Division 2 – The Story Begins
The 1910-11 Ayr United season was the first season of the clubs existence. Prior to 1910 there were two clubs in Ayr, Ayr FC and Ayr Parkhouse. Talk of merger had been rife in Ayr for year before AUFC_1011the clubs finally agreed to do so in 1910. The newly formed Ayr United sought election to the first division, the assumption that this status would be granted was the main incentive which pushed the merger through . As both clubs had been mediocre second division clubs prior to this it is unclear why this view was held.
The new clubs home ground was Somerset Park, originally the home of Ayr FC from 1888, although Parkhouse’s former home, Beresford Park, remained in use by the club for reserve fixtures and local ties until the mid 1920’s.
The new Ayr United FC played in a strip consisting of a crimson and gold hooped jerseys (Ayr FC) and navy blue shorts (Parkhouse).
It was a severe blow to the club when their application for 1st division status was knocked back and United took the field for their first competitive, albeit second division, game on 20th August 1910 – a home game against Port Glasgow. United had set their sights on promotion in this first season and a 2-0 win in front of 2,500 was just what they were looking for with Archie Campbell getting Ayr United’s first ever league goal after 39 minutes. The honest men travelled to Leith for the first away game the following week winning 6-4 at Logie Green.
United’s first defeat was at the hands of East Stirling on 24th September 1910 at Merchiston Park. The newly formed club were finding inconsistency their biggest opposition and so a strange inducement – an early form of sponsorship – was introduced and became available to Ayr players from their home game on 22nd October 1910. This involved Stewart’s, an Ayr tailoring firm, promising an overcoat during the autumn from 1910 to 1913 to every player scoring two goals in a home league match. Hugh Ramsay became the first on this day by scoring the required two goals in Ayr’s 3-0 win over Cowdenbeath.
Luck didnt change completely as the Somerset Parkers went on to a home defeat to Albion Rovers and away to Dumbarton. The Dumbarton ‘Sons’ were to be the biggest hurdle to the league championship and inflicted a 3-2 defeat during the match on 5th November. A 5-1 defeat away to Cowdenbeath saw further ground lost.
December proved to be better with superb wins over St Bernards, Vale of Leven and East Stirling and by Christmas 1910 United were level with Albion Rovers with 15 points.
Ayr’s good run continued after the new year and, after defeating Girvan 7-1 in the Consolation cup went on to the semi-final but they lost 1-0 to St Johnstone. United had signed two new players for this semi – McCann from Celtic and Faughan of Third Lanark.
The league championship promise was still on the cards with victories over Albion Rovers and Dumbarton. B y the time that Dumbarton visited Ayr on 1st April 1911 Ayr had signed Alex Hill Goodwin from Ayr Fort Juniors and brother of Ayr favourite Jacky who had now moved to Rangers. Alex scored in the 6th and 37th minute in a memorable 5-1 win over the ‘Sons’. A 4-1 win at Arthurlie wasn’t enough to pip Dumbarton for the championship, but a 2nd place was a good start for the Super ‘U’s particularly as neither of the legacy clubs had ever achieved such high position.
Disappointment was suffered when United lost 3-2 to Hurlford and with this defeat, lost the Ayrshire Challenge Cup.
However, Ayr were successful in this first year beating Kilmarnock 1-0 to take the Ayrshire league. It should be remembered however that this competition was entered by only Ayr United, Kilmarnock and Darvel, but a win over Killie is never to be sneezed at. This was the start of that deadly local rivalry.
|
Date |
Opponents |
H/A |
Competition |
Score – Ayr First |
Crowd |
Programme Issued |
Comments |
|
17/08/10 |
Hurlford |
H |
Friendly |
4-1 |
|
No Issue |
1st ever match as Ayr United |
|
20/8/10 |
Port Glasgow Athletic |
H |
2nd Division |
2-0 |
|
No Issue |
1st ever competiive match as Ayr United |
|
27/8/10 |
Leith Athletic |
A |
2nd Division |
6-4 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
3/9/10 |
Dumfries |
H |
Scot Qualifying Cup 1st Rnd |
2-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
10/9/10 |
Vale of Leven |
H |
2nd Division |
2-2 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
14/9/10 |
Kilmarnock |
H |
Ayrshire League Final |
4-4 |
|
No Issue |
1909/10 Final |
|
17/9/10 |
Galston |
A |
Scot Qualifying Cup 2nd Rnd |
1-2 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
24/9/10 |
East Stirlingshire |
A |
2nd Division |
2-2 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
1/10/10 |
Port Glasgow Athletic |
A |
2nd Division |
0-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
8/10/10 |
Arthurlie |
H |
2nd Division |
2-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
15/10/10 |
Abercorn |
A |
2nd Division |
3-3 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
22/10/10 |
Cowdenbeath |
H |
2nd Division |
3-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
29/10/10 |
Albion Rovers |
H |
2nd Division |
1-2 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
5/11/10 |
Dumbarton |
A |
2nd Division |
2-3 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
12/11/10 |
Dundee Hibs |
H |
2nd Division |
3-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
19/11/10 |
Cowdenbeath |
A |
2nd Division |
1-5 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
26/11/10 |
Abercorn |
H |
2nd Division |
3-4 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
3/12/10 |
Dundee Hibs |
A |
2nd Division |
1-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
10/12/10 |
St Bernards |
H |
2nd Division |
5-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
17/12/10 |
East Stirlingshire |
H |
2nd Division |
4-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
24/12/10 |
Vale of Leven |
A |
2nd Division |
1-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
31/12/10 |
Leith Athletic |
H |
2nd Division |
3-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
2/1/11 |
Galston |
H |
Ayrshire League |
5-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
7/1/11 |
St Bernards |
A |
2nd Division |
1-4 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
14/1/11 |
Mid Annandale |
H |
Scot Consolation Cup 1st Rnd |
5-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
21/1/11 |
Galston |
A |
Ayrshire League |
0-3 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
28/1/11 |
Girvan |
H |
Scot Consolation Cup 2nd Rnd |
7-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
4/2/11 |
Beith |
H |
Scot Consolation Cup 3rd Rnd |
2-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
11/2/11 |
Albion Rovers |
A |
2nd Division |
2-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
18/2/11 |
Dumbarton Harp |
H |
Scot Consolation Cup 4th Rnd |
1-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
25/2/11 |
Beith |
H |
Ayrshire Cup – 2nd Rnd |
1-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
4/3/11 |
Stenhousemuir |
H |
Scot Consolation Cup 5th Rnd |
3-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
11/3/11 |
Beith |
A |
Ayrshire Cup – 2nd Rnd (replay) |
1-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
18/3/11 |
St. Johnstone |
A |
Scot Consolation Cup Semi-Final |
0-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
25/3/11 |
Beith |
H |
Ayrshire Cup – 2nd Rnd (2nd replay) |
3-1 aet |
|
No Issue |
|
|
1/4/11 |
Dumbarton |
H |
2nd Division |
5-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
8/4/11 |
Arthurlie |
A |
2nd Division |
4-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
15/4/11 |
Girvan |
A |
Ayrshire Cup Semi-Final |
4-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
17/4/11 |
Kilmarnock |
H |
Ayrshire League |
4-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
22/04/11 |
Hurlford |
A |
Ayrshire Cup Final |
2-3 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
24/4/11 |
Kilmarnock |
A |
Ayrshire League |
1-4 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
26/4/11 |
Ayr Fort |
A |
Friendly |
2-1 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
29/4/11 |
Kilmarnock |
H |
Ayrshire League Final |
1-0 |
|
No Issue |
|
|
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
22 |
15 |
1 |
6 |
52 |
30 |
22 |
31 |
|
|
2 |
22 |
12 |
3 |
7 |
54 |
36 |
18 |
27 |
|
|
3 |
22 |
10 |
5 |
7 |
26 |
21 |
5 |
25 |
|
|
4 |
22 |
9 |
6 |
7 |
42 |
43 |
-1 |
24 |
|
|
5 |
22 |
9 |
5 |
8 |
31 |
27 |
4 |
23 |
|
|
6 |
22 |
10 |
2 |
10 |
36 |
41 |
-5 |
22 |
|
|
7 |
22 |
7 |
6 |
9 |
28 |
34 |
-6 |
20 |
|
|
8 |
22 |
9 |
1 |
12 |
39 |
50 |
-11 |
19 |
|
|
9 |
22 |
8 |
3 |
11 |
27 |
32 |
-5 |
19 |
|
|
10 |
22 |
7 |
5 |
10 |
26 |
33 |
-7 |
19 |
|
|
11 |
22 |
7 |
5 |
10 |
29 |
36 |
-7 |
19 |
|
|
12 |
22 |
4 |
8 |
10 |
21 |
28 |
-7 |
16 |
