D'Jaffo Posted April 7, 2019 Author Share Posted April 7, 2019 Is merely surviving in this league the height of our ambition? Very sad Let’s presume Ross County and Dundee United go up with Dundee and St Mirren/Hamilton coming down the league will be weaker. Top 4 should be the target. Establishing ourselves in this league is the target. This season will likely make people reassess their expectations for Ayr and I’ve no issue with folk wanting us in the Premiership but it isn’t happening overnight. We’re going to lose a lot of good players in the summer a few of which will be extremely difficult to replace. I’ll be happy with a steady if unspectacular season next season so long as we’re planning for the future. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoBNob Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 1 hour ago, ayrunitedfw said: Is merely surviving in this league the height of our ambition? Very sad Let’s presume Ross County and Dundee United go up with Dundee and St Mirren/Hamilton coming down the league will be weaker. Top 4 should be the target. You're then presuming that the sides with larger budgets who have underperformed this season (Dunfermline, Partick and Falkirk) continue to do so, if those sides perform closer to there budget the playoffs become harder to get in. Allot will depend on who you replace Shankland with, however since he's had a spell out injured and came back your form really hasn't been great. You 0 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 With any luck the league will have two part time teams in it next season, which ought to improve chances of survival significantly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyrExile Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 8 hours ago, D'Jaffo said: Agreed however I’d expect Ferguson to start off as our first choice right back next season. Docherty is unlikely to play every game but I’m happy for him to be a squad player. Yes this is the risk. However bar a miracle we’re probably going to be fighting down the bottom of the table next season so there’s always a risk of us going back to where we came from. If this is how the club chooses to progress they are at least planning for the future for the first time in years. And of the rest only Harvie is signed up for next season. It’s nothing to do with having a younger squad though it’s probably more to do with spending within our means and not relying on Cameron. If the club can get a few of the youngsters on longer deals and bring in other players then they can potentially have sellable assets in a year or two. Ferguson at right back? Having seen some of Harvies performances that would be worrying as he was miles ahead of Ferguson. Would rather Docherty played right back if that’s what next season looks like tbh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 From a realists position, I think if Arbroath come up and Alloa stay up, then our chances of consolidation in this league have to be excellent, irrespective of everything else. As it stands right now, we're still in a fantastic position and are likely to remain that way, if we do indeed make the play offs then it's a free shot at glory and whatever happens it will still have been a great season and in fact our best in about 30 years, if you discount the Barr era when we were spending silly money on players. I also believe we've got a decent start for next season with the players already signed. Ok, we'll lose Shankland, Smith and Doohan, however the rest are either re-signed or will possibly re-sign if offered deals and for those who walk or retire we should have enough cash in freed up wages and additional Prize money to be able to compete with your QOS's and Morton's of this league. I don't know about anyone else, however this is the most upbeat I've been as an Ayr fan since the days of Gary Teale etc and for once I can actually see us moving forward as a club as opposed to us bouncing back and fourth from the seaside leagues to Championship whipping boy with a complete turnover of staff each year and a team full of mediocre league 1 journeymen or glorified junior players. It's all good.......... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yid_in_Exiile Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, AuAl said: Yeah 7 is Kieran McLaughlin, great player. As it was 8-0 there wasn't much of the centre half Nathan Baird. A real prospect imo. I was very impressed by how Baird played in the Reserve Challenge Cup Final against Livi the other month. Only one game I know, but he not only hardly put a foot wrong all game but talked his dodgy fullback through the game too when he was having a bit of a torid time. Looked like a bit of a leader on the park, as well as a player. I was impressed and told him he would have been my MOTM at the end, which clearly chuffed him. Edited April 8, 2019 by Yid_in_Exiile 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarilla Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Is merely surviving in this league the height of our ambition? Very sad Let’s presume Ross County and Dundee United go up with Dundee and St Mirren/Hamilton coming down the league will be weaker. Top 4 should be the target. To begin with, yeah. We need to establish ourselves as a championship club - which we haven't done for over fifteen years! Once we're established then you push on to the next level. Top four could very well be an unrealistic target next season, depending obviously on who leaves and who comes in. Our budget is still very low in this league. People seem to forget that, and a poor home crowd at the weekend reminds us just how fragile our recent success has been. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 ICT are currently 3rd with the 6th biggest budget in the division. Which I find #pleasing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yid_in_Exiile Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 1 minute ago, TheScarf said: ICT are currently 3rd with the 6th biggest budget in the division. Which I find #pleasing. You should be if that is true. It would be a similar level of performance to us currently 4th with the 9th (possibly equal 8th) biggest budget in the division. It's bloody difficult to keep doing that year after year though, which is what we will need to do to consolidate ourselves in this League whilst our crowd rebuilds itself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest_Ally Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 38 minutes ago, pandarilla said: Our budget is still very low in this league. People seem to forget that, and a poor home crowd at the weekend reminds us just how fragile our recent success has been. 4 minutes ago, TheScarf said: ICT are currently 3rd with the 6th biggest budget in the division. Which I find #pleasing. Ayr are currently 4th with the 9th biggest budget in the division. Which is also no mean feat. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Just now, Yid_in_Exiile said: You should be if that is true. It would be a similar level of performance to us currently 4th with the 9th (possibly equal 8th) biggest budget in the division. It's bloody difficult to keep doing that year after year though, which is what we will need to do to consolidate ourselves in this League whilst our crowd rebuilds itself. According to Robbo it's the obvious 3 of County, United and Partick, with Falkirk and Dunfermline paying more too. Agreed though, its actually bad over performing in a way, because you're top players get noticed and get offered more money by clubs that we can't compete with. If you're shite and mid/bottom end of the table you're players don't get bothered with. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest_Ally Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 1 minute ago, TheScarf said: According to Robbo it's the obvious 3 of County, United and Partick, with Falkirk and Dunfermline paying more too. Agreed though, its actually bad over performing in a way, because you're top players get noticed and get offered more money by clubs that we can't compete with. If you're shite and mid/bottom end of the table you're players don't get bothered with. That is exactly what is happening to us with Shankland, Rose and Smith already being signed by other teams. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERSOUTH Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, Honest_Ally said: That is exactly what is happening to us with Shankland, Rose and Smith already being signed by other teams. Queens are the same with Dykes & Todd confirmed elsewhere next season & one or two others rumoured away already too, only Dobbie is signed up for next season... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarilla Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 That is exactly what is happening to us with Shankland, Rose and Smith already being signed by other teams.Has Smith signed with someone? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPERSOUTH Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 18 minutes ago, Honest_Ally said: That is exactly what is happening to us with Shankland, Rose and Smith already being signed by other teams. Where is Shankland heading? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the west curve Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, SUPERSOUTH said: Where is Shankland heading? His agent tried to get Killie interested but I hope not. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted April 8, 2019 Author Share Posted April 8, 2019 Has Smith signed with someone? Dundee Utd were interested in January and the rumour now is he’s signed a pre contract with them. I’ve absolutely no clue how true that is though. His agent tried to get Killie interested but I hope not.Shite bait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yid_in_Exiile Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 (edited) 25 minutes ago, SUPERSOUTH said: Where is Shankland heading? Nobody knows for sure. Was strongly linked with both Sunderland and Swansea earlier in the season, more recently Hibernian and Sevco. If I was a betting man I would put somewhere in the English Championship or League One as favourites... Edited April 8, 2019 by Yid_in_Exiile 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk89 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Would like to think Smith and Shankland will be jumping atleast 1 tier. Would be a damp squib imo for Smith to goto Dundee United IF they are still in this league next season as he's more than capable of a crack in the Premiership. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest_Ally Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 23 minutes ago, pandarilla said: 41 minutes ago, Honest_Ally said: That is exactly what is happening to us with Shankland, Rose and Smith already being signed by other teams. Has Smith signed with someone? It was reported that he signed a pre-contract with Dundee United. McCall also hinted at it without saying it outright. 21 minutes ago, SUPERSOUTH said: Where is Shankland heading? He has been offered contracts by loads of clubs. I dont know if he has signed with anyone yet, but it's only a matter of time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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