Ayr United F.C.

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Ayr United

Full name

Ayr United Football and Athletic Club Ltd.

Nickname(s)

The Honest Men

Founded

1910

Ground

Somerset Park,
Ayr, Scotland
(Capacity 12,128)

Chairman

Donald Cameron

Manager

Brian Reid

League

Scottish Second Division

2006-07

Scottish Second Division, 5th





Home colours





Away colours

Ayr United F.C. is a Scottish Association football team currently playing in the Scottish Football League. They are based in Ayr, South Ayrshire.

Their nickname is "The Honest Men", taken from the poem "Tam o' Shanter" by Robert Burns.

They were founded in 1910 after Ayr Parkhouse F.C. and Ayr F.C. amalgamated to become the present day Ayr United. They are currently in the Scottish Second Division, in the third tier of Scottish Football League.

1 Somerset Park
2 Current Squad
3 Recent managers (Post War)
4 Club honours
5 Records
6 Notable players
7 Recent history
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Somerset Park

They play their football at Somerset Park, Ayr, one of the few surviving 'archaic' stadium designs. It consists of one stand, two covered terraces, and one open terrace. It has a capacity of 12,128.

The first match to take place at Somerset Park was the then Ayr FC against Aston Villa F.C. in a 3-0 victory for Ayr.

In November 2006, Ayr United was in talks with Barratt Homes regarding the sale of Somerset Park having secured a twenty acre site in the Heathfield area of the town. The site would be home to a new £18 million stadium seating 7650 as part of a "sports and business campus"[1].

[edit] Current Squad

As of 15 May 2008

No.		Position	Player
		GK	Fraser Stewart
		DF	Murray Henderson
		DF	Eddie Forrest
		DF	Martyn Campbell
		DF	Neil McGowan
		DF	Scott Walker
		DF	Allan Dempsie
		MF	Chris Aitken
		MF	Dean Keenan

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Ryan Stevenson
		MF	Alistair Woodburn
		MF	William Easton
		MF	Paul Weaver
		MF	Ryan Borris
		MF	Scott Agnew
		FW	Andy McLaren
		FW	Bryan Prunty
		FW	Alex Williams

[edit] Recent managers (Post War)

Brian Reid	2007 -
Neil Watt	2007
Robert Connor	2005-07
Mark Shanks	2004-05
Campbell Money	2002-04
Gordon Dalziel	1995-02
Simon Stainrod	1993-95
George Burley	1991-93
Ally MacLeod	1985-90
George Caldwell	1983-85
Willie McLean	1979-83
Ally MacLeod	Sep-Dec 1978
Alex Stuart	1975-78
Ally MacLeod	1966-75
Tom McCreath	1964-66
Bobby Flavell	1963-64
Neil McBain	1962-63
Gerry Mays	1961-62
Bobby Flavell	Oct-Nov 1961
Jacky Cox	1956-61
Neil McBain	1955-56
Reuben Bennett	1953-55
Archie Anderson	1949-53

[edit] Club honours

Competition	Placing	Year(s)
*Scottish First Division	2nd	2000/01
*Scottish Second Division (Before War)	1st	1911/12, 1912/13, 1927/28, 1936/37
*Scottish Second Division (Post War)	1st	1958/59, 1965/66, 1987/88, 1996/97
*Scottish Second Division (Before War)	2nd	1910/11
*Scottish Second Division (Post War)	2nd	1955/56, 1968/69
*Scottish League Cup	Runners Up	2002
*Scottish Challenge Cup	Runners Up	1990/91, 1991/92

[edit] Records

Their biggest win to date came against Dumbarton F.C. in the Scottish League Cup on 13 August 1952. They won 11-1. Their biggest defeat came against Heart of Midlothian F.C. in the 1st Division on 28 February 1931. They lost 0-9. Their highest attendance of 25,225 came against Rangers F.C. on 13 September 1969.

[edit] Notable players

[edit] Recent history

After winning promotion from the Second Division they did quite well in their first season in the First Division. On the final day of the season Ayr had to avoid defeat to Partick Thistle at Firhill to avoid relegation. They won 3-1, sending Partick down instead. The 1998/99 season saw a marked improvement as the team played exciting football admired by fans and critics, particularly involving the strikers Andy Walker and Glynn Hurst and winger Gary Teale (now playing in the Premiership with Derby and a Scotland international), which included six consecutive away wins and a 7-1 defeat of Stranraer. However, ultimately the team finished in third place behind Hibs and Falkirk. The 1999/00 season was another disappointing one as they sank to a lowly 7th. Their yo-yo like league standings changed again in season 2000/01 as they came a close second behind Livingston.

In November 1998, Ayr United applied for planning permission for a new 10,200 all seater stadium at Heathfield. The application was passed by the local government, but was 'called in' by the Scottish Executive, which vetoed the decision[2]. This meant that even if they won the league they could not attain promotion, hence rendering their promotion push ultimately futile.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s period the team established something of a reputation in cup competitions, claiming the scalps of higher league clubs Hibs, Dundee, Dundee United, Motherwell, Dunfermline and, sweetest of all for the fans, four consecutive wins over local rivals Kilmarnock.

They broke their less happy trend in the league 2001/02 as they went on to come third in the Scottish First Division, reaching the Scottish Cup semi-final and the Scottish League Cup final (of which they lost to Celtic and Rangers respectively). This was considered by most to be their best season to date. Several former SPL players played for the team, including John Hughes, Pat McGinlay, James Grady and Eddie Annand, and their League Cup semi-final victory over Hibs is remembered by many fans with great affection. Franck Sauzée, the Hibs manager, was sacked shortly afterwards.

Following this season a mediocre season followed, and the next season brought relegation to the Scottish Second Division as they came 9th in the league. This was a crippling blow for the club financially, especially with so much movement and uncertainty in the upper levels of the club with chairman Bill Barr leaving the club.

The beginning of the 2004 season saw the club change managers for the second time in two seasons as Campbell Money left the club after refusal to accept a part-time contract, and former player Mark Shanks took over the reigns. These same cashflow problems meant they had to offload several players and other coaching staff as well. The supporters rallied together however and formed the Honest Men Trust and effectively saved the club for the short term.

This was soon to end as more controversy was to arise at the club in March 2005 when the turmoil in the boardroom regarding a failed takeover bid from Prestwick-based Roy Kennedy caused manager Mark Shanks to leave citing self-pride as his reasons. This was ultimately to be a good decision, as Kennedy Construction were to go bankrupt in early 2006.

Ayr narrowly avoided relegation in the 2004/2005 season from the Second Division, and prepared for the start of the next season by releasing most of their players and signing in new players, a majority of which were from Junior division clubs.

In season 2006/7 a promising opening day victory away at fellow contenders Stirling Albion was followed by a season of mediocrity whereby United won only a handful of games and quickly slipped to 8th position in the division. On 26 February 2007, following a string of poor results, Ayr United manager Robert Connor and his assistant Robert Reilly resigned from their posts.

Former Stranraer manager Neil Watt was named as the new manager of Ayr on 22 March 2007. Immediate loan signings were made such as Paul Shields and Fraser McLaren and the club went on to finish 5th in the Second Division, losing only one fixture in their final nine games. New boss Neil Watt renewed the contracts of no less than 7 players and also added Michael Moore, BJ Corr, Murray Henderson, Craig Higgins, David Hamilton and Steven Swift who all spent time under Watt when he managed Stranraer. However following an indifferent start to the 2007-08 season, Watt resigned as manager in October 2007^[1] and was quickly replaced by Brian Reid.^[2]