Pogba was a star turn at Somerset Park
...but Roddy almost stole the show
AYR UNITED ................................ 0 MANCHESTER UNITED ............. 1
Mike Wilson talks to Mark Roberts about historic Ayr night
Paul Pogba strutted his stuff at Somerset Park – then seven years later lit up a World Cup final.
But Mark Roberts recalls how home grown kid Roddy Paterson could have etched himself in the history books and made himself a quiz question for all time...name the only Ayr player to have scored against Manchester United.
Pogba, then 18, gave a strolling masterclass as a Reds XI won 1-0 on July 25, 2011 in a game to mark Ayr’s centenary celebrations.
The Old Trafford side, sent north by Sir Alex Ferguson who ended his playing days at Somerset, was laden with youngsters who went on to have great careers.
Pogba left on a free and it took a then world record £89.3 million when Fergie lured him back from Juventus who he helped to four Serie A titles in a row.
His goal in France’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final rubber stamped his quality.
Roberts, who had a couple of half chances to score, recalls: “Pogba was tall and skinny.
He looked gangly but you could see he was a player and was touted as the next big thing. To become a World Cup winner and score in a final says it all.
“I thought Oliver Norwood, who is now playing for Sheffield United, was the best player on the park that night.
“Michael Keane is now an established England player while skipper Darron Gibson was the one we all knew as he was in the first team.
“Danny Drinkwater went on to win the Premier League with Leicester and also has England caps. Another who really impressed me was Zeki Fryers. He went to Tottenham and is now at Swindon.”
Polish international keeper Tomas Kusczak, who played 32 times for the Reds first team, enjoyed a night in the sun as Ayr rarely threatened.
The match winner came in the 54th minute when Norwood caught out startled keeper Kevin Cuthbert with a thumping 25 yarder into the top right hand corner.
A goal fit to win any game but Paterson, on for Michael Moffat midway through the second-half, almost put his name in lights with a shot that was only inches wide.
It would have been a famous equaliser, a goal never to be forgotten.
Roberts quipped: “That wouldn’t have been a bad tale to tell people – how I scored against Man United. Wee Roddy scored a lot of goals for the youths and reserves but it proved a big step up to the first team for him and he ended up going junior.”
Ayr’s new sponsor Calvin Ayre took in the game after earlier launching his Bodog kit deal in headline grabbing fashion.
Manager Brian Reid wrote in the souvenir programme: “Tonight we welcome Manchester United to Somerset Park.
“This is not a sentence I thought I would be writing when I took on the job here but it’s the reality tonight.
“It is good to see that we have brought another team that will be competing in the Champions League. We played host to Unirea Urziceni two seasons ago and they reached the knockout stages.”
Roberts, who still hopes to play on at 44, remembers: “Man U kept the ball for ages and it was more a fitness thing for us.
“It was a great occasion for our lads in front of a good-sized crowd.
“I’m keeping myself fit and enjoyed it at Hurlford last season. If I can’t play on there I would step down to the amateurs just to keep playing.”
Wee Roddy scored a lot for the youths and reserves but it proved a big step up to the first team