Team Managers

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• Scott Brown

  Took charge on Tuesday January 23rd, 2024

  

  Ayr United are delighted to announce Scott Brown and Steven Whittaker as the club’s new management team, joining as Head Coach and Assistant Head Coach on contracts until at least June 2026.Following the announcement, Club Chairman David Smit

• David White (Caretaker)

  Took charge on Tuesday January 16th, 2024

  

• Lee Bullen

  Took charge on Friday January 7th, 2022

  

  Lee joins having served as U23 Head Coach, First Team Coach and Interim Head Coach at Sheffield Wednesday over a 9 and a half year spell.Lee has experience of Scottish football as a player, Reserve Team Coach and First Team Assistant Coach at

• Jim Duffy

  Took charge on Friday October 1st, 2021

  

  Duffy joined Ayr United as assistant to David Hopkin, then became caretaker manager in September 2021 when Hopkin resigned. On 1 October, Duffy was appointed Ayr United manager permanently. Duffy was relieved of his duties on 20 December 21

• David White (Caretaker)

  Took charge on Saturday March 6th, 2021

  

• David Hopkin

  Took charge on Monday March 1st, 2021

  

  Hopkin became manager of Ayr United in March 2021. He left this position six months later.

• Mark Kerr

  Took charge on Tuesday October 22nd, 2019

  

  Mark Kerr, born on 2 March 1982 in Coatbridge, was appointed as Ayr United manager on 22nd October 2019. He is a Scottish professional football player and coach.He started his career with Falkirk in 1998, and later played for Dundee United (a

• Sandy Stewart (Caretaker)

  Took charge on Sunday September 22nd, 2019

  

  Alexander "Sandy" Stewart (born 14 October 1965 in Bellshill) is a Scottish football player and coach. Stewart played as a full-back for Hearts, Kilmarnock, Airdrieonians, Partick Thistle and Airdrie United. He became the latter club's first manager,

• Ian McCall

  Took charge on Tuesday January 6th, 2015

  

  Ian McCall was appointed as Ayr United manager on 6th January 2015 following the dismissal of Mark Roberts and eventually saved the club from relegation from League 1 on the last day of the season at Station Park against Forfar Athletic. The followin

• Andy Millen (Caretaker)

  Took charge on Monday December 15th, 2014

  

• Mark Roberts

  Took charge on Tuesday May 15th, 2012

  

  On the 15th May 2012, Mark Roberts took over the managerial reins of Ayr United from Brian Reid following the club’s relegation to Division Two as player manager.Roberts, 36, was embarking on his first journey into management at Somerset Park

• Brian Reid

  Took charge on Friday October 26th, 2007

  

  Ayr United moved quickly to appoint Brian as their new manager to succeed Neil Watt after his sudden departure. The defender was a man of many clubs having been at Rangers, (where he spent five years), Dunfermline, Falkirk Morton, Queen of the South,

• Neil Watt

  Took charge on Thursday February 22nd, 2007

  

  Ayr United appointed Neil Watt as the club's new Football Manager on 22nd February 2007 after the sacking of Robert Conner a few weeks earlierThe former Stranraer Manager was entrusted with the job of steering United back to the first divisio

• Robert Conner

  Took charge on Friday March 4th, 2005

  

  Robert Connor was appointed Manager and Robert Reilly his Assistant Manager in March 2005. Results didn’t go to well for the ‘two Rabs’ as they became known amongst supporters. Season 2005/06 started with promise, however, but despite some good per

• Mark Shanks

  Took charge on Saturday August 28th, 2004

  

  Mark Shanks was a defender who had been with Blackburn Rovers and Motherwell before signing for Ayr United in the summer of 1979.He remained at the club for six years then went to play for a Cypriot club. As a manager he served Queen of the S

• Campbell Money

  Took charge on Wednesday November 20th, 2002

  

  Israel’ Campbell Money was born in Maybole on 31st August 1960 and came to Ayr United claiming to be a genuine boyhood fan. He moved into management with Stranraer, winning the Second Division title in 1998. Money started his senior career with St M

• Gordon Dalziel

  Took charge on Sunday October 1st, 1995

  

  In July 1995, Gordon Dalziel came to Ayr United from Raith Rovers as a striker, having previously played for Rangers, Manchester City, Partick Thistle, Eastn_man_gordon_dalziel1t Stirling and Raith Rovers.Gordon Dalziel was appointed player-m

• Simon Stainrod

  Took charge on Thursday December 23rd, 1993

  

  Simon Stainrod was a flamboyant Yorkshireman who came to Ayr United as a player-manage in December 1993. Euphoria exuded in the Ayr supporters as he was seen as an Ally MacLeod type character and it was expected that he would still have a high degree

• George Burley

  Took charge on Wednesday January 2nd, 1991

  

  George Burley was born on 3rd Hune 1956 and was a native of Cumnock who played at right-back for Ipswich Town, Sunderland, Gillingham and Motherwell and had won an FA Cup winner's medal with Ipswich in 1978. He had the further distinction of receiv

• Davy Wells (Caretaker)

  Took charge on Sunday December 2nd, 1990

  

  It is little known that Davy Wells managed the Honest Men - but he did, not once but twice. Both times on caretaker basis. Davy Wells had signed for Ayr United from Auchinleck Talbot in 1970 aged 17. Dick Malone leaving the club at that time left

• Ally Macleod

  Took charge on Friday November 1st, 1985

  

  Initially Ally McLeod was signed as a player but he soon became involved in coaching then management. As a player he had previously been a winger with Third Lanark, St.Mirren, Blackburn Rovers, Hibs and then back to Third Lanark.Ally began h

• Davy Wells (Caretaker)

  Took charge on Tuesday October 22nd, 1985

  

  It is little known that Davy Wells managed the Honest Men - but he did, not once but twice. Both times on caretaker basis. Davy Wells had signed for Ayr United from Auchinleck Talbot in 1970 aged 17. Dick Malone leaving the club at that time left

• George Caldwell

  Took charge on Monday April 11th, 1983

  

  George Caldwell was a Catrine man who played for Glenafton Athletic, Airdrie, St.Mirren and Alloa Athletic. He then coached at Albion Rovers before becoming a coach at Ayr in August 1976.George Caldwell had been appointed to the position of

• Willie McLean

  Took charge on Tuesday January 2nd, 1979

  

  Willie McLean played for Airdrie, Sheffield Wednesday, Queen of the South, Clyde and Raith Rovers before managing Queen of the South, Motherwell and Raith Rovers whom he left to take charge at Ayr. He accepted the Ayr United vacancy in late January

• George Caldwell

  Took charge on Wednesday December 13th, 1978

  

  George Caldwell was a Catrine man who played for Glenafton Athletic, Airdrie, St.Mirren and Alloa Athletic. He then coached at Albion Rovers before becoming a coach at Ayr in August 1976.George Caldwell had been appointed to the position of

• Ally Macleod

  Took charge on Tuesday September 26th, 1978

  

  Initially Ally McLeod was signed as a player but he soon became involved in coaching then management. As a player he had previously been a winger with Third Lanark, St.Mirren, Blackburn Rovers, Hibs and then back to Third Lanark.Ally began h

• Alex Stuart

  Took charge on Tuesday November 25th, 1975

  

  Alex Stuart initially made his name playing for Dundee before excelling as manager of Montrose whom he left to replace Ally MacLeod at AyrAs manager of the only part time club in the Premier League, he did well to maintain a top ten place in

• Ally Macleod

  Took charge on Friday May 6th, 1966

  

  Initially Ally McLeod was signed as a player but he soon became involved in coaching then management. As a player he had previously been a winger with Third Lanark, St.Mirren, Blackburn Rovers, Hibs and then back to Third Lanark.Ally began h

• Tom McCreath

  Took charge on Saturday December 12th, 1964

  

  Tom McCreath had played junior football in his younger days with such as Ailsa, Dalmellington and Auchinleck Talbot, but he had no grounding in senior football other than helping to run the Ayr United reserve team. One week after Flavell left Tom McC

• Bobby Flavell

  Took charge on Thursday October 31st, 1963

  

  Bobby Flavell played for Airdrie, Hearts, Dundee, Kilmarnock and St.Mirren as well as Millionerios (Bogota). He also guested with Arsenal during wartime.As Jacky Cox left on the Tuesday, Bobby Flavell was appointed on the Thursday 30th Octob

• Gerry Mays

  Took charge on Tuesday December 19th, 1961

  

  On Sunday 17th December 1961 a special Board meeting was held and Gerry May was appointed - a 40 year old coach at Kilmarnock at the time. He resigned from Kilmarnock on the Monday and commenced at Somerset Park on Tuesday 19th December 1961.

• Bobby Flavell

  Took charge on Monday October 30th, 1961

  

  Bobby Flavell played for Airdrie, Hearts, Dundee, Kilmarnock and St.Mirren as well as Millionerios (Bogota). He also guested with Arsenal during wartime.As Jacky Cox left on the Tuesday, Bobby Flavell was appointed on the Thursday 30th Octob

• Jackie Cox

  Took charge on Wednesday August 1st, 1956

  

  Jackie Cox was a native of Darvel who broke into senior football as a wing-half with Hamilton Accies. He later joined Preston North End and became an Ayr United player in time for the 1939-40 season. Further clubs were Partick Thistle, St.Mirren an

• Reuben Bennett

  Took charge on Tuesday June 23rd, 1953

  

  Reuben Bennett was a native of Aberdeen who had played in goal for Hull City, Dundee and Elgin City before rejoining Dundee as a coach. There was never much publicity to his appointment on 23rd June as already that month Queen Elizabeth had been crow

• Archie Anderson

  Took charge on Tuesday March 15th, 1949

  

  As manager of Arbroath, Anderson took that club to the Scottish Cup semi-finals in 1947. Ayr United Director R.W. Hutchinson had denied that Anderson had been interviewed for the post although Archie Anderson was seen at Somerset Park on 25th Februar

• Bob Ferrier

  Took charge on Thursday June 20th, 1946

  

  Sheffield born Bob Ferrier was brought up in Scotland and was a Motherwell winger from 1918 until 1937, captaining their First Division championship side of 1931-32. In 1945 the war in Europe was progressing so well that it was being reported that Ay

• Frank Thompson

  Took charge on Monday January 21st, 1935

  

  Frank Thompson was a native of Ballynahinch, County Down and was part of Cliftonville’s 1909 Cup winning team. After this he moved as a outside-left to Linfield but a very time later moved to Bradford City where he got an FA Cup winner's medal in 1

• Alex Gibson

  Took charge on Thursday September 24th, 1931

  

  Alex Gibson was a former Kilmarnock chairman and ex-manager of Preston North End having left PNE in the summer of 1931. He was appointed Ayr manager on 24th September 1931. Despite his Scottish connections Gibson had been accused whilst at Preston o

• Archice Buchanan

  Took charge on Friday January 1st, 1926

  

  Following the Jimmy Hay ban, Archie Buchanan took over reigns at Ayr United although he had no responsibility for engaging players and was confined mainly to clerical work including that pertaining to registrations and transfers.During this p

• Jimmy Hay

  Took charge on Sunday June 1st, 1924

  

  Jimmie Hay was born at Woodside, a now defunct community near Annbank, Ayrshire on 9th February 1881.He signed for Celtic for £50 from Ayr FC in March 1903. Described as a strong tackler, Hay captained Celtic between 1906tn_man_jimmyhay and

• Jimmy Richardson

  Took charge on Friday June 1st, 1923

  

  James Richardson (better known as Jimmy Richardson) was born 1885 in Glasgow was a professional footballer and manager, who played for Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland, and Ayr United, as well as several other clubs including Kirkin

• James Macdonald

  Took charge on Friday August 15th, 1919

  

  James McDonald took over the job at Ayr in August 1919 having been the manager at Kilmarnock between 1910 and 1919 who presented him with a’ handsome timepiece ’on his first return to Rugby Park for a match on 3rd January 1920 (which Ayr lost by 2-1)

• John Cameron

  Took charge on Friday August 16th, 1918

  

  John Cameron was a Scottish footballer and manager. Born in 1872, he was a native of the Town of Ayr and began his playing career with local side, Ayr Parkhouse before going on to play for Queen’s Park and eventually to he moved to Liverpool to work

• Lawerence Gemson

  Took charge on Monday April 12th, 1915

  

  Lawrence Gemson was a born in Preston, Lancashire in 1873 and it isnt difficult to work out that ‘The Invincibles’ of Preston North End winning the inaugeral Football League championship in 1888/89 which they retained the following season and the fir

• Herbert Dainty

  Took charge on Wednesday May 6th, 1914

  

  Herbert Dainty was an English football player and manager who was the first manager of Ayr United, having been appointed on 6th May 1914. Already a centre half at the club since October 1913 he became player-manager at age 35. He continued playing af