

…especially after losing our first cup final to Celtic 1-0. Missing a few key players, we were never really in with a chance to produce a shock in this one. We did well to keep the scoreline very respectable, but quality and depth will likely always prevail which it did again here.

But a great experience for the lads, getting to and playing in a cup final can only help to serve their development. Perhaps what they did this time around they may think improving upon next time…

 

[BJT]

“The Heat is….ON”

We’re at that time of the season again, where there’s everything to play for and everything to lose.

And the heat certainly is on. Rangers were unable to take what they think is rightfully theirs, a second placed position in the league. We currently hold this spot with what looks like a comfortably seven point gap. But with this game format, it’s not that huge of an advantage especially if you lose to your direct rivals.

With our two strikers up top on goal droughts and not in the best of form, anything can happen in the last games. You just need to look at Hearts. First for a lot of the first half of the season, slumping all the way down to sixth. So my prayers came true.

History beckons for the club from Ayrshire, but there’s no doubt the Gers won’t give up second without a real fight.

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Scottish Cup

Seen as the more prestigious of the two major cups in Scotland, we have made our second cup final this season in a chance to put things right after the earlier season loss to Celtic.

In a huge derby game, our finalist opponent is local rival Kilmarnock. It can’t get much bigger with huge bragging rights at stake, especially where Kilmarnock have always been considered the larger of the two clubs.

I can only hope this time we’ll have a fit first team, as key players cost us dearly in the last one.

Euro Cup

The heat finally came down on Ayr after having what was the most amazing cup run of their recent history.

After topping the group, the first knockout game came against German side Borussia Monchengladbach. Losing the first leg away 2-1, it meant we needed to win at home 1-0 or by two clear goals to progress. It was George Williams 13th​ minute goal that separated the sides and squeezed us though to the next round.

The next German outfit we would face was Schalke. This time we had a home tie first time around. After going a goal down, The Honest Men replied three times in succession taking the game home 3-1.

Then drama in the away leg. It appeared we threw all our good work out the window as Schalke went 4-1 up at home. But then they gave away a penalty in the 82nd​ minute. in which sub Alan Forest slotted home the spot kick. We held on and for the second time, went through on the away goals rule knocking out Schalke!

A Step too far

Now the quarter finals and yet another German side drawn…Borussia Dortmund. Looking at the player values was laughable. A real Champions League pedigree outfit.

We lost 4-1 on aggregate in the end, but we were 1-0 up in the first leg at home until a Turkish guy Gurkan Ozar ran nearly half the length of the pitch and scored passed Liam Kelly in the 89th​ minute.

It was a real mammoth effort from the players. Not just in this tie but every single game we played in the competition. Very proud of our players performances in this competition this year…and our fans want to see more European nights like these…

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[BJT]

Continuing the Revolution…Champions League football Awaits

After our Euro Cup run this second year running, we’ve beaten teams in one off games such as FC Copenhagen, Olympiakos, B Monchengladbach, Schalke, Villarreal…all teams of European and Champions League quality. So the signs were there that with a bit of luck, we could make Europe’s Elite Competition.

Well things did not start at all well in our first game since the split. An away defeat at Hibs 2-0 let Rangers back in to reduce the gap to four points. We then followed that losing at home to them 1-3 which meant the gap suddenly was down to one single solitary point with three games still to go.

Yes, it was time to hit the panic button. But keeping the faith with the side, we played out a 1-1 home draw in the next game against Hearts. Fortunately Rangers lost to Celtic so the gap then became two points.

Then came a huge victory in game four. With even more satisfaction it was against our rivals Killie. A tight 1-0 win gave us three massive points….then awaiting the Rangers score coming in – and they could only draw away to Hibs.

The gap then became four points with one game only left….so Champions League football was finally secured for The Honest Men!

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One Thing Left to do…The Scottish Cup Final

Now came around the Scottish Cup. In a re-match of just a few weeks ago, Ayr vs Killie. Whose the bigger club now?

A fully fit team was available to us. Determined to put the past cup loss behind us, no motivating from me was required.

In a tight game where Ayr had 62% of the possession but Killie had 6 more shots attempted at goal, it gives an indication as to the fine margins that decided this game. But ultimately Ayr had 8 shots on target to Killie’s 5, with one clear cut chance all game coming in Ayr’s favour.

We took the lead in the 14th​ minute from our right back purchased from Celtic a couple of years back Anthony Raiston, finding himself somehow inside the 18 yard box to slot it passed the Killie Keeper.

A little before minute 40, another youth prospect brought in half the way through the season to replace a poorly performing record signing Oli Shaw, then grabbed Ayr’s second of the game to make it 2-0. The name Gary Paton.

There were no more goals, and Moss finally has his name on a cup trophy to the delight of all the Ayr supporters and the board. It’s Ayr’s first ever Scottish Cup triumph in their entire history.

Two trophies remain – The Betfred cup, and the Premiership. Will Moss stay on?

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At The Crossroads

I’ve built a side that’s strong in a lot of areas with decent depth. We’re well drilled but limited in what we can do.

You look at Celtic’s player values and the lowest valued player in their squad is 1.8mil to the highest of 18.25mil. Here at Ayr, my lowest valued player in 11.75k with the highest at 2.8million.

In a one off game anything can happen, but across a whole season only one team has produced a miracle – and we know that was Leicester City under Ranieri. But he still had quality players to play like Schmeichael, Mahrez , Vardy and Kante…we can’t attract or have the finance to support that.

The post at Hibernian is now vacant, and they did finish in 5th​ so I would have European football if I moved. Their values range from 7.5mil to 18k.

However our board have released our transfer budget for next season of just under 11 million but Champions League footie….I’m going to have to sleep on this one!

Board and Personal Objectives

Media Prediction – 7th
Scottish Premiership – Top Half (finished 2nd​, CL qualification)
Scottish Cup – Qtr Finals (Winners)
Betfred Cup – Qtr Finals (Finalists – lost to Celtic)
Euro Cup – Group Stage (Qtr Finals – lost to Borussia Dortmund)

I’m getting closer and closer to the number one spot, but yet so far too. The club as a progression however is going very well. Our average attendance this season was at 7,834 so that is continuing to grow nicely.

Financially we’re now given a secure status. With just under 22 million in the bank we truly are in a good position, and a lot of it is due to our European cup runs and this year’s domestic Scottish cup success too. That paid out well at just under 4 million.

I did try to see if the training facilities could be improved further from average, but I’m met with the “it’s not needed” line from the board. We have the finances, so why not maximise how we can develop our players at the club?

From the personal side, my reputation is now at 2.5 stars and listed as fairly good so that’s come on nicely. I also won the Manager of the Year award for the third time in a row. A real contrast though in the point scores on each.

Year 5 – 299 points
Year 6 – 393 points
This Year – 1095 points

That just looks like a bug to me!

Nevertheless, if anyone has an opinion on whether to jump ship or stay at Ayr I’d love to hear your opinions. The number of players interested to play in Scotland is limited, and those that do will always want to join Celtic or Rangers. That’s not accounting for the size of the club and potential to grow.

However I think the fact we’ve made Champions League this year…it makes me want to give it yet another year to see what happens. I’ve questioned Ayr once but it was the right choice to stay. As things stand there is a twenty four point gap between us and Celtic….that’s disheartening to say the least!

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The Stars of 24/25

Kevin Waugh 7.08 – the man holding things at the back. The only one to average above a 7, and scored six goals for us this season.

George Williams 7.17 – despite missing three months of the season, he got himself fit and played an important part to the success we achieved this season. A truly great professional working the right flank very well, scoring a few belters in the process.

Jack Byrne 7.14 – brought in as our advanced playmaker this year keeping the kid bought from Celtic out the team. Produced his fair share of 11 assists and performed consistently, just what you want in that position.

Glen Middleton 7.50 – he really has been an absolutely wonderful purchase from the Gers. Scoring 16 goals and handing 26 assists that’s an excellent involvement in 42 of our goals.

Gary Paton 7.04 – from the youth side replacing our record signing Shaw who wasn’t showing enough consistency. Paton grabbed 8 goals in 26 appearance but his average compared to Shaw’s 6.74 justifies his place in the team.

Ross Heron 6.99 – although just under the average I want to see from my players, his 26 goals in 50 games is still a fine achievement. Not as many as the 35 last year, but it’s still an excellent return and his goals were vital for us this season.

And last but not least – LIAM KELLY!!! Our goalkeeper averaged 7.00. For someone who has made many poor errors in the past (and still does), he’s still continued to keep plodding away and trying his best for the team. It’s not a bad rating for a goalie, so well done to him.

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[BJT]

Ayr United – Season 8

Realistic Expectations, for Now…

Well I decided to stay on at least an extra year. It didn’t seem right to not try and get to the Champion League group stages, nor not invest the near 11 million transfer budget.

The problem again though I had was one, attracting players that would rival the quality Celtic have. And B, when there was good talent about, although interested they would not be willing to negotiate a contract as they didn’t believe we would have the funds they would demand.

Players interested would have in excess of 30k, whereas we can only offer under 10k. So that’s the problem at Ayr. A club of Hibs or Aberdeen’s stature might be able to pay that little bit more in wages and bring those players that could rival Celtics.

So how would I ever be able to win a title at Ayr? Well it would involve Celtic having an injury crisis and a very bad season whilst having a really good one myself. Second spot is the best I can hope for it would seem in the very near future at least.

A Productive Window

With that said, although there were a couple of positions there were not quality players interested and in my budget, for the most I have been able to improve our side.

Cameron Dawson will be our new first team keeper this term, costing 5.25m from Sheffield Wednesday. At 29 years old he still has a good few years left and seems to have good in the air whilst having good reflexes. He may not be seen as a Keeper
Sweeper, but he should be able to play the role well enough.

The other notable signings likely to be first teamers are MacPherson at centre-back and Billy Arce down the left flank.

Tricky decisions here, because we have a good left winger and centre-back. Neverthless I needed strength in depth. MacPherson however seems to be a little better technically than our star man last year Kevin Waugh. But he’s not so dominant in the air.

I am however looking to change our tactics a little. I think if I’m going to bridge the game to Celtic, I’m forced to play a more offensive game because we’ll need a lot of 3 pointers to try and keep up the pace with them. So being comfortable on the ball is quite important when building up from the back patiently.

Billy Arce will have a tough job being compared to Glenn Middleton. However scouts indicate he is a better player, and in areas he does seem to excel. I would however miss Middleton’s free kick abilities. He certainly scored a number of important goals of this nature. So the spot is up for grabs.

Other signings to improve our depth include Odusina at CB, Alex Todd at LB, and Greg Doherty at CM, although it is possible he could walk into our first team dependant on our current first teamers form and development.

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Board and Personal Objectives

Media Prediction – 5th
Scottish Premiership – Euro Cup Qualification
Scottish Cup – Semi Finals
Betfred Cup – Semi Finals
Euro Cup – Reach Playoffs

Well I’ve set the benchmark now. Leading Ayr to their best ever Ladbrokes Premier Division placing of 2nd​, this has to be the aim going forward.

After investing heavily, although we know Rangers had a bad season last year we have to go with the mindset that we can compete with them for a Champs League place on a regular basis.

Our board now expect us to secure European football each term. With the current crop of players at my disposal this year, I would have to agree that under good management, we probably should be aiming for no lower than 5th​.

The league though is still very competitive, and there are no guarantees in meeting this objective.

After winning the Scottish Cup, I would love to add the Betfred Cup to our list of honours. It’s the one domestic trophy the club has never won. With that in mind although it’s not as prestigious as the Scottish Cup, it holds high importance to me.

Interestingly, with the board expecting us to make the semi finals of both cups it must be perceived we are considered a top four club. The media predicts us to finish 5th​ behind the big two along with Hibs and Aberdeen. Our odds are also 7-1 to win the title…

Despite the added pressure I’m facing, it is good to know the club clearly has progressed from when I took the post. Let’s hope I can take 2nd​ spot again this year and have some good cup runs. With any luck we’ll continue to be able to build, and hope that our wage budget will continue to increase so that perhaps one day, quality talent will want to come to Somerset Park…

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[BJT]

A Taste of the Champions League

Finally competing in the Champions League, the qualification tests really could not get a lot harder.

A Strange two leg tie

In the 3rd​ qualification round, we were pitted against Benfica. A force in the Portuguese league for many years, it looked like our Champions League story would come to a halt before it even started.

In a goal fest, we went 2-0 up very quickly. Benfica then pulled a goal back, but we then restored our two goal cushion. Then in the 76th​ and 82nd​ minutes , Benfica scored twice leaving the tie at 3 a piece….then for Ross Herron to score a couple of minutes later to restore an advantage. The game ended 4-3 to us, but it really meant we couldn’t lose at their place…

Forward on next Wednesday, I was there to witness what for me was an absolutely exciting and exhilarating exhibition of the game…. Nil nil! That result put us through 4-3 on aggregate. Not what I expected at their place.

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Revenge?

Well after scraping through the last round, I was obviously delighted to see we got pitched against a team who beat us twice in the Euro Cup last season in Dinamo Kiev in the best placed playoff…

But a different year and different team we had Would anything change this time around?

A tight game at our venue gave us a slim 1-0 advantage going into the second leg at their place. Still not very confident as we didn’t do well away last year, but the last game against Benfica gave us some sort of belief we could get a result over there.

And that we did! A superb free kick in only the fourth minutes really settled down any nerves we would have had at the start. An away goal and the pressure straight onto the home side, we used that to our advantage and eventually grabbed a second goal with the game finishing 0-2 to us. Champions League Group stages here we come!

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Living the Dream

And then came the draw…..Athletico Madrid…FC Porto….and Shaktar Donetsk. Well, that could have been a little easier right? Group of death for us more a like!

The aim here unlike the Euro Cup was let’s just not completely embarrass ourselves if we can…if we can get one victory that for me would be a good effort.

Last Game, And Pride Restored!

Going into the last match we only had earned one point in the group and that was the home game against Shakhtar. It was a game we should have won but they scored with a late equaliser which shattered my aim of securing a victory.

So here come Athletico Madrid. My aim was to keep the score down as much as possible.

And much like the game against Dinamo Kiev, it was a Paton special from a free kick situation that saw his shot fly into the top corner right on the hour.

With Athletico already through as group winners they didn’t seem to play with the most urgency. They did pile on some pressure but I was expecting a lot more from them in the last 30 minutes. But I’m not complaining….we got our first ever Champions League victory against the mighty Athletico. Happy days as far as I was concerned!

We did miss out on the Euro Cup though. Tied on 4 points with Shakhtar their late equaliser proved crucial and that was to be the end of our European adventure in this 2025/2026 season

A whopping 14 mil was earned from making the group stages and with that win and a draw that was a little over 2 million extra. A very profitable adventure and that will leave us in good stead financially.

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Meanwhile in the League…

With half a season gone, we’re surprisingly keeping up the pace well at the top. We didn’t have the best of starts to the campaign, but I’ve been attempting to change the way we have played the past few seasons.

With aiming for quicker centre-backs in the Summer, I have been trying to employ a higher line to give us more of an edge going forward and having more possession of the ball.

Climbing the table steadily after our bad start, we’re effectively 3 points down from them with an inferior goal difference. Well that’s no surprise given they have much better quality players than us, but it’s good to see we’re putting a little bit of pressure on them at the very least.

Luckily for us, Celtic do have the Euro Cup to contend with. Hopefully they’ll go far which in turn is an opportunity for us predicting they may drop a few more points than you would normally expect.

Still a long way to go though. Because looking behind me Rangers are effectively two points down on me…will have to keep my eyes open with them.

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[BJT]

Crisis! But hopefully averted?…

I went absolutely ape….but it wasn’t the board I could whine at this time. It was myself and the contract our striker Gary Paton had. As you can see he has real pedigree, scoring countless times and important goals on the big European stage.

Man City and Arsenal were pursuing him, and with a clause that would let him leave for a top European club set at only 5 million, both clubs were more than happy to offer the cash up front.

I tried to offer him a new contract, but of course that was now too late….and he was destined to leave us. After having such a good first half of the season, our year could be completely ruined.

Desperation Measures

First thing I aimed to do with only a little over 1 million left in the kitty, was to request the board increase the amount of funds retained from any transfer sales. This was increased hugely from around 55% to 90%.

This was to be absolutely critical, as I identified a striker Eamonn Lynch from Hearts. We eventually agreed in total an 11 million fee with the majority payable over instalments.

And despite his and his agent’s large fee demands, I was able to get this lowered by a third inline with our budget. Thankfully after negotiation, the fella put pen to paper.

I can only hope that our scout has done his job and predicted that he will become a striker just as good as Paton or even better which potential wise in the star ratings he was a half a star higher, but half a star lower at the time of current ability.

Comparing the Two

The Past – Gary Paton

Well you can see Gary Paton is not only a great finisher, but has excellent technique and physical prowess. Pace, acceleration, strength, with agility, with a good first touch and naturally fit he really was an asset for us and is going to be hugely missed.

And whilst having good technique too, he definitely is a player that can play at a high level. Only his passing and vision really lets him down, and he’s never going to be a threat in the air.

The Future – Eamonn Lynch

Fortunately I’m playing in Scottish football…so all the technique in the world isn’t going to be so advantageous over here.

But what Eamonn Lynch is, is not only a finisher but he possesses excellent composure and much more so than Gary Paton.

However, his lacks physical presence and doesn’t have the pace, acceleration, or strength and stamina that Gary does. He also doesn’t have the best technique or first touch. Paton also edges in the free kick department too.

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So, crisis solved?

Eamonn will be our penalty taker when he joins. Gary lacks skill in this area. So I think for our purposes, Eamonn will be a very good signing. He can put the ball in the back of the net like Gary and will also be able to convert spot kicks for us.

However the lack of presence up front, the pace, and ability to hold up the ball and alleviate pressure when need be won’t be there. With lower work-rate too, our team will need to carry Eamonn in games. But if we can do that, then we may be able to get the most out of him.

Stephen Hunt – Winter Signing to Complement

I have also suffered a bit of an injury crisis of late with six first teamers out. I have no good right wingers or defensive central midfielders at the moment. However the right flank is going to be weak for a couple of months due to the severity of the injuries sustained.

My choice was to bring in Stephen Hunt. 23 years old and an England u21 international bought from Blackburn Rovers, he looks like the sort of player that can bring the most out of Eamonn. He will also slot straight into the first team.

Pace 15, Acceleration 17, Determination 20, Work Rate 13, Dribbling 16, Crossing 14, Agility 17, Natural Fitness 16, Technique 13.

The downside he has poor composure, bravery, vision, and passing abilities. His first touch could do with improvement too.

Bu they aren’t bad stats for someone costing 3.4 million. I’m hoping he’ll work the right flank well with Eamonn the nearest striker to him. The lack of pace Eamonn has, Hunt should be there in quick support, and with the ability to beat his man and the sheer pace and determination he has, get into positions to feed him.

So that’s my theory and idea….I hope we don’t throw away our good work so far. If we can somehow keep hold of second place this year then I’ll be ecstatic.

 

[Jedd95]

Great to see you broke into the top 2 last season, and you did decent in the Champions League considering the size of the club. It's a shame your striker has left and the injury crisis you are suffering... I hope you can come out of it unscathed and still putting the pressure on Celtic!

All the best with the season