2019–20 Ayr United F.C. season

Ayr United

2019–20 season
Chairman	Lachlan Cameron
Manager	Ian McCall (Until 23 September) Mark Kerr (from 22 October)
Stadium	Somerset Park
Scottish Championship	4th
Scottish Cup	Fifth round
Scottish League Cup	Group stage
Scottish Challenge Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Alan Forrest (10) All: Alan Forrest (10)
Highest home attendance	3,167 v Dundee United, Championship, 14 September 2019
Lowest home attendance	777 v Arbroath, Championship, 10 December 2019
Average home league attendance	1,778
Home colours Away colours

The 2019–20 season was Ayr United's 2nd season in the Scottish Championship after being promoted from league one in the 2017–18 season. Ayr also competed in the Challenge Cup, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.^[1] On 13 March 2020 all SPFL leagues were indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.^[2]

Summary

Season

Ayr began the season on 3 August 2019 and was scheduled to end on 2 May 2020.^[3] On 8 April 2020, the SPFL proposed to end the 2019–20 season by utilising a points per game ratio to determine the final standings.^[4] The plan was approved on 15 April 2020, declaring that the season was over, with Dundee United being named as title winners and relegating Partick Thistle to League One.^[5]

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Scottish Championship

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Championship

Ayr United v Greenock Morton

3 August 2019 Match 1	Ayr United	4–2	Greenock Morton	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Moffat 9' McCowan 55' Forrest 64' McGuffie 90+2'	Report	Tumilty 73' Cadden 79'	Attendance: 1,935 Referee: Gavin Duncan

Dundee v Ayr United

10 August 2019 Match 2	Dundee	1–0	Ayr United	Dens Park, Dundee
15:00	Nelson 74'	Report		Attendance: 5,520 Referee: Alan Newlands

Ayr United v Queen of the South

24 August 2019 Match 3	Ayr United	1–0	Queen of the South	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Kelly 26'	Report		Attendance: 2,005 Referee: Steven Kirkland

Partick Thistle v Ayr United

31 August 2019 Match 4	Partick Thistle	2–3	Ayr United	Firhill Stadium, Glasgow
15:00	Bannigan 14' (pen.)  65' Gordon 43'  44'	Report	McCowan 24' Doolan 72' Kelly 78'	Attendance: 3,060 Referee: Andrew Dallas

Ayr United v Dundee United

14 September 2019 Match 5	Ayr United	2–0	Dundee United	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Harvie 9' Forrest 75' (pen.)	Report		Attendance: 3,167 Referee: Bobby Madden

Alloa Athletic v Ayr United

21 September 2019 Match 6	Alloa Athletic	1–4	Ayr United	Recreation Park, Alloa
15:00	O'Hara 61'	Report	Forrest 10' (pen.) Roscoe 13' McCowan 20'	Attendance: 902 Referee: David Lowe

Arbroath v Ayr United

28 September 2019 Match 7	Arbroath	0–3	Ayr United	Gayfield Park, Arbroath
15:00		Report	Forrest 12', 20' Kelly 27'	Attendance: 1,105 Referee: Grant Irvine

Ayr United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

5 October 2019 Match 8	Ayr United	0–2	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report	Vincent 31' Rooney 64'	Attendance: 1,912 Referee: Steven McLean

Dunfermline Athletic v Ayr United

19 October 2019 Match 9	Dunfermline Athletic	3–2	Ayr United	East End Park, Dunfermline
15:00	Kiltie 28' Ashcroft 63' Ryan 84'	Report	Ashcroft 43' (o.g.) Forrst 57'	Attendance: 3,905 Referee: Alan Muir

Ayr United v Dundee

25 October 2019 Match 10	Ayr United	1–2	Dundee	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:05	McCowan 38'	Report	McDaid 16' McGowan 32'	Attendance: 1,627 Referee: Bobby Madden

Greenock Morton v Ayr United

29 October 2019 Match 11	Greenock Morton	2–3	Ayr United	Cappielow, Greenock
19:45	Baird 47' McHugh 61'	Report	Moore 50' McCowan 55' McGuffie 78'	Attendance: 1,431 Referee: Colin Steven

Ayr United v Partick Thistle

2 November 2019 Match 12	Ayr United	4–1	Partick Thistle	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Moore 11', 48' Moffat 18' Forrest 52'	Report	Cardle 79'	Attendance: 2,558 Referee: William Collum

Queen of the South v Ayr United

9 November 2019 Match 13	Queen of the South	3–1	Ayr United	Palmerston Park, Dumfries
15:00	Holt 18' Murray 67' Oliver 74'	Report	Moffat 38' McCowan  78'	Attendance: 1,850 Referee: Don Robertson

Ayr United v Dunfermline Athletic

3 December 2019 Match 14	Ayr United	0–1	Dunfermline Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45		Report	Nisbet 68'	Attendance: 1,361 Referee: Euan Anderson

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Ayr United

7 December 2019 Match 15	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	2–0	Ayr United	Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
15:00	White 20' Storey 63'	Report		Attendance: 1,833 Referee: Gavin Ross

Ayr United v Arbroath

10 December 2019 Match 16	Ayr United	1–1	Arbroath	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45	Kelly 22'	Report	McKenna 48 pen.'	Attendance: 777 Referee: Colin Steven

Ayr United v Alloa Athletic

14 December 2019 Match 17	Ayr United	2–1	Alloa Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Docherty 6' (12)	Report	O'Hara 67'	Attendance: 1,117 Referee: David Munro

Dundee United v Ayr United

21 December 2019 Match 18	Dundee United	4–0	Ayr United	Tannadice Park, Dundee
15:00	Stanton 42' Shankland 57 pen.' Clark 61' Harkes 87'	Report	Kerr  56'	Attendance: 7,744 Referee: Greg Aitken

Ayr United v Queen of the South

28 December 2019 Match 19	Ayr United	1–2	Queen of the South	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Muirhead 77' (pen.)	Report	Semple 4' Dobbie 58 pen.'	Attendance: 2,062 Referee: David Lowe

Dunfermline Athletic v Ayr United

4 January 2020 Match 20	Dunfermline Athletic	0–1	Ayr United	East End Park, Dunfermline
15:00		Report	Moore 38'	Attendance: 3,915 Referee: Mike Roncone

Ayr United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

25 January 2020 Match 21	Ayr United	1–0	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Kelly 61'	Report		Attendance: 1,602 Referee: Greg Aitken

Partick Thistle v Ayr United

31 January 2020 Match 22	Partick Thistle	1–1	Ayr United	Firhill Stadium, Glasgow
19:05	Graham 33'	Report	Forrest 52' (pen.)	Attendance: 2,416 Referee: Greg Aitken

Ayr United v Greenock Morton

25 February 2020 Match 23	Ayr United	1–2	Greenock Morton	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45	Malley 22'	Report	Orsi 29' Cadden 72'	Attendance: 1,336 Referee: David Lowe

Alloa Athletic v Ayr United

29 February 2020 Match 24	Alloa Athletic	0–2	Ayr United	Recreation Park, Alloa
15:00		Report	Drinan 9' Forrest 82'	Attendance: 915 Referee: Greg Aitken

Ayr United v Dundee United

3 March 2020 Match 25	Ayr United	0–0	Dundee United	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45		Report		Attendance: 1,674 Referee: David Munro

Ayr United v Dundee

7 March 2020 Match 26	Ayr United	0–0	Dundee	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report		Attendance: 1,758 Referee: Steven McLean

Dundee v Ayr United

10 March 2020 Match 27	Dundee	2–0	Ayr United	Dens Park, Dundee
19:45	Hemmings 11' Crankshaw 90+2'	Report		Attendance: 4,670 Referee: John Beaton

Scottish League Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish League Cup group stage

Berwick Rangers v Ayr United

13 July 2019 Match 1	Berwick Rangers	0–7	Ayr United	Berwick-upon-Tweed
15:00		Report	Moffat 21', 36' McCowan 26', 70' Doolan 35', 86' McGuffie 42'	Stadium: Shielfield Park Attendance: 603 Referee: Scott Lambie

Livingston v Ayr United

16 July 2019 Match 2	Livingston	2–1	Ayr United	Livingston
19:45	Souda 25' Lamie 83'	Report	Murdoch 51'	Stadium: Almondvale Attendance: 1,097 Referee: William Collum

Ayr United v Falkirk

20 July 2019 Match 3	Ayr United	2–1	Falkirk	Ayr
15:00	McCowan 26' Geggan 75'	Report	McManus 42' Durnan  47'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,605 Referee: Barry Cook

Ayr United v Stranraer

22 July 2019 Match 4	Ayr United	2–2 (5–6 p)	Stranraer	Ayr
15:00	Moffat 2' Kelly 44'	Report	Cummins 42', 86'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,430 Referee: Grant Irvine

Scottish Challenge Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Challenge Cup

Wrexham v Ayr United

7 September 2019 Third round	Wrexham	1–1 (6–5 p)	Ayr United	Wrexham
19:45	Bickerstaff 70'	Report	Roscoe 85'	Stadium: Racecourse Ground Attendance: 1,697 Referee: Steven Gregg

Scottish Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Cup

Ayr United v Ross County

18 January 2020 Fourth round	Ayr United	1–0	Ross County	Ayr
15:00	Bell 37'	Report		Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,538 Referee: Andrew Dallas

Ayr United v St Johnstone

8 February 2020 Fifth round	Ayr United	1–2	St Johnstone	Ayr
15:00	Drinan 4' Muirhead  26'	Report	Muirhead 18 o.g.' Hendry 27'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 2,625 Referee: Steven McLean

Squad statistics

Appearances

As of 10 March 2020^[6]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Championship		League Cup		Challenge Cup		Scottish Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	SCO	Ross Doohan	33	0	27+0	0	4+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0
2	DF	SCO	Aaron Muirhead	29	2	21+2	1	3+0	1	1+0	0	2+0	0
3	DF	SCO	Daniel Harvie	33	1	27+0	1	4+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0
4	MF	SCO	Mark Kerr	22	0	12+4	0	2+1	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
5	DF	ENG	Sam Roscoe	26	2	18+2	1	3+0	0	1+0	1	0+2	0
6	MF	SCO	Andy Geggan	20	1	14+3	0	2+0	1	1+0	0	0+0	0
7	FW	SCO	Michael Moffat	34	6	21+6	3	4+0	3	1+0	0	1+1	0
8	MF	ENG	Connor Malley	5	1	4+1	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
9	FW	SCO	Craig Moore	11	4	10+1	4	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
10	MF	SCO	Alan Forrest	32	10	25+0	10	1+3	0	1+0	0	2+0	0
11	MF	SCO	Luke McCowan	31	8	19+5	5	4+0	3	1+0	0	1+1	0
12	FW	SCO	Scott Tiffoney	7	0	1+5	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
15	DF	SCO	Steven Bell	22	1	16+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0	2+0	1
16	FW	IRL	Aaron Drinan	9	2	7+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	1
18	MF	SCO	Andy Murdoch	8	0	4+0	0	3+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
19	GK	NZL	Ellis Hare-Reid	1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
21	DF	SCO	Finn Ecrepont	1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
22	FW	SCO	Mark McKenzie	11	1	0+10	1	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
23	MF	SCO	Ross Docherty	26	2	21+1	2	2+0	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
24	DF	SCO	Leon Murphy	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
27	FW	SCO	Paul Smith	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
28	MF	SCO	Grant Gillespie	5	0	1+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
30	MF	SCO	Stephen Kelly	33	6	27+0	5	4+0	1	0+0	0	2+0	0
31	MF	SCO	Jordan Houston	25	5	18+5	5	0+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0
Players who left the club during the 2019–20 season
8	FW	SCO	Kris Doolan	17	3	1+10	1	3+1	2	1+0	0	0+1	0
12	MF	SCO	Craig McGuffie	15	3	0+12	2	1+2	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
14	DF	SCO	David Ferguson	3	0	0+0	0	2+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
16	MF	SCO	Jamie Adams	4	0	3+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
17	MF	SCO	Frank Ross	2	0	0+0	0	0+2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

Team statistics

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Promotion, qualification or relegation[a]
2	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	27	14	3	10	39	32	+7	45	1.67
3	Dundee	27	11	8	8	32	31	+1	41	1.52
4	Ayr United	27	12	4	11	38	35	+3	40	1.48
5	Arbroath	26	10	6	10	24	26	−2	36	1.38
6	Dunfermline Athletic	28	10	7	11	41	36	+5	37	1.32

Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points per game.
Notes:

1. All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.^[7]

League Cup table

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish League Cup § Group G

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		LIV	AYR	FAL	STR	BER
1	Livingston	4	3	1	0	0	10	3	+7	11	Qualification for the Second Round		—	2–1	—	—	5–0
2	Ayr United	4	2	0	1	1	12	5	+7	7			—	—	2–1	2–2p	—
3	Falkirk	4	2	0	1	1	6	3	+3	7			1–1p	—	—	1–0	—
4	Stranraer	4	1	1	0	2	9	5	+4	5			1–2	—	—	—	6–0
5	Berwick Rangers	4	0	0	0	4	0	21	−21	0			—	0–7	0–3	—	—

Source: ^[8]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.^[9]

Transfers

Transfers in

Date	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
13 June 2019	DF	Sam Roscoe	Aberdeen	Free transfer	[10]
24 June 2019	FW	Kris Doolan	Partick Thistle		[11]
23 January 2020	DF	Jordan Houston	Rangers		[12]
24 January 2020	MF	Grant Gillespie	Derry City		[13]

Transfers out

Date	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2019	DF	Chris Higgins	East Fife	Free transfer	[14]
	MF	Robbie Crawford	Livingston		[15]
	DF	Liam Smith	Dundee United		[16]
		Michael Rose	Coventry City		[17]
	FW	James Hilton	Stranraer		[18]
	MF	Stuart Faulds	Largs Thistle		[19]
		Declan McDaid	Dundee		[20]
3 July 2019	FW	Lawrence Shankland	Dundee United		[21]
31 August 2019	DF	David Ferguson	Peterhead		[22]
11 January 2020	MF	Jamie Adams	Retired		[23]
30 January 2020	MF	Craig McGuffie	Greenock Morton	Free transfer	[24]
6 February 2020	FW	Kris Doolan			[25]

Loans in

Date	Position	Name	From	End date	Ref.
8 July 2019	MF	Frank Ross	Aberdeen	1 January 2020	[26]
10 July 2019		Stephen Kelly	Rangers	31 May 2020	[27]
12 July 2019	GK	Ross Doohan	Celtic		[28]
30 August 2019	DF	Jordan Houston	Rangers		[29]
17 January 2020	FW	Aaron Drinan	Ipswich Town		[30]
30 January 2020	FW	Scott Tiffoney	Livingston		[31]
31 January 2020	MF	Connor Malley	Middlesbrough		[32]

Loans out

Start date	Position	Name	To	End date	Ref.
1 July 2019	MF	Leon Murphy	Stranraer	31 May 2020	[33]
4 August 2019	DF	Michael Hewitt	Kilwinning Rangers		[34]
1 September 2019		Nathan Baird	Cumnock Juniors		[35]

References

1. "Ladbrokes Championship League Table | SPFL". spfl.co.uk. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
2. "Coronavirus joint response group update". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
3. "Key dates for 2019/20". SPFL. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
4. "SPFL: Clubs to vote on lower leagues; Premiership decision on hold". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
5. "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles & reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
6. "Ayr United FC Player Appearances". soccerbase.com. Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
7. "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
8. "Summary - League Cup Group G". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
9. "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
10. commercial. "Roscoe signs from Aberdeen – Ayr United Football Club". Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
11. "Kris Doolan: Ayr United sign striker following release by Partick Thistle". 24 June 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
12. "Rangers defender Jordan Houston completes Ayr United switch". 23 January 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
13. "Former Candystripe Grant Gillespie joins Ayr United on a short-term deal". 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
14. "Higgins & Murdoch Agree Terms For Next Season". eastfifefc.info. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
15. "Robbie Crawford: Livingston sign midfielder from Ayr United". 15 June 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
16. "Ayr Utd full-back Liam Smith to join Dundee Utd on two-year deal". 16 April 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
17. "Ayr United's Michael Rose sets up Coventry move as 'around 15 clubs' chase Lawrence Shankland". 22 January 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
18. "Homecoming for Hilton". www.stranraerfc.org. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
19. "Stuart Faulds – Players – Largs Thistle Football Club". www.largsthistle.org.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
20. "Declan is a Dee". Dundee Football Club – Official Website. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
21. "UNITED ANNOUNCE SHANKLAND SIGNING". Dundee United Football Club. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
22. Law, Callum. "Peterhead new boy hoping move is win-win". Evening Express. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
23. "Ayr United ace Jamie Adams is retiring". Retrieved 11 January 2020.
24. "Craig McGuffie signs for Morton – Greenock Morton". Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
25. "Kris Doolan signs until end of season". Retrieved 6 February 2020.
26. Durent, Jamie. "Aberdeen midfielder joins Ayr United on loan spell". Press and Journal. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
27. "Ayr United secure loan for Rangers ace Stephen Kelly". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
28. "Ross Doohan: Celtic goalkeeper rejoins Ayr Utd on loan". 13 July 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
29. "Rangers kid Jordan Houston joins Ayr United on loan". 30 August 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
30. "Aaron Drinan Signs". 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
31. "Livingston striker Scott Tiffoney: Ayr United old boys sold me on loan move to Somerset Park". 30 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
32. "Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate hails "great move" for Connor Malley as midfielder joins Ayr United". 31 January 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
33. "Leon Murphy | Football Stats | Ayr United | Age 20 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
34. "Michael Hewitt – Ayr United Football Club". Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
35. "Nathan Baird – Ayr United Football Club". Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.