THE HONEST MAN
the previous regime. McCall soon Q: Should Ayr have taken the
had them firing and turned them plunge and gone A rollercoastertotally season ensured there was never a dull moment for Ayr United fans.
into title One. contenders. full- time next season?A glory run of 14 unbeaten games, which included 10 wins, had Ayr riding high at the top of League
The players he brought in all played At the end of November, they were three points clear of Dunfermline before the wheels fell off after a In an ideal world, that would be the their parts — there is no question he
catastrophic injury list. perfect scenario — but sadly it’s not has an eye for a player. realistic on Somerset Park crowds. Q: What youngsters do you
The club is being kept afloat by the expect to come to the fore deep pockets of Lachlan Cameron next season? but that can’t go on for ever.
He has plunged in more than Mick Wardrope is one who can make £ 250,000 since last July and pledged big progress. another £ 50,000 when the play- off I liked the look of him when final crowd against Stranraer topped he scored in a 2- 1 home win over 2500. Putting the club deeper into Stranraer — he was unlucky not to debt is not a sensible option. bag a hat- trick that day.
Everyone wants to chase the dream His attitude is spot on and I believe but putting the future of the whole there is a lot more to come from this business at risk is not a road anyone focused 19- year- old. should want to take. Lachlan wants It’s surely a huge season for Alan to sell but insists he won’t do a deal Forrest who can blossom on the with anyone he views as a potential bigger stage. threat to the club’s future. And if Ross McCrorie returns
A new owner can have his shares from Rangers on loan, Ayr will have for £ 1 as long as they have a plan for another top young talent. dealing with the debt owed to all Q: What is the realistic of the creditors. target for next season? Q: Does staying largely Finishing eighth and part- time put Ayr at an securing a foothold in the
Championship would immediate disadvantage
be a good result. next season? The last twice Ayr Of course, it will be have been promoted to tougher against fulltime the second flight they clubs such as have come straight Dundee United, back down. Hibs, St Mirren, It’s a tougher Dunfermline now than it was in and Falkirk. 2010 and 2012, so
But Ayr staying up would only have be a magnificent to look at achievement. Dumbarton Throw in a as the prime money spinning example of what can be cup run and achieved on a part- time everyone will be budget. happy.
No one can claim the Sons are a bigger club than Ayr but they retained their place in the Championship with some comfort. Ayr have to take Dumbarton as their gauge and at least look to equal their achievements. Q: Who are the key players Ayr should be striving to keep from this season’s team? Club captain Nicky Devlin ( left), player of the year Ross Docherty and loan trio Craig Moore, Ross McCrorie and Jordan Preston top the list but none will be easy to retain. Moo re has been offered a new oneyear deal at Mo t h e r w e l l while Docherty and Devl i n attracted rave reviews during the season. They will be men in demand. It’s going to be a busy summer for Ian McCall — he will have to recruit wisely. His track record suggests he will. Q: Ayr were relegation scrappers the season before, only avoiding a play- off on the final day. How much is the turnaround due to manager Ian McCall? I think 100 per cent has to go to McCall ( right). He brought a professionalism to the manager’s chair the day he walked through the door.
He re t a i n e d the core of that squad which was an immediat e indicator he felt they were good players who had under performed during