Ok time to start a new thread for players movements, rumors etc.
Starting point being :
UNDER CONTRACT ( 8 ): Ecrepont, Ferguson, Harvie, Muirhead, Docherty, McGuffie, Murdoch, Forrest
OUT OF CONTRACT (14): Hare-Reid, Adams, Bell, Geggan, Higgins, Crawford, Faulds, Hilton, Kerr, McCowan, McDaid, Moffat, Moore, Shankland
LEAVING (5): Rose (Coventry City), Smith (Dundee United), Doohan (end of loan), Miller (end of loan), Cadden (end of loan)
Update -
Leaving - McDaid, Higgins
Resigned - Kerr, Bell
McCowan signed a 2 year deal a few weeks back.
https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/luke-signs-new-deal/
Moffat and Geggan signed for another year
Moore + adams sign till january.
Declan McDaid signs a 2 year deal with Dundee. A bit disappointed to hear this, as Dundee is not a move up from Ayr United. You only have to look at how we humped them last season.
I think it's a good move for McDaid, bigger club, presumably more money and a fresh start.
Typical mercurial lower league winger. Maybe Dundee can coach him to consistently take on and beat his man but I don't think it is there.
Harvie and Geggan/new rb know what to do when we play against them to make him withdraw into his shell.
Really hope Shankland to them as well is just hot air.
I am not of the opinion that Dundee are a bigger club than Ayr. They have a wee bit a parachute money to offer players a better contract. This will be short term. If they don't go straight back up they will end up in the doldrums of Scottish football.
Sorry I have to disagree Dundee average attendance this season 6024, last season 5987. Our average 2157 this season versus 1588 last season.
Had so many shysters in charge but have been up and down from the premier league about 10 times since we were last up there, played in Europe etc etc. Total shock we were challenging for the title last season and finishing 4th and reaching play offs was seen as an achievement. That would be a disappointing season for Dundee.
Personally don't think McDaid is premier quality so this was probably, other than Dundee United the biggest club he could have gone to. Good luck to him, but I think he is too inconsistent to be a roaring success, but maybe the better coaching inevitable with a bigger budget will see him kick on. Would have been going wtf if he had moved to Morton, QOS etc as that is in no way a big move.
Shankland a mix of too good for the championship/needs to prove himself at a higher level so will be serious wtf if he joins someone in our league.
Crawford another enigma. I have no idea if he is as good as he will get or better coaching would see him adding goals/killer passing to his game. Be less wtf if he moved to Morton, QOS etc if he said he just needed a change.
Okay ghostof jimmysmith, I take your point about Dundee, well presented and I have to agree with you. I will now climb back in my box.
I just felt McDaid would have moved onto something bigger. I have to agree that last season there were too many indifferent performances.
Crawford, I think he is as good as he is going to get as I believe he is 27/28 ish.
Good luck to the both of them.
I see Nicky Devlin is coming back to Scotland and has signed with Livingston.
One of the joys of the game is that we see things differently and are allowed to disagree :D
I actually think that your disappointment that a player left us for Dundee and not someone better is refreshing compared to where we were just a couple of years back.
Welcome to Super Ayr Sam.
https://twitter.com/AyrUnitedFC/status/1139132643994427394
Wikipedia updated quickly. Think the last couple of sentences came from a source other than McCall :)
Quote
On the 13th June 2019, Ian McCall has moved to make Sam his first signing of the summer transfer window by adding Aberdeen defender Sam Roscoe to the Championship title challengers. Ian said: "Sam is a left sided centre back who has a serious presence about him. We needed a replacement for Michael Rose and Sam is a different type of player. He has played almost a full season at Championship level and did very well. We have got him on a 2 year contract and are absolutely delighted to get the deal over the line. Sam is over the moon about joining Ayrshires biggest club. This season we will steamroller our way to the Premier League and Sam will be rock solid in defence. I just hope that Kilmarnock FC go in the opposite direction"
Robbie is offski
Crawford away, probably the best thing for his own career.
Be interesting to see where he goes, good luck to him.
Leon Murphy on loan to Stranraer until January
Robbie signs for Livingston
Good luck to Robbie, he's been a loyal player over many seasons. It will be interesting to see how he does at a Premier League club. as he really didn't contribute too much last season in the Championship, except hard work closing down in midfield. I don't think he scored any goals or had many assists either.
It should be an interesting game against Livingstone on 16 July with both Robbie and Nicky Devlin playing against us.
The Manager needs to crack on now to get in about 5 or 6 new players, in particular, an experienced goalkeeper and some firepower upfront. It won't be easy with our limited spending power, but I'm sure an experienced Manager like Ian McCall will not let us down.
Can't wait for next season to start, as Saturdays are very dull at the moment.
Ayr's midfield players will be shaking in their shoes at the prospect of a match against Livingston, with Robbie running alongside them, threatening to tackle but never quite getting around to it.
I always viewed Robbie as having real potential but I've listened to successive managers saying he needs to add goals to his game. Unfortunately, he hasn't managed to do that in the past six seasons. In more recent years I've found it increasingly frustrating how he has sprinted towards opponents only to pull up at the last moment and do nothing. Add that to his tendency to match the runs of opponents without actually putting in a tackle without conceding a free kick and I'm not alarmed about his departure.
On the positive side, he has been enthusiastic, conscientious and well worth giving an opportunity. I hope Robbie goes on to have a bright future in the game but to be particularly unsuccessful when he plays against Ayr United.
Whatever your opinions of Robbie as a player, he is an academy graduate who played 226 times for the club including two spells in the championship - what we want the academy to produce more of.
Good luck to him, Livingston is probably the right kind of club for him to move to, smallish squad, club expected to struggle so will get a chance etc.
Interesting to gauge other championship teams fans reaction on P + B, they seemed to have a higher regard for him than we did. I think how we regarded him was coloured by his inclusion for so long in a midfield that included Gilmour and Donald.
Would be funny though if L*vvy have signed him to play right mid.
Hope he slips Ryan McStay a wee bung as well, as his honkingness is what gave Crawford his chance.
Welcome to the Super Ayr Kris.
https://twitter.com/AyrUnitedFC/status/1143083351588397056
Its worth reading some of the comments about Ian McCall's expression ;D
McCall looks like he's going to thump anyone who goes near him !
Going by his AU media interview McCall sounds very confident that Doohan will be back.
I see we have signed ex-Partick Thistle striker Kris Doolan. See club website.
Welcome to the Super Ayr Frank Ross on a 6 month loan from Aberdeen FC.
Would be good to see more of this
What is happening with this one as announced as a done deal on Monday but McCall in AP saying it is highly likely?
Stephen Kelly signs on loan from Rangers. He seems highly rated at Ibrox, hopefully, he will do us a turn in midfield during the season.
I must admit I'm not a fan of loan signings, especially after the two we signed in the January window last season(Cadden & Miller), who were average at best.
Hopefully, we'll sign an experienced 'keeper in the next few days and we'll be all set for a decent season.
Lad is highly rated by the folks I have spoken to that follow Rangers so on that basis looks a decent signing.
Only slightly jarring thing for me, and not draping a cloak on negativity just bellyaching, is that LC said in the facebook chat that complying with Project Brave requirements is a significant financial drain on the club - yet when we are short of bodies we bring in other clubs 19 year olds.
At what point do we start to set some expectations on the academy relationship that is more than one player making a first team breakthrough every other year - being generous on that as McGuffie and McCowan still works in progress - even someone over 5 foot 8 coming through the academy would be progress.
Heard this about Stephen Kelly from a R*****s fan at the work this morning
Yes very highly rated, midfield player, maybe a bit on the light side but we will see
He played a few games towards the end of last season
Sounds a promising signing
Ross Doohan back in season loan great news
Great to see Doohan finally confirmed
Going by voice of reason, Moore to sign 18month contract. Good News.
https://twitter.com/VoiceAyr/status/1206581549921132552
Moore officially signs until the end of next season
Michael Hewitt recalled from loan at Kilwinning Rangers
Looks like we are getting 2 on loan from ipswitch.
Drinan signed on loan from Ipswich and in squad for tomorrow. Ipswich midfielder not getting signed. Possibly another midfielder signing if a deal can be agreed and also a deal has been done with Rangers to take Jordan Houston full-time......if Jordan agrees.
Houston signed for 2 years
Quote from: Big D on January 23, 2020, 15:24:47 Houston signed for 2 years
Just to add credit the efforts of the AU500 club which shows how regardless of how small or large it is making a difference.
Kerr Comments -
QuoteI would like to thank not only our Board of Directors but the AU500FUND who's recent donation to the club contributed to being able to make this deal happen."
Another addition wow. Grant Gillespie - Mid field.

https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/grant-gillespie-signs/?fbclid=IwAR3u3_WmSR9Bq7FRGBgvRkD-QrmfdF6HF7RHJ38MozgKsxycUYgAMOoZEk0 (https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/grant-gillespie-signs/?fbclid=IwAR3u3_WmSR9Bq7FRGBgvRkD-QrmfdF6HF7RHJ38MozgKsxycUYgAMOoZEk0)
It's all looking promising. Pleased for Kerr, squad hopefully taking shape.
Scott Tiffoney (winger) from Livingston signed till the end of the season, not sure if this means Forrest has gone?
Does anyone know if he is related to ex-Ayr right back Jonathan Tiffoney? He's about seven years younger.
McGuffie signs 18 month deal with Morton, Doolan released.
Ndaba loan falls through as he's already been loaned out twice this season. You would think the clubs would know these things !
I think Scott is Jonathan's brother.
Quote from: Ian Boswell on January 30, 2020, 13:39:31 Does anyone know if he is related to ex-Ayr right back Jonathan Tiffoney? He's about seven years younger.
They are brothers.
Ayr sign Connor Malley from middlesborough on loan till end of season.
Doolan released, Michael Hewitt on loan to Annan Athletic.
Just hope the loanees fit in and have a good attitude.
Stephen Kelly signed for Ross County on a season long loan so will not be back with us next season. Good luck to him, I think he is good enough to play top flight football.
Lots of things in football annoying me at the moment but given competitive football, and indeed any turnstile cash is months away, the Pars signing Steven Whittaker and Paul Watson weeks after claiming they couldn't even pay 20% of youth teams players wages for another month is pretty shocking.
Former loanee Kevin Nisbet sold to Hibs by Dunfermline for 250k apparently. Good business by Dunfermline managing to cash in on a player. Shame we haven't managed it with any of our recent departures
I remember coming out of the Betfred game against Morton and their fans wondering what we had done to Lawrence Shankland, wh had just scored a hat trick, as he looked a totally transformed player from the one who was on loan with them.
Ayr fans thinking the same with Kevin Nisbet - put the ball wide on the goal line against Raith, asked to come off against Dumbarton as it was too cold and windy etc - I get that he sorted his attitude out but really not sure where the goal scoring ability has come from.
He looks to have bulked up a lot.