2014–15 Ayr United F.C. season

Ayr United
2014–15 season
Chairman	Lachlan Cameron
Manager	Mark Roberts; (until 15 December); Andy Millen; (Interim); Ian McCall; (from 5 January)
Stadium	Somerset Park
League One	Eighth Place
Challenge Cup	First Round
League Cup	Second Round
Scottish Cup	Third Round
Top goalscorer	League: Alan Forrest (9); All: Alan Forrest (9)
Highest home attendance	1,617 vs Greenock Morton, League One, 9 August 2014
Lowest home attendance	646 vs Stenhousemuir, League One, 13 December 2014
Average home league attendance	1,122
Home colours	Away colours
	← 2013–14 2015–16 →

The 2014–15 season was Ayr United's 2nd season in League One and their 3rd consecutive season in the third-tier of Scottish football. Ayr also competed in the Scottish Cup, League Cup and the Challenge Cup.

Summary

Management

Ayr began the season under the management of Mark Roberts, who continued to operate in a player-manager role. On 15 December, Roberts was removed from his position as manager after a poor run of form, with his assistant Andy Millen placed in temporary charge.^[1] On 5 January 2015, Ian McCall was appointed as Ayr United's new manager.^[2]

Competitions

Pre season

Win Draw Loss

16 July 2014 Friendly

Queen's Park

2 – 3

Ayr United

Glasgow

19 July 2014 Friendly	Ayr United	1 – 1	Crusaders	Somerset Park, Ayr
14:00	McLaughlin 22'	Ayr United Report	Snoddy 90'

21 July 2014 Friendly	Hurlford United	3 – 5	Ayr United	Blair Park, Hurlford
19:30	Robertson 60', 85' (pen.) Cochrane 80'	Ayr United Report	McLaughlin 10' (pen.), 43' Donnelly 62' McGill 71' Forrest 81'

Scottish League One

9 August 2014 Match 1	Ayr United	1 – 0	Greenock Morton	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Donnelly 79'	Report		Attendance: 1,617 Referee: Craig Charleston

16 August 2014 Match 2	Stirling Albion	1 – 3	Ayr United	Forthbank Stadium, Stirling
15:00	G Smith 66' (pen.)	Ayr United Report	Forrest 5', 56' Gilmour 69'	Attendance: 823 Referee: Mat Northcroft

23 August 2014 Match 3	Ayr United	2 – 0	Forfar Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	McLaughlin 85', 89' (pen.)	Ayr United Report		Attendance: 1,156 Referee: Nick Walsh

30 August 2014 Match 4	Stenhousemuir	1 – 1	Ayr United	Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir
15:00	Grehan 26'	Ayr United Report	Donnelly 12'	Attendance: 669 Referee: John McKendrick

13 September 2014 Match 5	Ayr United	0 – 2	Stranraer	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Murphy 71'	Report	Grant Gallagher 65' Scott Rumsby 69' Jamie Longworth 81' Longridge 82'	Attendance: 1,414 Referee: Calum Murray

20 September 2014 Match 6	Brechin City	2 – 4	Ayr United	Glebe Park, Brechin
15:00	McLean 22' Jackson 40' Trouten 49' Cameron 53' Jamie Masson 59' McGormack 86'	Report	McLaughlin 53' (pen.) 86' (pen.) Beattie 73' 90+2' Paul Slane 82'	Attendance: 537 Referee: Gavin Duncan

27 September 2014 Match 7	Ayr United	2 – 3	Airdrieonians	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Donald 21' Murphy 51' Beattie 80' Donnelly 90+2'	Report	Jim Lister 30' 74' Luca Gasparotto 87' Bain 90+1' Liam Watt 90+6'	Attendance: 1,185 Referee: Matt Northcroft

4 October 2014 Match 8	Peterhead	2 – 0	Ayr United	Balmoor Stadium, Peterhead
15:00	Stevenson 56' Ryan Strachan 62'	Report		Attendance: 506 Referee: Alan Muir

10 October 2014 Match 9	Ayr United	0 – 1	Dunfermline Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45	Glimour 16' Paul Slane 25'	Report	El Bakhtaoui 29' 30' Falkingham 82' Buchanan 87'	Attendance: 1,457 Referee: Euan Anderson

18 October 2014 Match 10	Greenock Morton	0 – 1	Ayr United	Cappielow, Greenock
15:00		Report	McLaughlin 36' McKinlay 53'	Attendance: 1,744 Referee: Calum Murray

25 October 2014 Match 11	Ayr United	0 – 2	Brechin City	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report		Attendance: 1,060 Referee: Stephen Finnie

8 November 2014 Match 12	Stranraer	3 – 1	Ayr United	Stair Park, Stranraer
		Report		Attendance: 1,415 Referee: Gavin Duncan

22 November 2014 Match 13	Forfar Athletic	2 – 0	Ayr United	Station Park, Forfar
		Report		Attendance: 562 Referee: Andrew Dallas

6 December 2014 Match 14	Dunfermline Athletic	4 – 2	Ayr United	East End Park, Dunfermline
		Report		Attendance: 2,509 Referee: Euan Anderson

13 December 2014 Match 15	Ayr United	2 – 3	Stenhousemuir	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 646 Referee: Des Roache

20 December 2014 Match 16	Ayr United	2 – 2	Stirling Albion	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 880 Referee: John McKendrick

27 December 2014 Match 17	Airdrieonians	3 – 0	Ayr United	Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie
		Report		Attendance: 1,023 Referee: George Salmond

3 January 2015 Match 18	Ayr United	0 – 2	Stranraer	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 1,235 Referee: Alan Newlands

10 January 2015 Match 19	Brechin City	2 – 1	Ayr United	Glebe Park, Brechin
		Report		Attendance: 504 Referee: Mat Northcroft

17 January 2015 Match 20	Ayr United	1 – 1	Greenock Morton	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 1,217 Referee: Colin Steven

24 January 2015 Match 21	Stenhousemuir	1 – 1	Ayr United	Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir
		Report		Attendance: 651 Referee: Gavin Ross

31 January 2015 Match 22	Ayr United	0 – 2	Dunfermline Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 1,149 Referee: Mat Northcroft

14 February 2015 Match 23	Stirling Albion	1 – 4	Ayr United	Forthbank Stadium, Stirling
		Report		Attendance: 785 Referee: Brian Colvin

21 February 2015 Match 24	Peterhead	2 – 0	Ayr United	Balmoor Stadium, Peterhead
		Report		Attendance: 560 Referee: Alan Newlands

28 February 2015 Match 25	Ayr United	1 – 0	Forfar Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 1,017 Referee: Stephen Finnie

3 March 2015 Match 26	Ayr United	3 – 3	Peterhead	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 693 Referee: Craig Charleston

7 March 2015 Match 27	Dunfermline Athletic	2 – 1	Ayr United	East End Park, Dunfermline
		Report		Attendance: 2,467 Referee: Nick Walsh

10 March 2015 Match 28	Ayr United	0 – 1	Airdrieonians	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 835 Referee: Colin Steven

14 March 2015 Match 29	Ayr United	0 – 0	Stenhousemuir	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 1,055 Referee: John McKendrick

21 March 2015 Match 30	Greenock Morton	2 – 1	Ayr United	Cappielow, Greenock
		Report		Attendance: 1,552 Referee: George Salmond

28 March 2015 Match 31	Ayr United	2 – 2	Brechin City	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 986 Referee: Andrew Dallas

4 April 2015 Match 32	Stranraer	1 – 0	Ayr United	Stair Park, Stranraer
		Report		Attendance: 1,010 Referee: Kevin Graham

11 April 2015 Match 33	Ayr United	2 – 4	Peterhead	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 998 Referee: Calum Murray

18 April 2015 Match 34	Airdrieonians	2 – 0	Ayr United	Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie
		Report		Attendance: 881 Referee: Craig Charleston

25 April 2015 Match 35	Ayr United	4 – 0	Stirling Albion	Somerset Park, Ayr
		Report		Attendance: 1,608 Referee: Alan Newlands

2 May 2015 Match 36	Forfar Athletic	1 – 3	Ayr United	Station Park, Forfar
		Report		Attendance: 1,916 Referee: Greg Aitken

Scottish Challenge Cup

27 July 2014 Round 1	Clyde	2 – 0	Ayr United	Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
15:00	McManus 8' Sweeney 29' (pen.)	Ayr United Report		Attendance: 689 Referee: Stephen Finnie

Scottish League Cup

2 August 2014 Round 1	East Stirlingshire	0 – 4	Ayr United	Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir
19:45		Ayr United Report	Donnelly 50', 77' McLaughlin 63' (pen.) Gilmour 90'	Attendance: 295 Referee: Greg Aitken

26 August 2014 Round 2	Kilmarnock	1 – 0	Ayr United	Rugby Park, Kilmarnock
19:45	McKenzie 69'			Attendance: 8,877 Referee: Craig Thomson

Scottish Cup

1 November 2014 Round 3	Ayr United	1 – 1	Alloa Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00

11 November 2014 Round 3 (Replay)	Alloa Athletic	4 – 0	Ayr United	Indodrill Stadium, Alloa
19:45	Buchanan 24' Meggatt 28' Docherty 33', 60'	Report		Attendance: 420 Referee: Don Robertson

Player statistics

Squad, appearance and goals

As of 2 May 2015

No.	Nat	Player	Total		League		Scottish Cup		League Cup		Challenge Cup
No.	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Goalkeepers
		David Hutton	41	0	36	0	2	0	2	0	1	0
		Shaun Newman	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Defenders
		Adam Blakeman	14	2	12 (2)	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Martyn Campbell	16	0	11 (2)	0	1	0	2	0	0	0
		Adam Cummins	4	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Nicky Devlin	41	2	36	2	2	0	2	0	1	0
		Josh McArthur	2	0	0 (1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
		John McArthur	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
		Craig McCracken	4	0	1 (2)	0	0 (1)	0	0	0	0	0
		Scott McKenna	12	0	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Kevin McKinlay	17	0	13 (1)	0	0	0	2	0	0 (1)	0
		Andrew Muir	9	0	1 (5)	0	2	0	0 (1)	0	0	0
		Morgyn Neill	7	1	6 (1)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Midfielders
		Peter Murphy	29	1	25	1	1	0	2	0	1	0
		Robbie Crawford	23	1	18 (5)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Michael Donald	37	0	33 (1)	0	0	0	2	0	1	0
		Alan Forrest	36	9	23 (8)	9	2	0	2	0	1	0
		Brian Gilmour	36	3	24 (7)	2	2	0	2	1	1	0
		Dale Keenan	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Peter McGill	10	0	4 (2)	0	0 (1)	0	0 (2)	0	1	0
		Jon-Paul McGovern	41	5	35 (1)	5	2	0	2	0	1	0
		Scott McLaughlin	27	8	21 (1)	7	2	0	2	1	1	0
		Craig Murray	14	0	13 (1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Michael Wardrope	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		David Robertson	12	1	9 (3)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Forwards
		Craig Beattie	30	6	14 (14)	6	0 (2)	0	0	0	0	0
		Ryan Donnelly	29	5	19 (5)	2	2	1	2	2	1	0
		Sean McKenzie	5	0	1 (3)	0	0 (1)	0	0	0	0	0
		Ryan Nisbet	10	0	0 (10)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Jordan Preston	14	5	14	5	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Mark Roberts	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Dale Shirkie	18	0	1 (14)	0	1 (1)	0	0 (1)	0	0	0
		Paul Slane	13	0	7 (4)	0	2	0	0	0	0	0

Players with a zero in every column only appeared as unused substitutes.

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
6	Peterhead	36	14	9	13	51	54	−3	51
7	Dunfermline Athletic	36	13	9	14	46	48	−2	48
8	Ayr United	36	9	7	20	45	60	−15	34
9	Stenhousemuir (O)	36	8	5	23	42	63	−21	29	Qualification for the League One play-offs
10	Stirling Albion (R)	36	4	8	24	35	84	−49	20	Relegation to League Two

Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

Overall

Competition	Started round	Current Position	Final Position	First match	Last match
Scottish League One	Matchday 1	Matchday 36	8th	9 August 2014	2 May 2015
Scottish Challenge Cup	1st Round	Eliminated	1st Round	25 July 2014	25 July 2014
Scottish Cup	3rd Round	Eliminated	3rd Round	1 November 2014	11 November 2014
League Cup	1st Round	Eliminated	2nd Round	2 August 2014	26 August 2014

Last Updated: 3 September 2015

Results summary


Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
36	9	7	20	45	60	−15	34	4	5	9	22	28	−6	5	2	11	23	32	−9

Last updated: 3 Sept 2015.
Source: Competitive matches

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36
Ground	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A
Result	W	W	W	D	L	W	L	L	L	W	L	L	L	L	L	D	L	L	L	D	D	L	W	L	W	D	L	L	D	L	D	L	L	L	W	W
Position	1	1	1	1	2	1	3	3	5	4	5	6	6	7	7	8	8	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	8	9	9	9	8	8	8	9	8	8

Updated to match(es) played on 2 May 2020. Source: ^[3]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Transfers

Players in

Player	From	Fee
Nicky Devlin	Stenhousemuir	Free^[4]
Kevin McKinlay	Stenhousemuir	Free^[5]
Peter Murphy	Celtic Nation	Free^[4]
Jon-Paul McGovern	Derry City	Free^[6]
Craig Beattie	Żebbuġ Rangers	Free^[7]
Ryan Donnelly	Albion Rovers	Free^[4]
Dale Shirkie	Motherwell	Free^[8]
Paul Slane	Unattached	Free^[9]
David Robertson	Livingston	Free^[10]

Players out

Player	To	Fee
Adam Hunter	Unattached	Free
Alan Lithgow	Stenhousemuir	Free^[11]
Jackson Longridge	Stranraer	Free^[12]
Craig McCracken	Auchinleck Talbot	Loan^[13]
Gordon Pope	Auchinleck Talbot	Free^[14]
Anthony Marenghi	Stranraer	Free^[15]
Michael McGowan	Unattached	Free
Kevin Kyle	Unattached	Retired
Craig Malcolm	Stranraer	Free^[16]
Michael Moffat	Dunfermline Athletic	Free^[17]
Ryan Nisbet	Cumnock Juniors	Loan
Mark Roberts	Clyde	Free^[18]
Paul Slane	Clyde	Free^[19]

References

^ "Ayr United sack manager Mark Roberts". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ "Ayr United appoint Ian McCall as their new manager". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ "Scottish Championship 2014/15". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "NEW SIGNINGS". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "First Signing of the Summer". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "New Signings". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "Deadline day signings". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
^ "Shirkie signs!". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 15 August 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "Slane Signs!". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 25 September 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
^ "David Robertson Signs!!". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 4 February 2015. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
^ "Alan Lithgow". StenhousemuirFC.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "Longridge signs". StranraerFC.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "PLAYING STAFF UPDATE". Auchinleck Talbot FC. 10 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-20. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "PLAYING STAFF UPDATE". Auchinleck Talbot FC. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "Anthony Marenghi". StranraerFC.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "New Signings". StranraerFC.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "Ayr United chief slams Dunfermline after Michael Moffat move". The Courier (Dundee). 31 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "Slane and Roberts Sign". ClydeFC.co.uk. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
^ "Slane and Roberts Sign". ClydeFC.co.uk. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

[1] "Ayr United sack manager Mark Roberts". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2020.

[2] "Ayr United appoint Ian McCall as their new manager". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC. Retrieved 4 May 2020.

[3] "Scottish Championship 2014/15". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 2 May 2020.

[NEW_SIGNINGS-4] "NEW SIGNINGS". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[5] "First Signing of the Summer". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[6] "New Signings". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[7] "Deadline day signings". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.

[8] "Shirkie signs!". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 15 August 2014. Archived from the original on 15 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[9] "Slane Signs!". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 25 September 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

[10] "David Robertson Signs!!". AyrUnitedFC.co.uk. 4 February 2015. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

[11] "Alan Lithgow". StenhousemuirFC.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[12] "Longridge signs". StranraerFC.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[13] "PLAYING STAFF UPDATE". Auchinleck Talbot FC. 10 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-08-20. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[14] "PLAYING STAFF UPDATE". Auchinleck Talbot FC. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[15] "Anthony Marenghi". StranraerFC.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[16] "New Signings". StranraerFC.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[17] "Ayr United chief slams Dunfermline after Michael Moffat move". The Courier (Dundee). 31 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[18] "Slane and Roberts Sign". ClydeFC.co.uk. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

[19] "Slane and Roberts Sign". ClydeFC.co.uk. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2020.

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v t e 2014–15 in Scottish football
« 2013–14 2015–16 »
Domestic leagues	SPFL Premiership Championship League One League Two Highland League Lowland League East of Scotland League South of Scotland League North Caledonian SJFA West Premier SJFA East Superleague SJFA North Superleague SPFL Development League Women's Premier League 2014 2015
Domestic cups	Scottish Cup Final League Cup Final Challenge Cup Final Junior Cup Youth Cup Women's Cup 2014 2015 Women's League Cup 2014 2015
European competitions	Champions League Europa League
Related to national team	Results UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D
Transfers	Summer 2014 Winter 2014–15
Club seasons
Premiership	Aberdeen Celtic Dundee Dundee United Hamilton Academical Inverness Caledonian Thistle Kilmarnock Motherwell Partick Thistle Ross County St Johnstone St. Mirren
Championship	Alloa Athletic Cowdenbeath Dumbarton Falkirk Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Livingston Queen of the South Raith Rovers Rangers
League One	Airdrieonians Ayr United Brechin City Dunfermline Athletic Forfar Athletic Greenock Morton Peterhead Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion Stranraer
League Two	Albion Rovers Annan Athletic Arbroath Berwick Rangers Clyde East Fife East Stirlingshire Elgin City Montrose Queen's Park