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Ayr United - 17-18 rumblings and mumblings


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Going slightly off topic, but not far off. It bugs me that the Welcome to Somerset Park sign has never been replaced. It's a missed opportunity, I feel anyway, of advertising next home game more prominently. It would brighten up the approach and be better than that caged thing with the bits of wood.

If only they was a local signage company that could probably do it for buttons and get some free promotion through it:whistle.

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This season I'd like to see a player interview post match as well as the manager. If they take turns they would only have to do one every three months or so, and it could be good to have more of a familiarity of the players on the fans. And do the interviews behind a board and sell the advertising space.

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As has been said, if you want more people through the door, you need to play exciting, attacking football. If you are scoring 3 or 4 goals every game people will come to watch knowing they are going to be entertained.

Trying to S**tfest your way to the title by nicking 1-0's may bring you the title, but only the diehards will turn up to watch. I know its a bit cliche but Ally's teams in the late 80's were a joy to watch and we had good crowds as people knew they would be entertained, and that the team was going out to win games, not try and avoid being beaten

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Ayr United boss Ian McCall says pre-season is going so well that it leaves him worried

Ian McCall admits Ayr’s hungry players are causing him concern – because they’re looking in such tip top condition.

The United boss, who is running the rule over Clyde keeper Connor Quinn at training, has recruited former Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Dundee United star Derek Stillie as part-time goalie coach.

Former Rangers and Ayr physio Kevin MacLellan is returning as cover while Stevie Maguire prepares for an operation.

Training will switch to Ayr’s Cambusdoon Sports Club on Friday and McCall says everything is going to plan.

He said: “I’m very worried – it couldn’t have gone any better.

“The players are looking fantastic but it worries me that it’s pre-season.

“The boys are working their socks off and the four new boys, in terms of attitude and how they go about things, are different class.”

Quinn, 19, was man of the match for Clyde when he defied Ayr in a 1-1 Scottish Cup draw at Somerset in February.

With Greg Fleming now signed for Peterhead after turning down a switch to full-time, Ayr need a back-up to former Annan No1 Jordan Hart who will grab the gloves.

McCall said: “Financially, it didn’t add up for Greg to turn full-time and he goes with our best wishes.

“Who knows, our paths might cross again.

“There were one of two casualties through the change from part-time to full-time.

Greg and Daryll Meggatt (who has rejoined Alloa) were the only two that I really wanted to keep while we always knew Nicky Devlin would move.

“Joining Walsall is perfect for him and if he plays to the levels we know he can then his next move could set him up for life.

“We always felt that Jordan had a big chance to become a really good keeper and now he will get his chance.

“And bringing in Chris Higgins from Queen of the South is a good piece of business.

“Connor showed a lot of promise last season at Clyde and we’re looking at him in training.

“I would still like to add a forward and a defender although I’m not sure if it will be possible.”

Ayr will play closed doors games against Partick, Morton and Motherwell before the big kick-off against Kilmarnock in the Betfred Cup at Somerset on Friday, July 14.

Meanwhile, McCall has welcomed Tuesday’s IRN-BRU Cup draw which sends Ayr to John Sludden’s Lowland League East Stirling on Tuesday or Wednesday, August 15 or 16, the fifth cup tie between the teams in 10 years.

He said: “I wanted to avoid someone we already play four times so it’s a good draw.”

Season-tickets and tickets for Ayr v Killie are now on sale at the club shop.

There’s still time to enter the annual shirts and shorts auction draw on Friday, July 7.

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Very dangerous approach - I've had Ayr Utd rammed down my throat for over thirty years and it's almost had the opposite effect. Ayr are usually hard to watch, lower league Scottish football generally is. You tend to have to have a real passion for, and loyalty to a club to continue following them. That's not something that is easily brought about through reduced pricing or adverts in the paper. Every so often a club like Albion Rovers or Stenhousemuir introduce an initiative that has a handful of online hipsters salivating as 'the way forward' for Scottish football. These things never last though and if it was that simple everyone would do it.
I don't want to come across as particularly negative. I just think there are a few simple basics to get right and sufficient focus should be applied there for maximum benefit.


That passion you speak of can be developed - and nurtured. It doesn't just happen naturally.

I agree there are plenty of folk that wouldn't turn up if you paid them - but if we can create a buzz about the club then we can get our crowds up.

Marketing is a thing. It's not fake. We need people who are passionate about the club having much more contact with others.
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2 minutes ago, rb123! said:

Sad to say but can't see us selling out our end, or near it.

Again, selling tickets in the Town Centre, therefore avoiding making people trail over to Somerset with it's moon crater-esque potholes in the car park, wouldn't do ticket sales any harm at all.

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7 minutes ago, super_carson said:

It is possible to buy tickets online? The hours the shop are open at the moment don't lend themselves to calling during the working day for me.

Not at the moment, but you can order them over the phone.

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So given McCall is unsure if we will add anyone else to the squad we will probably end up with something like this.

Hart

Geggan Reid Higgins Boyle

McDaid Docherty Adams McGuffie

Moore Moffat

Looks on paper to be a decent line up and certainly a lot stronger than the team we put out two years ago. Not sure where this leaves Forrest as he's supposed to be one of our main players this season. If he improves his speed he could play out wide but he's probably got a better chance of playing in behind Moore and Moffat. Still to hear about Cairney but if he does resign I'd have him in next to Docherty instead of Adams.

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Has mcdaid showed any potential for us?

He would've done ok but got injured against Dumbarton. Think he only made two appearances after that from the bench. Scored a good goal against Clyde in the cup.
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He would've done ok but got injured against Dumbarton. Think he only made two appearances after that from the bench. Scored a good goal against Clyde in the cup.


How do you know he'd have done OK?

I've seen him a couple of times and not once did he impress me. I'm a wee bit worried he's down as a starter.

Hope to be proved wrong.
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How do you know he'd have done OK?

I've seen him a couple of times and not once did he impress me. I'm a wee bit worried he's down as a starter.

Hope to be proved wrong.

The fact that he actually had a bit of pace about him and looked like he could run past defenders automatically makes him better than some of the players we had who slowed us right down (Harkins).

He might flop he might not. Reckon we should give him a give him a shot since he didn't really get one last season. Plus he's one of only two natural wingers we've got so unless we sign someone else he'll probably play there. Better than playing Cairney or Crawford out of position.
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Good luck with that, what are the chances that'll be run efficiently.

Am I right in saying that it's different people working in the shop since the club took back control of it? Can't remember these things happening in the past season when we didn't own it.
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