2020–21 Ayr United F.C. season

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]

Ayr United
2020–21 season
ChairmanLachlan Cameron
(until 12 January 2021)
David Smith
ManagerMark Kerr
(until 28 February)
David Hopkin
(from 11 March)
StadiumSomerset Park
Scottish Championship8th
Scottish League CupSecond Round
Scottish CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Cammy Smith (6)
All: Luke McCowan (9)

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
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
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
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
7 November 2020 4 Ayr United 0–0 Dunfermline Athletic Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Craig Napier
21 November 2020 5 Ayr United 2–0 Dundee Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Smith  3'
Moffat  16'		 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Graham Beaton
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
11 December 2020 7 Ayr United 0–0 Raith Rovers Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45 Report Attendance: 0
19 December 2020 8 Arbroath 2–1 Ayr United Gayfield Park, Arbroath
15:00 Craigen  36', 39' Report Baird  88' Attendance: 0
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
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
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
23 January 2020 13 Dunfermline Athletic 0–0 Ayr United East End Park, Dunfermline
15:00 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Don Robertson
30 January 2020 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
5 February 2020 14 Ayr United 0–1 Heart of Midlothian Somerset Park, Ayr
19:45 Report Boyce  48 pen.' Attendance: 0
Referee: Steven McLean
20 February 2020 15 Inverness CT 2–0 Ayr United Caledonian Stadium, Inverness
15:00 MacKay  31'
Todorov  54'		 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Peter Stuart
27 February 2020 16 Ayr United 0–1 Arbroath Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Report McKenna  63' Attendance: 0
Referee: Grant Irvine
6 March 2020 17 Greenock Morton 0–2 Ayr United Cappielow, Greenock
15:00 Report Smith  55', 87' Attendance: 0
Referee: Mike Roncone
9 March 2020 18 Raith Rovers 0–0 Ayr United Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy
19:45 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Scott Lambie
13 March 2020 19 Heart of Midlothian 2–0 Ayr United Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh
15:00 Gnanduillet  72'
Walker  86'		 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Colin Steven
16 March 2020 20 Dundee 1–3 Ayr United Dens Park, Dundee
19:30 Sow  86' Report McKenzie  18', 84'
Smith  49'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Alan Newlands
20 March 2020 21 Ayr United 1–1 Raith Rovers Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Muirhead  72' Report Benedictus  57' Attendance: 0
Referee: David Dickinson
27 March 2020 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
6 April 2020 23 Ayr United 0–3 Dundee Somerset Park, Ayr
19:00 Report Anderson  68'
Afolabi  74'
McGowan  87'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Steven McLean
10 April 2020 24 Ayr United 1–1 Dunfermline Athletic Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Miller  24' Report McManus  12' Attendance: 0
Referee: Greg Aitken
17 April 2020 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
24 April 2020 26 Ayr United 0–0 Queen of the South Somerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Nick Walsh
30 April 2020 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

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

League table
Pos Team 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).[3]
(O) Play-off winner; (R) Relegated

League Cup table
Main article: 2020–21 Scottish League Cup § Group F
Pos Team 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: [4]
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.[5]

Transfers

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

Transfers out
Date Position Name To Fee Ref.
1 June 2020 MF Ross Docherty Partick Thistle Free transfer [14]
1 June 2020 MF Alan Forrest Livingston Free transfer [15]
27 July 2020 DF Daniel Harvie MK Dons Undisclosed [16]
11 August 2020 MF Grant Gillespie Queen's Park Free transfer [17]
19 August 2020 MF Andy Geggan BSC Glasgow Free Transfer [18]
5 October 2020 DF Steven Bell East Kilbride Free transfer [19][20]
1 April 2021 FW Cammy Smith Indy Eleven Free transfer [21]

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

Loans out
Start date Position Name To End date Ref.
31 August 2020 MF Finn Ecrepont Albion Rovers 31 May 2021 [31]
31 August 2020 FW Gabe Skeoch Albion Rovers 31 May 2021 [32]

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. "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  4. "Summary - League Cup Group F". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  5. "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  6. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  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. "Cammy Smith agrees deal".
  13. "Andre Wright Signs". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  14. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 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. "Good Luck to Geggan". Somerset Road End Forum. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  19. "Player Update". ayrunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  20. "Steven Bell arrives to strengthen defence as season approaches". eastkilbridefootballclub.co.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  21. "Indy Eleven Signs Scottish Premier League Striker Cammy Smith". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  22. 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.
  23. "Bruce is an Honest Man". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  24. "Evening Express the Press and Journal combined".
  25. "Dundee United ace Cammy Smith joins Ayr United on loan as 'delighted' Mark Kerr hails signing". The Courier. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  26. "Striker Innes Cameron joins the Honest Men". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  27. "Corrie Ndaba signs". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  28. "United sign McGavin". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  29. "St Mirren goalkeeper Peter Urminsky joins Ayr United on emergency loan". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  30. "PJ Morrison loaned to Ayr United". motherwellfc.co.uk. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  31. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  32. "Summer Signings". SPFL. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
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