2023–24 Ayr United F.C. season

Ayr United
2023–24 season
Chairman	David Smith
Manager	Lee Bullen
Stadium	Somerset Park
Scottish League Cup	Second round
Scottish Challenge Cup	Third round
Home colours	Away colours

The 2023–24 season is Ayr United's sixth consecutive season in the Scottish Championship after being promoted from league one in the 2017–18 season. Ayr will also compete in the, League Cup, Challenge Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Summary

Season

Lee Bullen takes charge of Ayr United for the second season in a row following their defeat to Partick Thistle in the semi-final of the Premiership play-off.[1][2]

On 21 July, the club announced the singing of veteran winger Aiden McGeady on a two-year contract to serve as both a member of the playing squad and the club's technical manager.[3]

Results and fixtures

Win Draw Loss Postponed

Pre-season

8 July 2023	Ayr United	2–0	Stranraer	Ayr
13:30	Murphy 18' McAllister 90'			Stadium: Dam Park

11 July 2023	East Kilbride	0–2	Ayr United	East Kilbride
19:30			McKenzie 3' Murphy 53'	Stadium: K-Park Training Academy

22 July 2023	Troon	1–1	Ayr United	Troon
15:00				Stadium: Portland Park
Note: Testimonal match for Dean Keenan

Scottish Championship

5 August 2023 1	Greenock Morton	3–1	Ayr United	Greenock
15:00	Crawford 62' Muirhead 75 pen.' Boyd 87'	Report	Pendlebury 51'	Stadium: Cappielow Attendance: 2,512 Referee: Matthew MacDermid

12 August 2023 2	Ayr United	1–0	Inverness CT	Ayr
15:00	Amartey 8'	Report		Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,989 Referee: Peter Stuart

26 August 2023 3	Ayr United	0–3	Dundee United	Ayr
15:00		Report	Holt 58', 90' Moult 62'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 3,103 Referee: Nick Walsh

2 September 2023 4	Arbroath	2–1	Ayr United	Arbroath
15:00	Bird 21' Hylton 82'	Report	Rose 45+3'	Stadium: Gayfield Park Attendance: 1,643 Referee: Colin Steven

15 September 2023 5	Ayr United	0–4	Partick Thistle	Ayr
19:45		Report	Graham 2' Lawless 58', 67' Adeloye 81'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 2,078 Referee: William Collum

22 September 2023 6	Queen's Park	2–5	Ayr United	Glasgow
19:45	Paton 28' Hepburn 52'	Report	Chalmers 6', 12' Rose 32' Murphy 44' Dowds 53'	Stadium: Hampden Park Attendance: 1,651 Referee: David Dickinson

30 September 2023 7	Ayr United	1–2	Raith Rovers	Ayr
15:00	Dowds 50'	Report	Easton 23', 26'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,848 Referee: David Munro

7 October 2023 8	Airdrieonians	1–2	Ayr United	Airdrie
15:00	McGregor 67'	Report	Chalmers 21' Dowds 53'	Stadium: Excelsior Stadium Attendance: 1,618 Referee: Iain Snedden

21 October 2023 9	Dunfermline Athletic	0–1	Ayr United	Dunfermline
15:00		Report	Chalmers 10'	Stadium: East End Park Attendance: 5,073 Referee: David Munro

Scottish League Cup

Group stage

15 July 2023 1	Stirling Albion	1–1 (3–4 p)	Ayr United	Stirling
15:00	McGeachie 21'	Report	Bryden 84'	Stadium: Forthbank Stadium Attendance: 791 Referee: Steven Kirkland

18 July 2023 2	Ayr United	1–0	Stenhousemuir	Cumnock
15:00	McKenzie 27'	Report		Stadium: Townhead Park Attendance: 757 Referee: William Collum

25 July 2023 2	St Johnstone	1–2	Ayr United	Perth
19:45	Kucheriavyi 43'	Report	Stanger 29' Dempsey 71'	Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 2,669 Referee: Nick Walsh

29 July 2023 4	Ayr United	6–0	Alloa Athletic	Ayr
15:00	Bryden 14', 62' McAllister 37' Murphy 45+1' Pendlebury 70' Rose 84'	Report	Hetherington 73'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,498 Referee: Don Robertson

Knockout phase

19 August 2023 Secound round	Livingston	2–0	Ayr United	Livingston
15:00	Nouble 12' Montaño 64'	Report		Stadium: Tony Macaroni Arena Attendance: 1,304 Referee: Kevin Clancy

Scottish Challenge Cup

5 September 2023 Third round	Ayr United	0–1	Falkirk	Ayr
19:45	Syla 70'	Report	Henderson 30'	Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,423 Referee: Steve Kirkland

Scottish Cup

Squad statistics

Appearances

As of 21 October 2023[4]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Championship		League Cup		Challenge Cup		Scottish Cup
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	ENG	Charlie Albinson	11	0	9+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
2	DF	SCO	Nick McAllister	12	1	8+0	0	3+0	1	0+1	0	0+0	0
3	DF	SCO	Patrick Reading	14	0	9+0	0	4+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
4	DF	ZAM	Frankie Musonda	7	0	4+2	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
5	DF	IRL	Sean McGinty	15	0	9+0	0	5+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
6	MF	SCO	Andy Murdoch	4	0	1+0	0	3+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
8	MF	ENG	Ben Dempsey	6	1	2+0	0	4+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
9	FW	JAM	Ahkeem Rose	12	3	5+4	2	1+1	1	1+0	0	0+0	0
10	MF	IRL	Aiden McGeady	6	0	2+2	0	1+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
11	FW	SCO	Logan Chalmers	9	4	7+0	4	0+1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
14	DF	NZL	George Stanger	12	1	6+0	0	5+0	1	1+0	0	0+0	0
15	FW	SCO	Jamie Murphy	10	2	6+0	1	4+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
16	FW	SCO	Anton Dowds	4	3	4+0	3	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
17	FW	ENG	Franny Amartey	12	1	3+4	1	4+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
18	MF	SCO	Paul Smith	11	0	3+4	0	3+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
19	GK	SCO	Ollie Ecrepont	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
20	MF	ALB	Roy Syla	7	0	6+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
21	DF	SCO	Finn Ecrepont	5	0	0+1	0	1+2	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
22	FW	SCO	Mark McKenzie	15	1	6+3	0	5+0	1	0+1	0	0+0	0
23	MF	BEL	Jack Senga	6	0	2+3	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
24	MF	SCO	Scott Tomlinson	7	0	0+3	0	0+3	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
27	FW	SCO	Max Guthrie	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
30	FW	SCO	Fraser Bryden	13	3	2+5	0	3+2	3	0+1	0	0+0	0
31	GK	SCO	Robbie Mutch	4	0	0+0	0	3+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
32	MF	SCO	Dylan Watret	1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
38	DF	ENG	Elicha Ahui	3	0	1+1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
46	MF	ENG	Jack Young	8	0	4+3	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
Players who left the club during the 2023–24 season
16	MF	ENG	Oliver Pendlebury	6	2	0+2	1	2+2	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
20	MF	SCO	Michael Hewitt	2	0	0+0	0	1+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
23	FW	ENG	Sam Ashford	6	0	1+1	0	0+4	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
29	MF	COD	David Bangala	1	0	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
33	MF	SCO	Carter Jenkins	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
34	FW	SCO	Dario Viviani	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

Team statistics

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion, qualification or relegation
4	Airdrieonians	9	4	1	4	9	13	−4	13	Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final
5	Arbroath	8	4	0	4	15	11	+4	12
6	Ayr United	9	4	0	5	12	17	−5	12
7	Dunfermline Athletic	8	3	2	3	9	9	0	11
8	Queen's Park	10	3	2	5	12	20	−8	11

Updated to match(es) played on 21 October 2023. Source: [5]
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).[6]

League Cup table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	AYR	STI	STJ	STE	ALL
1	Ayr United	4	3	1	0	0	10	2	+8	11	Qualification for the second round	—	—	—	1–0	6–0
2	Stirling Albion	4	3	0	1	0	9	3	+6	10	Qualification for the second round	1–1p	—	—	2–1	—
3	St Johnstone	4	1	0	0	3	5	7	−2	3		1–2	0–4	—	—	—
4	Stenhousemuir	4	1	0	0	3	3	6	−3	3		—	—	1–0	—	1–3
5	Alloa Athletic	4	1	0	0	3	4	13	−9	3		—	1–2	0–4	—	—

Source: [7]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[8]

Transfers

Transfers in

Date	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
5 June 2023	GK	Robbie Mutch	Edinburgh City	Free transfer	[9]
6 June 2023	DF	George Stanger	Alloa Athletic		[10]
19 June 2023	FW	Jamie Murphy	St Johnstone		[11]
24 June 2023	FW	Franny Amartey	Aldershot Town		[12]
24 June 2023	MF	Oliver Pendlebury	Aldershot Town		[13]
21 July 2023	MF	Aiden McGeady	Hibernian		[3]
24 July 2023	FW	Ahkeem Rose	Weymouth		[14]
29 August 2023	MF	Roy Syla	Brentford		[15]

Transfers out

Date	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
31 May 2023	DF	Kinlay Bilham	Stenhousemuir	Free transfer	[16][17]
	DF	Jordan Houston	Queen of the South		[16][18]
	DF	Alex Jeanes			[16]
	FW	Chris Maguire	Eastleigh		[16][19]
	GK	Aidan McAdams	Edinburgh City		[16]
	MF	Josh Mullin	Raith Rovers		[16]
24 June 2023	MF	Daire O'Connor	Glentoran		[20]
14 July 2023	MF	Jayden Mitchell-Lawson	Maidenhead United		[21][22]
15 July 2023	FW	Dipo Akinyemi	York City	Undisclosed	[23]
4 August 2023	MF	Michael Hewitt	Hamilton Academical	Free transfer	[24]
8 August 2023	MF	David Bangala			[25]
23 August 2023	FW	Sam Ashford	Cliftonville		[26]
30 August 2023	MF	Oliver Pendlebury	Farnborough		[27][28]

Loans in

Date	Position	Name	From	End date	Ref.
4 August 2023	DF	Elicha Ahui	Lincoln City	31 May 2024	[29]
19 August 2023	FW	Logan Chalmers	Dundee United	31 May 2024	[30]
25 August 2023	MF	Jack Young	Wycombe Wanderers	1 January 2024	[31]
1 September 2023	MF	Jack Senga	Reading	1 January 2024	[32]
12 September 2023	FW	Anton Dowds	Partick Thistle	31 May 2024	[33]

Loans out

Date	Position	Name	From	End date	Ref.
13 July 2023	DF	Lyall Holding	Glenafton Athletic	31 May 2024	[34]
25 July 2023	MF	Carter Jenkins	Gretna 2008
25 July 2023	FW	Dario Viviani	Gretna 2008

References

"Ayr United 0−5 Partick Thistle (agg 0−8): Visitors cruise into Premiership play-off final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
"Ayr United 0-5 Partick Thistle: Jags cruise into Scottish Premiership play-off". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
"Aiden McGeady: Ayr United appoint veteran winger as player-technical manager". BBC Sport. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
"Ayr United FC Player Appearances". soccerbase.com. Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
"cinch Championship Table". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
"The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
"Summary - League Cup Group A". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
"Format". SPFL. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
"Robbie Mutch Joins the Honest Men". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
"George Stanger Joins the Honest Men". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
"Ayr United: Honest Men sign Jamie Murphy after St Johnstone release". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
Wilson, Stuart. "Striker Francis Amartey bids becomes fifth new face of the summer at Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
Wilson, Stuart. "Former England youth captain Olly Pendlebury bids to make mark in Scotland with Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
Wilson, Stuart (2023-07-24). "Ahkeem Rose: I want to stay on goal trail at Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
"Ayr United add another new midfielder as Albanian Roy Syla becomes latest Somerset arrival". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
"Squad Update". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
"Welcome - Kinlay Bilham". Stenhousemuir FC. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
"Welcome Jordan Houston". Queen of the South FC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
"News - Chris Maguire joins the Spitfires". Eastleigh FC. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
"Transfer News: Daire O'Connor joins Glens". Glentoran FC. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
"Jayden Mitchell-Lawson". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
"Jayden-Mitchell Lawson signs". Maidenhead United FC. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
"Dipo Akinyemi Departs Ayr United". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
"Michael Hewitt". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
"David Bangala". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
"Sam and substance". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
"Ayr United midfielder Olly Pendlebury leaves Somerset Park after just two months". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
"Pendlebury returns!". Farnborough FC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
Wilson, Stuart (2023-08-03). "Elicha Ahui bids to enhance growing reputation during Ayr United loan". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
"Logan Chalmers joins Ayr United on loan". Dundee United FC. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
"Wycombe Wanderers' Jack Young joins Ayr United on loan". Bucks Free Press. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
"Senga seals loan move to Ayr United". Reading FC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
"Anton Dowds heads to Ayr on loan". Reading FC. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
"Holding Signs!". Glenafton Athletic FC. Retrieved 2 August 2023.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] "Ayr United 0−5 Partick Thistle (agg 0−8): Visitors cruise into Premiership play-off final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2023.

[2] "Ayr United 0-5 Partick Thistle: Jags cruise into Scottish Premiership play-off". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 May 2023.

[Aiden_McGeady-3] "Aiden McGeady: Ayr United appoint veteran winger as player-technical manager". BBC Sport. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.

[4] "Ayr United FC Player Appearances". soccerbase.com. Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 October 2023.

[5] "cinch Championship Table". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 21 October 2023.

[6] "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.

[7] "Summary - League Cup Group A". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 July 2023.

[format-8] "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 7 June 2023.

[9] "Robbie Mutch Joins the Honest Men". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.

[10] "George Stanger Joins the Honest Men". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.

[11] "Ayr United: Honest Men sign Jamie Murphy after St Johnstone release". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 20 June 2023.

[12] Wilson, Stuart. "Striker Francis Amartey bids becomes fifth new face of the summer at Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 June 2023.

[13] Wilson, Stuart. "Former England youth captain Olly Pendlebury bids to make mark in Scotland with Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 June 2023.

[14] Wilson, Stuart (2023-07-24). "Ahkeem Rose: I want to stay on goal trail at Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023-07-25.

[15] "Ayr United add another new midfielder as Albanian Roy Syla becomes latest Somerset arrival". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 August 2023.

[Squad_Update-16] "Squad Update". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

[17] "Welcome - Kinlay Bilham". Stenhousemuir FC. Retrieved 1 July 2023.

[18] "Welcome Jordan Houston". Queen of the South FC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.

[19] "News - Chris Maguire joins the Spitfires". Eastleigh FC. Retrieved 30 August 2023.

[20] "Transfer News: Daire O'Connor joins Glens". Glentoran FC. Retrieved 24 June 2023.

[21] "Jayden Mitchell-Lawson". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 15 July 2023.

[22] "Jayden-Mitchell Lawson signs". Maidenhead United FC. Retrieved 17 July 2023.

[23] "Dipo Akinyemi Departs Ayr United". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 15 July 2023.

[24] "Michael Hewitt". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 4 August 2023.

[25] "David Bangala". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 12 August 2023.

[26] "Sam and substance". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 23 August 2023.

[27] "Ayr United midfielder Olly Pendlebury leaves Somerset Park after just two months". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 August 2023.

[28] "Pendlebury returns!". Farnborough FC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.

[29] Wilson, Stuart (2023-08-03). "Elicha Ahui bids to enhance growing reputation during Ayr United loan". Daily Record. Retrieved 2023-08-04.

[30] "Logan Chalmers joins Ayr United on loan". Dundee United FC. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.

[31] "Wycombe Wanderers' Jack Young joins Ayr United on loan". Bucks Free Press. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.

[32] "Senga seals loan move to Ayr United". Reading FC. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.

[33] "Anton Dowds heads to Ayr on loan". Reading FC. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.

[34] "Holding Signs!". Glenafton Athletic FC. Retrieved 2 August 2023.

2023–24 in Scottish football
« 2022–23 2024–25 »
Domestic leagues	SPFL Premiership Championship League One League Two Highland Lowland Midlands North Caledonian North Region Junior East of Scotland South of Scotland West of Scotland Women's Premier League SWPL 1 SWPL 2 Women's Championship
Domestic cups	Scottish Cup League Cup Group stage Challenge Cup South Region Challenge Cup Junior Cup Youth Cup Women's Cup Women's Premier League Cup
European competitions	Champions League Europa League Europa Conference League Youth League
Related to national team	Results Men's Women's UEFA Euro 2024 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League
Transfers	Summer 2023 Winter 2023–24
Club seasons
Premiership	Aberdeen Celtic Dundee Heart of Midlothian Hibernian Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers Ross County St Johnstone St Mirren
Championship	Airdrieonians Arbroath Ayr United Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic Greenock Morton Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle Queen's Park Raith Rovers
League One	Alloa Athletic Annan Athletic Cove Rangers Edinburgh City Falkirk Hamilton Academical Kelty Hearts Montrose Queen of the South Stirling Albion
League Two	Clyde Dumbarton Bonnyrigg Rose East Fife Elgin City Forfar Athletic Peterhead Spartans Stenhousemuir Stranraer