Ayr United

[DAFC2019]

December​

Ayr manager wins November Manager of the month for second month in a row
Scottish Cup 3rd Round Replay
Whitehill Welfare 2-3 Ayr (R Haride 61, 88, C Moore 76)

League
Arbroath 1-1 Ayr (O.G 90+1)

League
Aye 1-0 East Fife (R Docherty 2)

League
Brechin 0-0 Ayr

League
Ayr 3-0 Airdrie (J Mckee 14, D Bates 58, R Hardie 82)

League
Stranraer 1-1 Ayr (R Hardie 49)

League
Stenhousemuir 1-0 Ayr

End of month review: Not the teams best month performance wise, conceding goals and not scoring enough. Only our second league defeat this season and it was against Stenhousemuir, where we were poor for the full game, not one goos performance. A few first team players contracts running out at the ens of the season. Most importantly Craig Moore who at the moment is not willing to sign a new contract.

 

[DAFC2019]

January​

Ayr manager wins December Manager of the month for the third month in a row

Transfers
In
Frank Ross joins Ayr on loan until the end of the season from Aberdeen
Paul J Crossan joins Ayr on loan until the end of the season from Celtic
Rhys McCabe Signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Dunfermline

Out
Grant Holt Signs for Livingston on a Free
Declan McDaid signs for Queen of the South on a Free
Tony Dingwall signs for Bradford for a fee of £9,000
Paul Cairney signs for Stranraer on a Free
Kevin holt signs for Livingston for a fee of £975

League
Ayr 3-1 Queen's Park (G Spence 7, 44, 67)

League
Ayr 5-1 Cowdenbeath (G Spence 16, R Hardie 22, C Higgins 53, A Forrest 67, G Harkins 80)

League
Alloa 1-3 Ayr (R Hardie 2, 45, R Docherty 35)

Scottish Cup
Dundee United 3-0 Ayr

League
Ayr 2-2 Arbroath (G Spence 17, A Forrest 60)

End of month review: A good month in the league going the month unbeaten, also extended the gap at the top to 8 points with 12 games, but cant get carried away or we will chuck it, added 2 loans to the squad, and a few players departing as they werent playing and were costing the club a bit of money.

 

[DAFC2019]

February​

Transfers
IN
Thomas O'Ware signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Morton
Kalvin Orsi signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Queen's Park

Ayr manager wins January Manager of the month, thats 4 months in a row the Ayr manager has one the manager of the month award

League
East Fife 2-4 Ayr (J Mckee 27, R Hardie 31, L *** 36, G Spence 87)

League
Ayr 2-0 Brechin (J Mckee 56, 75)

League
Airdrie 1-4 Ayr (J Mckee 22, G Spence 55, R Hardie 75, A Nesbitt 84)

Challenge Cup Semi-Final
Dunfermline 1-3 Ayr (G Spence 31, N Devlin 33, J Mckee 62)

League
Queen's Park 2-2 Ayr (G Spence 20, 39)

End of month review: What a month its been for the team, 9 points clear with 8 to play, also into the Challenge Cup Final after a superb performance by the whole team. A special mention to our central midfielder Joe Mckee for an outstanding month chipping in with goals from the middle of the park. Also delighted with the 2 new boys that are coming in at the end of the season, Kalvin Orsi has scored 20 goals in 28 league games for 3rd placed Queen's Park, Kalvin has scored 2 goals in the 4 games hes played against us this season.

 

[DAFC2019]

March​

Transfers
IN
Gary Woods signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Hamilton

Ayr manager wins Manager of the month for February, five months in a row

League
Ayr 1-0 Stranraer (OG 33)

League
Ayr 2-2 Stenhousemuir (R Hardie 67, J McKee 90+2)

League
Cowdenbeath 2-5 Ayr (C Moore 15, A Nesbitt, R Hardie 33, J Mckee 63, L *** 81)

Challenge Cup Final
Ayr 2-2 St Mirren (J McKee 13, M Docherty 73)
Ayr win 5-4 on pens

Ayr lift the Challenge Cup for the first time in their history

League
Ayr 3-2 Alloa (A Forrest 2, J McKee 34, R Hardie 45+1)

Ayr win the Ladbrokes League One and return to the Championship after a 2 year wait

End of month review: What a month its been, all games have been really close and it was great to win the Challenge Cup for the first time in Ayr's history. The league has been won quite comfortably, with four games to spare. The team will be changed for the last four games to allow us to look at what fringe players are worthy of keeping for next year, aswell as bringing in a few new boys to be able to go up and compete in what will be a tough league

 

[DAFC2019]

April​

Transfers
IN
Krystian Nowak signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Hearts
Yordi Teijsse signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Dundee
Rory Currie signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Hearts
Kevin Cuthbert signs a Pre-Contract with Ayr from Raith

Ayr manager wins Manager of th month for March, thats six months in a row

Ayr manager agrees a new 2 year deal

League
Arbroath 2-0 Ayr

League
Ayr 3-0 East Fife (J McKee 52, R Haride 57, PJ Crossan 86,)

League
Brechin 0-3 Ayr (PJ Crossan 10, J McKee 13, R Hardie 27)
Adam King sent off (55)

League
Ayr 3-0 Airdrie (R Hardie 5, 30, A Nesbitt 69)

End of month review: Disappointed to lose against Arbroath, considering they only had 3 shots in the game!! It looks like a goodbye for Ryan Hardie, whose loan finishes and his contract is up at Rangers but has said he isnt intrested in signing permanently for Ayr. He will be a big loss to the team as he has been brilliant for the last 2 seasons scoring 45 goals in 64 league games. I have been very pleased with Joe McKee who has chipped in with a lot of goals from the middle of the park. No time to have a break, the preperation for new season has to start ASAP, if we are going to compete.

 

[DAFC2019]

Board plan to build a new stadium

The board have announced plans to build a new stadium and are in the process of searching for suitable sites and possible investors.

The main reason behind the decision was that The Honest Men current ground, Somerset Park, is an old venue with high maimtenance costs and the board felt it would be more beneficial to build a brand new stadium.

The board have however pointed out this will not be a smooth process as it will be some time before any plans can be finalised and put into action.

CITY - TBC
CAPACITY - TBC
COST - TBC
SURFACE - TBC
ROOF - TBC
UNDER SOIL HEATING - TBC
BUILD START DATE - TBC
BUILD COMPLETION DATE - TBC

 

[DAFC2019]

Season Preview​

Transfers
IN
Rhys McCabe Pre-Contract (Dunfermlime)
Thomas O'Ware Pre-Contract (Morton)
Gary Woods Pre-Contract (Hamilton)
Krystian Nowak Pre-Contract (Hearts)
Rory Currie Pre-Contract (Hearts)
Kevin Cuthbert Pre-Contract (Raith)
Aaron Muirhead Free
Yordi Teijsse Pre-Contract (Dundee)
Michael Tidser Free
Kalvin Orsi Pre-Contract (Queen's Park)
Callum Crane Free

OUT
Andy Webster Retired
Gary Harkins Retired
Michael Rose Released
Chris Higgins Released
Scott Gallacher signs for Aberdeen for a fee of £2,000
Andy Geggan signs for Queen of the South for a fee of £2,000
Craig McGufffie joins Brechin on Loan for the season

Current Squad (24) (Not including U20 Players)
Goalkeepers (3)
Greg Fleming
Gary Woods
Kevin Cuthbert

Defenders (7)
Mark Docherty
David Bates
Nicky Devlin
Aaron Muirhead
Thomas O'Ware
Krystian Nowak
Callum Crane

Midfielders (8)
Ross Docherty
Joe Mckee
Aidan Nesbitt (Loan)
Adam King (Loan)
Alan Forrest
Michael Tidser
Rhys McCabe
Lee ***

Strikers (6)
Ryan Hardie (Loan)
Craig Moore
Greig Spence
Kalvin Orsi
Yordi Teijsse
Rory Currie

Aim: Im more than happy with the squad ive got, probably too much strikers but all that can score goals. We will aim to finish mid table and be competitive in the league and cup. I dont think we will see anymore signings come in before the end of the window.

 

[DAFC2019]

Friendlies​

Linfield 0-4 Ayr
Ayr 1-0 Inverness
Glentoran 1-5 Ayr
Ayr 8-0 Hearts
Ayr 0-1 Huddersfield
Ayr 3-1 Dundee

Reflection: Very good results against some top opposition, hopefully we can take that form into the early part of our season.

Betfred Cup Group​

East Fife
Edinburgh City
Ross County
St Mirren

Aim: Be competitive and win as many games as we can but not too fussed if we dont qualify.

Ayr 2-1 St Mirren (K Orsi 65, 84)
Nicky Devlin sent off (55)

Ross County 2-1 Ayr (R McCabe 63)

Ayr 0-0 East Fife
(Ayr win 3-2 on pens)

Edinburgh City 1-5 Ayr (D Bates 24, A Muirhead 48, A Nesbitt 67, G Spence 72, 75)

Ayr fail to qualify for the second round of the Betfred Cup

 

[DAFC2019]

August​

League
Ayr 2-0 Falkirk (Y Teijsse 31, G Spence 90+1)

League
St Mirren 2-2 Ayr (A Nesbitt 23,* R Hardie 71)

League
Ayr 3-1 Livingston (R Hardie 20, A Nesbitt 24, J McKee 90+1)

League
Motherwell 2-1 Ayr (R Hardie 3)

September​

League
Ayr 4-4 Queen of the South (G Spence 4, 12, K Orsi 45+2, M Tidser 79)

Challenge Cup
Livingston 1-5 Ayr (A Nesbitt 1, G Spence 13, 39, J McKee 20, D Bates 34)

League
Hamilton 1-1 Ayr (J McKee 89)
Adam King sent off (90+1)

League
Ayr 2-0 Morton (J McKee 53, R Hardie 80)
Ross Docherty sent off (34)

Kilmarnock 1-0 Ayr

October​

League
Dunfermline 1-2 Ayr (G Spence 22, M Tidser 90+1)

Challenge Cup
Ayr 4-1 Crusaders (G Spence 45+1, 58, OG 49, C Moore 79)

League
Falkirk 1-2 Ayr (A Nesbitt 57, OG 89)

League
Ayr 3-1 St Mirren (J McKee 14, 28, C Moore 48)
Andy King sent off (90+2)

 

[DAFC2019]

November​

Ayr manager wins Manager of the month for October,
first time this season he has won the award.

League
Livingston 1-3 Ayr (A Muirhead 39, J McKee 62,* 85)

After recent speculation linking the Ayr manager with the vacant Barnet Post, he has went on record to say he has no intrest in taking the job.

League
Queen of the South 2-1 Ayr (J McKee 51)

Adam King rulled out for 5-6 months with a broken ankle

After recent speculation linking the Ayr manager with the vacant Stevenage Post, he has went on record to say he has no intrest in taking the job.

Challenge Cup
Rangers (U20s) 1-3 Ayr (R Hardie 2, 65, 82)
Aaron Muirhead sent off (80)

League
Ayr 4-2 Motherwell (J McKee 18, 78, C Moore 50, A Nesbitt 52)

December​

Scottish Cup
East Kilbride 0-2 Ayr (J McKee 39, C Moore 58)

League
Ayr 1-1 Hamilton (R Hardie 40)

League
Morton P-P Ayr
(Due to heavy snow)

League
Ayr 0-1 Kilmarnock

League
Ayr 2-0 Dunfermline (A Nesbitt 8, J McKee 90+1)

League
Ayr 1-0 Falkirk (R Hardie 87)
Mark Docherty sent off (65)

League
Ayr 3-3 Livingston (G Spence 43, L *** 53, D Bates 62)

January​

Transfers
OUT
Rory Currie signs for Hamilton for a fee of £30,000

League
St Mirren 1-3 Ayr (G Spence 13, 64, R Hardie 89)

League
Morton 1-3 Ayr (A Nesbitt 25, G Spence 50, L *** 53)

Top of the league for first time this season

League
Motherwell 5-3 Ayr (G Spence 1, 4, J McKee 28)
Ross Docherty sent off (23)

Drop back down to second, 2 points behind kilmarnock

League
Ayr 2-0 Queen of the South (G Spence 59, R Hardie 70)

Scottish Cup
Falkirk 1-2 Ayr (G Spence 6, A Nesbitt 44)

 

[DAFC2019]

February​

Transfers
IN
Brian Graham joins Ayr on a Free Transfer

League
Hamilton 1-1 Ayr (G Spence 13)

League
Ayr 5-1 Morton (R Hardie 35, M Tidser 37, B Graham 55, 57, J McKee 66,
Briam Graham scores two on his debut, coming on in the 49th minutes as a sub

Scottish Cup Last 16
Ayr 0-0 Dundee United

League
Dunfermline 2-1 Ayr (J McKee 81)

Challenge Cup Semi Final
Hamilton 1-0 Ayr

Scottish Cup Replay
Dundee United 4-3 Ayr (R McCabe 20, G Spence 26, J McKee 30)

March​

League
Kilmarnock 1-0 Ayr

After recent speculation linking the Ayr manager with the vacant Wrexham post, he has came out and ignores any speculation linking him with a move away from Ayr and says hes 100% commited to staying at Ayr

League
Falkirk 2-2 Ayr (J McKee 62, R Hardie 86)

League
Ayr 3-0 St Mirren (G Spence 9, R Hardie 23, B Graham 25)

Motherwell approach Ayr to speak to their manager and are given permission but the Ayr manager declines the opportunity to attend the interview

League
Livingston 1-1 Ayr (G Spence 60)

After recent speculation linking the Ayr manager with the vacant Lincoln Coty post, he has came out and ignored any speculation linking him with a move away from Ayr as focuses on trying to move Ayr forward

April​

League
Ayr 2-2 Motherwell (B Graham 78, J McKee 79)

League
Queen of the South 2-1 Ayr (R Hardie 33)
Nicky Devlin sent off (20)

League
Morton 2-3 Ayr (R Hardie 1, R McCabe 79, G Spence 85)

League
Ayr 1-2 Hamilton (J McKee 39)

Nearly end of the season review: The finish to the season has been very disappointing, defensively and attacking. With two league games to go we sit in third place, 5 points behind Motherwell in second only 2 points clear of 4th placed Queen of the South. We have secured a play-off spot and desperately need to go on a run if we are going to go up this season via the play-offs. Final two games are at Home to Dunfermline and at Home to Kilmarnock

 

[DAFC2019]

May​

League
Ayr 0-1 Dunfermline

League
Ayr 7-2 Kilmarnock (K Orsi 8, N Devlin 24, OG 34, 75, G Spence 69, 71, 73)

End of League Campaign Review: Despite beating rivals Kilmarnock on the last day, Killie went on to lift the trophy at our stadium. We finished the season third and now have to play 6 games if we want to get promoted, 2 against 4th placed Queen of the South and win on Agg then play 2nd placed Motherwell and win on Agg and then play second bottom of the premiership and win on Agg. We all know what happened the last time we played in a play-off, we were defeated for the first time in 5 games against Alloa haing beaten them four times in the league, play-offs are a completly different game, form means nothing

Play-Offs​

Quarter Final First Leg
Queen of the South 1-1 Ayr (G Spence 68)

Quarter Final Second Leg
Ayr (1) 0-3 (1) Queen of the South
Ayr United lose 4-1 on Agg against Queen of the South

End of season review: Very good start to the season but our form dipped at the end of the season, i know next season that we will go that step further. To finish 3rd in our first season in the Championship is amazing but very disappointing to lose in another play-off game.

That was my last season doing this post, there will be no more further updates