2020–21 Ayr United F.C. season

Ayr United

2020–21 season
Chairman	Lachlan Cameron (until 12 January 2021) David Smith
Manager	Mark Kerr (until 28 February) David Hopkin (from 11 March)
Stadium	Somerset Park
Scottish Championship	8th
Scottish Cup	Third round
Scottish League Cup	Second round
Top goalscorer	League: Cammy Smith (6) All: Luke McCowan (9)
Home colours Away colours

The 2020–21 season was Ayr United's 3rd consecutive season in the Scottish Championship after being promoted from league one in the 2017–18 season. Ayr also competed in the, League Cup and the Scottish Cup. On 2 October 2020, the SPFL confirmed that the Scottish Challenge Cup had been cancelled for the upcoming season.^[1]

Summary

Season

Ayr began the season on 6 October in the League Cup group stages with the Scottish Championship season set to begin on 17th October. Club chairman Lachlan Cameron stepped down from his position in January 2021 after 13 years in the role with local businessman David Smith being appointed in his place.^[2]

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Scottish Championship

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish Championship

Ayr United v Queen of the South

17 October 2020 1	Ayr United	2–1	Queen of the South	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Miller 13', 18' McCowan  90+1'	Report	Dobbie 56 pen.' Maxwell  66'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Steven McLean

Inverness CT v Ayr United

24 October 2020 2	Inverness CT	1–1	Ayr United	Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
15:00	Todorov 86'	Report	Cameron 57'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Alan Muir

Greenock Morton v Ayr United

31 October 2020 3	Greenock Morton	3–2	Ayr United	Cappielow, Greenock
15:00	Oliver 83' Blues 85' Strapp 88'	Report	Strapp 32 o.g.' Muirhead  52' Smith 74'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Greg Aitken

Ayr United v Dunfermline Athletic

7 November 2020 4	Ayr United	0–0	Dunfermline Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Napier

Ayr United v Dundee

21 November 2020 5	Ayr United	2–0	Dundee	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Smith 3' Moffat 16'	Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Graham Beaton

Alloa Athletic v Ayr United

5 December 2020 6	Alloa Athletic	0–2	Ayr United	Recreation Park, Alloa
15:00		Report	McCowan 38' Murdoch 61' Smith  84'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Barry Cook

Ayr United v Raith Rovers

11 December 2020 7	Ayr United	0–0	Raith Rovers	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45		Report		Attendance: 0

Arbroath v Ayr United

19 December 2020 8	Arbroath	2–1	Ayr United	Gayfield Park, Arbroath
15:00	Craigen 36', 39'	Report	Baird 88'	Attendance: 0

Heart of Midlothian v Ayr United

26 December 2020 9	Heart of Midlothian	5–3	Ayr United	Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh
15:00	Kingsley 11' Wighton 68', 74' Lee 71' Boyce 81'	Report	Smith 57' McCowan 60' Walsh 90+4'	Attendance: 0 Referee: David Munro

Ayr United v Greenock Morton

29 December 2020 10	Ayr United	1–1	Greenock Morton	Somerset Park, Ayr
18:00	McCowan 38'	Report	Nesbitt 26 pen.'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Gavin Duncan

Queen of the South v Ayr United

2 January 2021 11	Queen of the South	3–2	Ayr United	Palmerston Park, Dumfries
15:00	Obileye 29 pen.' Shields 32', 90+1'	Report	Reading 7' Buchanan 90 o.g.'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Greg Aitken

Dunfermline Athletic v Ayr United

23 January 2021 13	Dunfermline Athletic	0–0	Ayr United	East End Park, Dunfermline
15:00		Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Don Robertson

Ayr United v Alloa Athletic

30 January 2021 12	Ayr United	4–1	Alloa Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Walsh 6' McCowan 30', 69' Muirhead 61 pen.'	Report	Trouten 11'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Peter Stuart

Ayr United v Heart of Midlothian

5 February 2021 14	Ayr United	0–1	Heart of Midlothian	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45		Report	Boyce 48 pen.'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Steven McLean

Inverness CT v Ayr United

20 February 2021 15	Inverness CT	2–0	Ayr United	Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
15:00	MacKay 31' Todorov 54'	Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Peter Stuart

Ayr United v Arbroath

27 February 2021 16	Ayr United	0–1	Arbroath	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report	McKenna 63'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Grant Irvine

Greenock Morton v Ayr United

6 March 2021 17	Greenock Morton	0–2	Ayr United	Cappielow, Greenock
15:00		Report	Smith 55', 87'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Mike Roncone

Raith Rovers v Ayr United

9 March 2021 18	Raith Rovers	0–0	Ayr United	Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy
19:45		Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Scott Lambie

Heart of Midlothian v Ayr United

13 March 2021 19	Heart of Midlothian	2–0	Ayr United	Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh
15:00	Gnanduillet 72' Walker 86'	Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Colin Steven

Dundee v Ayr United

16 March 2021 20	Dundee	1–3	Ayr United	Dens Park, Dundee
19:30	Sow 86'	Report	McKenzie 18', 84' Smith 49'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Alan Newlands

Ayr United v Raith Rovers

20 March 2021 21	Ayr United	1–1	Raith Rovers	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Muirhead 72'	Report	Benedictus 57'	Attendance: 0 Referee: David Dickinson

Alloa Athletic v Ayr United

27 March 2021 22	Alloa Athletic	2–2	Ayr United	Recreation Park, Alloa
15:00	Cameron 31' Williamson 46'	Report	Walsh 15' Robertson 76 o.g.'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Alan Muir

Ayr United v Dundee

6 April 2021 23	Ayr United	0–3	Dundee	Somerset Park, Ayr
19:00		Report	Anderson 68' Afolabi 74' McGowan 87'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Steven McLean

Ayr United v Dunfermline Athletic

10 April 2021 24	Ayr United	1–1	Dunfermline Athletic	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00	Miller 24'	Report	McManus 12'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Greg Aitken

Arbroath v Ayr United

17 April 2021 25	Arbroath	4–0	Ayr United	Gayfield Park, Arbroath
15:00	Little 11' Williamson 24' Hamilton 27' Hilson 65'	Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Gavin Duncan

Ayr United v Queen of the South

24 April 2021 26	Ayr United	0–0	Queen of the South	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report		Attendance: 0 Referee: Nick Walsh

Inverness CT v Ayr United

30 April 2021 27	Inverness CT	2–2	Ayr United	Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
19:05	MacKay 6' Welsh 47 pen.'	Report	Muirhead 39 pen.' Todd 67'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Napier

Scottish League Cup

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish League Cup group stage

Group stage

Results

Albion Rovers v Ayr United

6 October 2020 1	Albion Rovers	2–5	Ayr United	Coatbridge
19:45	Aitken 23 pen.', 38' Wilson  78'	Report	McCowan 30' Walsh 35' Anderson 40', 82' Zanatta 59'	Stadium: Cliftonhill Attendance: 0

Hamilton Academical v Ayr United

10 October 2020 2	Hamilton Academical	2–1	Ayr United	Hamilton
15:00	Ogkmpoe 19' Trafford 36'	Report	Moffat 68'	Stadium: New Douglas Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Colin Steven

Ayr United v Annan Athletic

13 October 2020 3	Ayr United	1–0	Annan Athletic	Ayr
19:45	Moffat 24 pen.'	Report		Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Grant Irvine

Ayr United v Stranraer

14 November 2020 4	Ayr United	1–1 (6–5 p)	Stranraer	Ayr
15:00	McCowan 47'	Report	Duffy 2'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 0 Referee: Barry Cook

Knockout round

Livingston v Ayr United

28 November 2020 Second round	Livingston	4–0	Ayr United	Livingston
15:00	Chalmers 4 o.g.' Fitzwater 6', 12' Forrest 44'	Report		Stadium: Almondvale Attendance: 0 Referee: David Munro

Scottish Cup

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish Cup

Elgin City v Ayr United

23 March 2021 Second round	Elgin City	0–4	Ayr United	Borough Briggs, Elgin
19:45		Report	Chalmers 5' Moffat 18' McCowan 25', 43'	Attendance: 0 Referee: Craig Napier

Ayr United v Clyde

3 April 2021 Third round	Ayr United	0–1	Clyde	Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00		Report	Cuddihy 4'	Attendance: 0 Referee: David Munro

Squad statistics

Appearances

As of 30 April 2021^[3]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Championship		League Cup		Scottish Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	SCO	P. J. Morrison	4	0	4+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
2	MF	SCO	Jordan Houston	23	0	17+2	0	2+1	0	1+0	0
3	DF	SCO	Patrick Reading	24	1	21+0	1	1+0	0	2+0	0
4	DF	SCO	Aaron Muirhead	29	4	24+0	3	3+1	1	1+0	0
5	DF	ENG	Sam Roscoe	21	0	14+0	0	5+0	0	1+1	0
6	MF	SCO	Andy Murdoch	28	1	21+3	1	4+0	0	0+0	0
7	FW	SCO	Michael Moffat	32	4	16+9	1	5+0	2	2+0	1
8	MF	SCO	Michael Miller	27	4	16+5	4	4+0	0	2+0	0
9	FW	ENG	Andre Wright	6	0	3+2	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
10	MF	SCO	Tom Walsh	21	4	10+8	3	1+0	1	2+0	0
11	MF	SCO	Luke McCowan	33	9	26+0	5	5+0	2	2+0	2
15	MF	ENG	Josh Todd	5	1	3+1	1	0+0	0	0+1	0
17	DF	IRL	Corrie Ndaba	14	0	13+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
18	MF	SCO	Joe Chalmers	31	1	21+3	0	5+0	0	2+0	1
19	FW	CAN	Dario Zanatta	18	1	3+10	0	3+2	1	0+0	0
20	DF	SCO	Michael Hewitt	8	0	0+4	0	2+2	0	0+0	0
21	GK	NZL	Ellis Hare-Reid	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
22	FW	SCO	Mark McKenzie	27	2	6+14	2	2+3	0	1+1	0
23	MF	ENG	Brett McGavin	1	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
24	MF	SCO	Liam Miller	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
28	MF	SCO	Jamie Barjonas	6	0	2+2	0	0+0	0	0+2	0
29	GK	SVK	Peter Urminský	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
30	DF	SCO	Jack Baird	34	1	27+0	1	5+0	0	2+0	0
31	FW	SCO	Paul Smith	3	0	0+0	0	0+3	0	0+0	0
33	DF	SCO	Ross Love	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
Players who left the club during the 2020–21 season
1	GK	FIN	Viljami Sinisalo	29	0	22+0	0	5+0	0	2+0	0
9	FW	SCO	Bruce Anderson	12	2	7+2	0	2+1	2	0+0	0
14	MF	SCO	Cammy Smith	21	6	19+1	6	0+0	0	1+0	0
15	FW	SCO	Innes Cameron	6	1	0+5	1	1+0	0	0+0	0
21	DF	SCO	Finn Ecrepont	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
27	MF	SCO	Mark Kerr	2	0	1+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0

Team statistics

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
6	Queen of the South	27	9	5	13	38	51	−13	32
7	Arbroath	27	7	9	11	28	34	−6	30
8	Ayr United	27	6	11	10	31	37	−6	29
9	Greenock Morton (O)	27	6	11	10	22	33	−11	29	Qualification for the Championship play-offs
10	Alloa Athletic (R)	27	5	7	15	30	60	−30	22	Relegation to League One

Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-to head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding promotion, play-off participation and relegation).^[4]
(O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated

League Cup table

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish League Cup § Group F

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		AYR	ANN	STR	HAM	ALB
1	Ayr United	4	2	1	0	1	8	5	+3	8	Qualification for the Second round		—	1–0	p1–1	—	—
2	Annan Athletic	4	2	0	1	1	9	4	+5	7			—	—	1–1p	3–1	—
3	Stranraer	4	1	1	2	0	6	5	+1	7			—	—	—	2–1	2–2p
4	Hamilton Academical	4	2	0	0	2	7	6	+1	6			2–1	—	—	—	3–0
5	Albion Rovers	4	0	1	0	3	5	15	−10	2			2–5	1–5	—	—	—

Source: ^[5]
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) goal difference, 3) goals scored, 4) away goals scored, 5) matches won, 6) away matches won, 7) drawing of lots.^[6]

Transfers

Transfers in

Date	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
21 July 2020	DF	Patrick Reading	Stevenage	Free transfer	[7]
	MF	Dario Zanatta	Partick Thistle		[8]
6 August 2020	DF	Michael Miller	Raith Rovers		[9]
	MF	Tom Walsh	Inverness CT		[10]
4 September 2020	DF	Jack Baird	St Mirren		[11]
15 September 2020		Joe Chalmers	Ross County		[12]
20 January 2021	FW	Cammy Smith	Dundee United		[13]
25 January 2021		Andre Wright	Bohemian		[14]

Transfers out

Date	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1 June 2020	MF	Ross Docherty	Partick Thistle	Free transfer	[15]
		Alan Forrest	Livingston		[16]
27 July 2020	DF	Daniel Harvie	MK Dons	Undisclosed	[17]
11 August 2020	MF	Grant Gillespie	Queen's Park	Free transfer	[18]
19 August 2020		Andy Geggan	BSC Glasgow		[19]
5 October 2020	DF	Steven Bell	East Kilbride		[20][21]
1 April 2021	FW	Cammy Smith	Indy Eleven		[22]

Loans in

Date	Position	Name	From	End date	Ref.
26 September 2020	GK	Viljami Sinisalo	Aston Villa	8 April 2021	[23]
5 October 2020	FW	Bruce Anderson	Aberdeen	4 January 2021	[24][25]
22 October 2020	FW	Cammy Smith	Dundee United	20 January 2021	[26]
23 October 2020	FW	Innes Cameron	Kilmarnock	15 January 2021	[27]
7 January 2021	DF	Corrie Ndaba	Ipswich Town	31 May 2021	[28]
1 February 2021	MF	Brett McGavin			[29]
27 February 2021	GK	Peter Urminský	St Mirren		[30]
18 March 2021	MF	Jamie Barjonas	Rangers		[31]
9 April 2021	GK	P. J. Morrison	Motherwell		[32]

Loans out

Start date	Position	Name	To	End date	Ref.
31 August 2020	MF	Finn Ecrepont	Albion Rovers	31 May 2021	[33]
	FW	Gabe Skeoch			[34]

References

1. "Scottish Challenge Cup cancelled for season 2020-21". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
2. "Message from Lachlan". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
3. "Ayr United FC Player Appearances". soccerbase.com. Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
4. "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
5. "Summary - League Cup Group F". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
6. "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
7. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
8. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
9. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
10. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
11. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
12. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
13. "Cammy Smith agrees deal".
14. "Andre Wright Signs". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
15. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
16. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
17. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
18. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
19. "Good Luck to Geggan". Somerset Road End Forum. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
20. "Player Update". ayrunitedfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
21. "Steven Bell arrives to strengthen defence as season approaches". eastkilbridefootballclub.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
22. "Indy Eleven Signs Scottish Premier League Striker Cammy Smith". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
23. Preece, Ashley (26 September 2020). "'One of the best, anywhere in Europe' - Aston Villa talent joins Ayr United on season-long loan". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
24. "Bruce is an Honest Man". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
25. "Evening Express the Press and Journal combined".
26. "Dundee United ace Cammy Smith joins Ayr United on loan as 'delighted' Mark Kerr hails signing". The Courier. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
27. "Striker Innes Cameron joins the Honest Men". Ayr United FC. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
28. "Corrie Ndaba signs". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
29. "United sign McGavin". Ayr United FC. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
30. "St Mirren goalkeeper Peter Urminsky joins Ayr United on emergency loan". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
31. "Rangers talent Jamie Barjonas joins Ayr United on loan". Not the Old Firm. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
32. "PJ Morrison loaned to Ayr United". motherwellfc.co.uk. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
33. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
34. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.