Ayr United F.C.

Ayr United are a Scots fitbaw team that play at Somerset Park in the toun o Ayr, wha compete in the Scottish Championship. Foundit in 1910 fae a merger atween Ayr F.C. an Ayr Parkhouse F.C., their nickname is The Honest Men, from a line in the Robert Burns poem "Tam o' Shanter".

Ayr United
Full nameAyr United Football Club
Nickname(s)The Honest Men[1]
Foondit1910; 114 years ago (1910)
GroundSomerset Park
Ground Capacity10,185[2] (1,597 seatit)
ChairmanLachlan Cameron
ManagerMark Kerr
LeagueScottish Championship
2022–23Scottish Championship, 2nt o 10
WabsteidClub wabsteid

History eedit

Ayr United were foundit in 1910 follaein a merger atween the touns twa existing clubs, Ayr an Ayr Parkhoose, whilk remayns the only merger atween league clubs in Scotland. Efter the merger, Ayr United continued tae play in Diveesion 2 an went oan tae feenished in secont place in thare furst saison bit wint oan tae win the league fir the nixt twa consecutive saisons afore becoming the first club tae be promoted tae Diveesion 1, raither than be elecked. Efter feenishing in mid-table in thare furst year in the tap flicht, Ayr appointit thare first manager, Herbert Dainty, wha lead the club tae fowerth place afore ganging fir Dundee Hibs in 1915. Lawrence Gemson took ower fae Dainty and lead Ayr tae anither fowerth place feenish an then tae feifteent an auchteenth at the heicht o the First Warld War. Efter the war had feenished, Ayr apointit former Parkhoose player and Tottenham Hotspur player-manager John Cameron as thare new manager follaein his release fae a civilian detention camp in Berlin in 1918. Cameron lead Ayr back up to fift in the League afore takin retiral efter yin saison. James McDonald replaced Cameron and his fower saisons brocht mair mid-table stability wi chree fowerteent an yin tent place feenish afore Jimmy Hay took ower in 1924 and brocht Ayr's furst relegation in his furst year as manager at Somerset Park.

Jimmy Hay remained on as manager of Ayr United in Diveesion 2 bit near missed oot oan promotion back tae the tap flicht by yin point bit this wis fu o collieshangie as Hay accused an Ayr United director o match fixin leading Hay tae be baunned 'sine-die' fae fitbaw. Archie Buchanan took ower at Ayr in 1926 an feenished in aucht place afore winning the title agane the follaein saison.


Honours eedit

  • Secont Tier:
    • Winners (6): 1911–12, 1912–13, 1927–28, 1936–37, 1958–59, 1965–66
    • Runners-Up (4):: 1910–11, 1955–56, 1968–69, 2000–01
  • Third Tier:
    • Winners (3): 1987–88, 1996–97, 2017–18
    • Runners-Up (3): 2008-09, 2010-11, 2015-16

References eedit

  1. "Ayr United FC". Archived frae the original on 20 Mairch 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2011. Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Ayr United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.