McCall happy to repay Ayr’s faith
But perfectionist can’t forget pain of relegation
Three years ago Ayr United manager Ian McCall was out of work.
For four years he was looking from the outside in to the world of football management.
Having bossed the likes of Dundee United, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South, he was once among Scottish football’s hottest managerial tickets.
But getting another chance to prove himself in the dugout was proving tough.
That was until Ayr United showed their faith in him.
And now he has repaid that faith of chairman, Lachlan Cameron, by winning promotion for the second time in three years.
McCall has guided United to their first league title in 21 years – a first in 90 years to be clinched at Somerset.
But such is the nature of McCall, he refuses to forget there was a relegation from the Championship in between those two promotion seasons.
The boss said: “All I think about is the middle season.
“I put my trust in three or four players and it didn’t work out.
“We can point to Craig Moore being injured for nine months and Shankland not playing for us.
“Another six or seven goals and we would have stayed up that year.
“But I think it was needed, it was a horrible time, but I think the club has evolved.
“It is a process and hopefully nextyear we can kick on a wee bit.”
McCall is in talks with a number of key players who he hopes can lead the way in the Championship.
He said: “Keeping these players is going to be key for us next season.
“If we want Ayr to be serious again then we need to keep them, otherwise we will continue to be a yo- yo club.”
He added: “The fans were superb over the season.
“I don’t always say great things about fans, but some of the games they were just outstanding
“Away games were sensational and I think that’s where the bond was created with the fans and players.
“Thatjust adds to the team and we have to take advantage of that next season.”
McCall was speaking as he scooped the Ladbrokes League One Manager of the Year for the second time in three years.
It came after his Ayr side scored an incredible 124 goals in all competitions, and were the first in Britain to hit 100 in domestic competition.
“It’s an old cliche, but this was very much a team award.
“It comes down to everyone fromthe fans to the directors.
“There was a great togetherness throughout this season.
“It was tipified by Shanklandand Moore, whose minutes per goals record were just incredible.
“Moore was the best in thewhole of Britain for the amount ofgames he played, and I think Shankland was probably second.”