2021–22 Ayr United F.C. season

The 2021–22 season is Ayr United's fourth 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.

Ayr United
2021–22 season
ChairmanDavid Smith
ManagerDavid Hopkin
(until 9 September)
Jim Duffy
(from 1 October)
StadiumSomerset Park
Scottish Championship7th
Scottish League CupSecond round
Scottish Challenge CupSecond round
Scottish CupFourth round
Top goalscorer
Tomi Adeloye (6)

Summary

Season

Ayr United began the season under the management of David Hopkin who had been in charge since March of the previous season. Hopkin would step down from his position on 9 September following a poor start to the season.[1]

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Pre-season
25 June 2021 Ayr United 1–0 The New Saints Townhead Park, Cumnock
15:00 Baird  33' Report
29 June 2021 Stranraer 0–2 Ayr United Stair Park, Stranraer
19:30 Trialist  19'
Trialist  80'
2 July 2021 Heart of Midlothian 1–1 Ayr United National Sports Training Centre, Largs
15:00 Moffat  75' Boyce  76'

Scottish Championship
Main article: 2021–22 Scottish Championship
2 August 2021 1 Kilmarnock 2–0 Ayr United Kilmarnock
19:45 Polworth  56'
Cameron  86 pen.'		 Report Stadium: Rugby Park
Attendance: 3,692
Referee: Don Robertson
7 August 2021 2 Ayr United 2–2 Arbroath Ayr
15:00 Adeloye  70'
McKenzie  87'		 Report Nouble  10'
McKenna  28'		 Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,244
Referee: Colin Steven
21 August 2021 3 Inverness CT 1–0 Ayr United Inverness
15:00 McGinty  54 o.g.' Report Stadium: Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 2,032
Referee: Kevin Clancy
7 September 2021 4 Ayr United 0–2 Raith Rovers Ayr
15:00 Muirhead  70'
Afolabi  75'		 Report Varian  14'
Zanatta  25'
Riley-Snow  79'		 Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,204
Referee: Chris Graham
11 September 2021 5 Ayr United 3–1 Dunfermline Athletic Ayr
15:00 Adeloye  3', 63'
Salkeld  25'		 Report Todorov  28' Stadium: Somerset Park
Referee: Barry Cook
18 September 2021 6 Hamilton Academical 0–2 Ayr United Hamilton
15:00 Report Bradley  64'
Adeloye  78'		 Stadium: New Douglas Park
Attendance: 1,365
Referee: Andrew Dallas
25 September 2021 7 Ayr United 0–0 Greenock Morton Ayr
15:00 Report Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,638
Referee: Mike Roncone
2 October 2021 8 Partick Thistle 4–0 Ayr United Glasgow
15:00 Rudden  34', 72'
Smith  45'
Graham  85'		 Report Stadium: Firhill Stadium
Attendance: 2,667
Referee: Duncan Williams
16 October 2021 9 Ayr United 2–1 Queen of the South Ayr
15:00 Muirhead  73 pen.'
Maxwell  79'		 Report Connelly  68' Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,663
Referee: David Dickinson
23 October 2021 10 Arbroath 1–1 Ayr United Arbroath
15:00 McKenna  56' Report Afolabi  80' Stadium: Gayfield Park
Attendance: 1,415
Referee: John Beaton
26 October 2021 11 Ayr United 0–1 Kilmarnock Ayr
19:45 Report Shaw  89 pen.' Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 6,052
Referee: Nick Walsh
30 October 2021 12 Raith Rovers 2–1 Ayr United Kirkcaldy
15:00 Ross  12'
Zanatta  27'		 Report Baird  71' Stadium: Stark's Park
Attendance: 1,602
Referee: Greg Aitken
6 November 2021 13 Ayr United 2–2 Inverness CT Ayr
15:00 Chalmers  15'
Reading  53'		 Report Welsh  13'
Gardyne  26'		 Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,289
Referee: Steven McLean
13 November 2021 14 Ayr United 0–4 Partick Thistle Ayr
15:00 Report Docherty  30'
Graham  33', 81'
Gordon  90+2'		 Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 2,037
Referee: Gavin Duncan
20 November 2021 15 Dunfermline Athletic 3–0 Ayr United Dunfermline
15:00 McCann  14', 52'
Dow  40'		 Report Stadium: East End Park
Attendance: 3,503
Referee: Alan Newlands
4 December 2021 16 Greenock Morton 2–2 Ayr United Greenock
15:00 Ugwu  26', 84' Report Bradley  73'
Adeloye  77'		 Stadium: Cappielow
Attendance: 1,335
Referee: Matthew MacDermid
10 December 2021 17 Ayr United 1–1 Hamilton Academical Ayr
19:45 Adeloye  48' Report Smith  40' Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 951
Referee: Craig Napier

Scottish League Cup
Main article: 2021–22 Scottish League Cup group stage

Group Stage

Results

10 July 2021 Group stage Albion Rovers 0–0
(4–2 p)		 Ayr United Coatbridge
15:00 Report Stadium: Cliftonhill
Attendance: 150
Referee: Grant Irvine
13 July 2021 Group stage Ayr United 3–0 Edinburgh City Ayr
19:45 Adeloye  37', 49'
Murdoch  84'		 Report Stadium: Somerset Park
Referee: Lloyd Wilson
20 July 2021 Group stage Hamilton Academical 0–1 Ayr United Hamilton
18:00 Report Salkeld  27' Stadium: New Douglas Park
Attendance: 801
Referee: Bobby Madden
24 July 2021 Group stage Ayr United 3–0[A] Falkirk Ayr
15:00 Stadium: Somerset Park

Knockout stage
14 August 2021 Second round Ayr United 0–0
(3–4 p)		 Dundee United Ayr
15:00 Report Stadium: Somerset Park
Referee: Nick Walsh

Scottish Challenge Cup
Main article: 2021–22 Scottish Challenge Cup
14 September 2021 Second round Rangers B 3–0[A] Ayr United Dumbarton
19:30 Report O'Connor  40'
Chalmers  74'
Fjørtoft  78'		 Stadium: Dumbarton Football Stadium
Referee: Steven Reid

Notes

  1. ^
    A: Ayr United had originally beaten Rangers B 3 – 0, however it was later revealed that Ayr had fielded 2 ineligible players during the game and were subsequently charged by the SPFL with Rangers B awarded a 3 – 0, victory.[2]

Scottish Cup
Main article: 2021–22 Scottish Cup
27 November 2021 Third round Ayr United 2–1 Albion Rovers Ayr
15:00 Maxwell  54'
Moffat  65'		 Report Wright  46' Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 986
Referee: William Collum
22 January 2022 Fourth round Ayr United v St Mirren Ayr
15:00 Stadium: Somerset Park

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
5 Partick Thistle 17 8 4 5 29 16 +13 28
6 Hamilton Academical 17 4 5 8 15 30 −15 17
7 Ayr United 17 3 6 8 16 29 −13 15
8 Dunfermline Athletic 17 2 8 7 18 28 −10 14
9 Queen of the South 17 3 5 9 16 26 −10 14 Qualification for the Championship play-offs
Updated to match(es) played on 11 December 2021. Source: [3][4]
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).[5]

League Cup table
Main article: 2021–22 Scottish League Cup § Group E
Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AYR HAM ALB EDI FAL
1 Ayr United 4 3 0 1 0 7 0 +7 10 Qualification for the second round — — — 3–0 3–0[lower-alpha 1]
2 Hamilton Academical 4 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 8 0–1 — p2–2 — —
3 Albion Rovers 4 0 2 1 1 4 8 −4 5 p0–0 — — p1–1 —
4 Edinburgh City 4 1 0 1 2 4 5 −1 4 — 0–1 — — 3–0[lower-alpha 2]
5 Falkirk 4 1 0 0 3 6 9 −3 3 — 1–2 5–1 — —
Source: [8]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[9]
Notes:
  1. Ayr United were awarded a technical 3−0 win over Falkirk, who were unable to raise a team after a COVID-19 outbreak among players and staff.[6]
  2. Edinburgh City were awarded a technical 3−0 win over Falkirk, who were unable to raise a team after a COVID-19 outbreak among players and staff.[7]

Transfers

Transfers in
Date Position Name From Fee Ref.
25 May 2021 MF Cameron Salkeld Greenock Morton Free transfer [10]
27 May 2021 DF Markus Fjørtoft Free transfer [11]
DF Sean McGinty Free transfer [11]
DF Nick McAllister St Mirren Free transfer [11]
21 June 2021 GK Aidan McAdams Greenock Morton Free transfer [12]
1 July 2021 FW Tomi Adeloye Barnet Free transfer [13]
8 July 2021 GK Charlie Albinson Warrington Town Free transfer [14]
28 July 2021 MF Daire O'Connor Cliftonville Free transfer [15]

Loans in
Date Position Name From End date Ref.
27 July 2021 DF James Maxwell Rangers 31 May 2021 [16]
2 August 2021 FW Jonathan Afolabi Celtic 31 May 2021 [17]
6 September 2021 MF Steven Bradley Hibernian 31 May 2021 [18]

Transfers out
Date Position Name To Fee Ref.
7 May 2021 MF Liam Miller Free Agent Free transfer [19]
FW Sam Roscoe Linfield Free transfer [19][20]
FW Andre Wright Free Agent Free transfer [19]
MF Dario Zanatta Raith Rovers Free transfer [19][21]
1 June 2021 MF Luke McCowan Dundee Free transfer [22]

Loans out
Date Position Name From End date Ref.
3 September 2021 DF Michael Miller Stenhousemuir 31 May 2021 [23]
Notes
  1. ^
    A: Ayr United were awarded a technical 3−0 win over Falkirk, who were unable to raise a team after a COVID-19 outbreak among players and staff.[24]

References
  1. "Ayr United part company with David Hopkin". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  2. "Rangers B in SPFL Trust Trophy twist as Ayr charged by SPFL". The Herald. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  3. "Scottish Championship Table". BBC. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  4. "cinch Championship League Table". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  5. "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  6. "SPFL Statement Premier Sports Cup – Ayr United v Falkirk". SPFL. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. "SPFL Statement Premier Sports Cup – Edinburgh City v Falkirk". SPFL. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  8. "Summary - League Cup Group E". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  9. "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  10. "Salkeld signs for United". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  11. "Super Thursday". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  12. "McAdams is new United keeper". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  13. "Tomi is an Honest Man". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  14. "United sign Albinson". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  15. "Daire is an Honest Man". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  16. "Maxwell joins from Rangers". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  17. "United sign Afolabi". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  18. "UNITED SIGN BRADLEY". Ayr United FC. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  19. "Player Update". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  20. "Sam Roscoe: Linfield set to sign defender from Ayr United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  21. "Dario Zanatta signs on at Raith Rovers". Raith Rovers FC. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  22. "Luke McCowan joins Dundee from Ayr United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  23. "We can confirm that Michael Miller has joined Stenhousemuir on loan until the end of the season". Ayr United FC. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  24. "Club Statement". Falkirk FC. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
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