This article'slead sectionmay be too short to adequatelysummarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead toprovide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(October 2024) |
| 2022–23 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | David Smith | |||
| Manager | Lee Bullen | |||
| Stadium | Somerset Park | |||
| Scottish Championship | 2nd | |||
| Premiership play-offs | Semi-finals | |||
| Scottish Cup | Quarter-finals | |||
| Scottish League Cup | Group stage | |||
| Scottish Challenge Cup | Third round | |||
| Top goalscorer | League:Dipo Akinyemi (20) All: Dipo Akinyemi (24) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 5,811 vs.Partick Thistle, Play-offs, 20 May 2023 | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 1,194 vs.Elgin City, League Cup, 9 July 2022 | |||
| Average home league attendance | 2,213 | |||
The2022–23 season wasAyr United's fifth consecutive season in theScottish Championship after being promoted from league one in the2017–18 season. Ayr also competed in the,League Cup,Challenge Cup and theScottish Cup.
In their first full season under the management ofLee Bullen, Ayr United finished as runners-up in the Scottish Championship and thus progressed to the semi-final of the Premiership play-off. Ultimately their bid for promotion was ended by Partick Thistle who would on to win 8−0 on aggregate across the two legs.[1][2]
Win Draw Loss Postponed
| 23 June 2022 | Ayr United | 1−1 | Dumbarton | Largs |
| 19:00 | McNiff | Report | Love | Stadium:National Sports Training Centre Inverclyde |
| 25 June 2022 | Ayr United | 2−1 | Stranraer | Kilwinning |
| 12:00 | Ashford Bryden | Trialist | Stadium:Kilwinning Sports Club |
| 28 June 2022 | Ayr United | 3−0 | Darvel | Largs |
| Akinyemi Murdoch | Report | Stadium:National Sports Training Centre Inverclyde |
| 30 June 2022 | Ayr United | 1−1 | University of Washington | Cumnock |
| Akinyemi | Report | Stadium:Townhead Park |
| 18 August 2022 | Ayr United | 0−4 | Young Queen's Park | Cumnock |
| 15:00 | Report | Connolly Scott Longridge | Stadium:Townhead Park |
| 30 July 20221 | Ayr United | 0−0 | Arbroath | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Report | O'Brien | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,872 Referee: Chris Graham |
| 5 August 20222 | Queen's Park | 2−3 | Ayr United | Stenhousemuir |
| 19:45 | Murray Thomas | Report | Akinyemi McGinty | Stadium:Ochilview Park Attendance: 943 Referee: Matthew MacDermid |
| 13 August 20223 | Ayr United | 2−2 | Hamilton Academical | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Akinyemi Murdoch | Report | Winter O'Reilly | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,014 Referee: Gavin Duncan |
| 20 August 20224 | Cove Rangers | 1−2 | Ayr United | Cove Bay |
| 15:00 | Masson | Report | Dempsey Akinyemi | Stadium:Balmoral Stadium Attendance: 951 Referee: Scott Lambie |
| 26 August 20225 | Ayr United | 3−1 | Dundee | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Akinyemi Houston | Report | Rudden Sweeney | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,274 Referee: Greg Aitken |
| 3 September 20226 | Greenock Morton | 1−2 | Ayr United | Greenock |
| 15:00 | Muirhead | Report | Akinyemi McKeznie | Stadium:Cappielow Attendance: 1,935 Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
| 17 September 20227 | Raith Rovers | 3−2 | Ayr United | Kirkcaldy |
| 15:00 | Connell Stanton Brown | Report | Young Murdoch | Stadium:Stark's Park Attendance: 2,045 Referee: Greg Aitken |
| 1 October 20228 | Ayr United | 0−1 | Inverness CT | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Report | Harper | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,866 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 8 October 20229 | Ayr United | 5−0 | Queen's Park | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Akinyemi Young Dempsey | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,052 Referee: Don Robertson |
| 15 October 202210 | Dundee | 2−1 | Ayr United | Dundee |
| 15:00 | McMullan Robinson | Report | Mullin | Stadium:Dens Park Attendance: 4,490 Referee: Grant Irvine |
| 22 October 202211 | Ayr United | 2−2 | Cove Rangers | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Akinyemi Kirk | Report | Scully McDonagh | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,847 Referee: Calum Scott |
| 25 October 202212 | Ayr United | 4−2 | Partick Thistle | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Chalmers Brownlie Mullin McKenzie | Report | Hodson Graham | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,782 Referee: William Collum |
| 29 October 202213 | Arbroath | 0−2 | Ayr United | Arbroath |
| 15:00 | Report | Dempsey Mitchell-Lawson | Stadium:Gayfield Park Referee: Graham Grainger |
| 5 November 202214 | Ayr United | 1−1 | Greenock Morton | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Kirk | Report | Quitongo | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,819 Referee: Euan Anderson |
| 11 November 202215 | Hamilton Academical | 2−3 | Ayr United | Hamilton |
| 19:45 | Lawson Ecrepont | Report | Akinyemi Dempsey | Stadium:New Douglas Park Attendance: 1,677 Referee: Matthew MacDermid |
| 19 November 202216 | Inverness CT | 2−2 | Ayr United | Inverness |
| 15:00 | Shaw | Report | McKenzie Akinyemi | Stadium:Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 2,066 Referee: Grant Irvine |
| 3 December 202217 | Ayr United | 2−0 | Raith Rovers | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Mullin | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,094 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 17 December 202218 | Partick Thistle | 3−2 | Ayr United | Glasgow |
| 15:00 | Milne Graham Lawless | Report | Akinyemi Chalmers | Stadium:Firhill Stadium Attendance: 2,831 Referee: David Munro |
| 23 December 202219 | Ayr United | 0−2 | Dundee | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Bangala | Report | Mulligan McCowan | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,704 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 7 January 202320 | Ayr United | 1−0 | Hamilton Academical | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Mullin | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,988 Referee: Calum Scott |
| 14 January 202321 | Ayr United | 2−2 | Arbroath | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Dempsey McGinty | Report | Adarkwa Ben El-Mhanni | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,064 Referee: Craig Napier |
| 27 January 202322 | Cove Rangers | 0−5 | Ayr United | Aberdeen |
| 19:45 | Report | McAllister Dempsey Mullin Bryden | Stadium:Balmoral Stadium Referee: Graham Grainger |
| 3 February 202323 | Queen's Park | 2−0 | Ayr United | Stenhousemuir |
| 19:45 | Thomas McAllister | Report | Stadium:Ochilview Park Attendance: 1,192 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 18 February 202324 | Ayr United | 0−1 | Partick Thistle | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Report | Mullen | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 3,097 Referee: Nick Walsh |
| 24 February 202325 | Raith Rovers | 0−0 | Ayr United | Kirkcaldy |
| 19:45 | Report | Stadium:Stark's Park Attendance: 1,939 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 4 March 202326 | Ayr United | 1−2 | Inverness CT | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Akinyemi O'Connor | Report | Welsh Henderson | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,820 Referee: Scott Lambie |
| 7 March 202327 | Greenock Morton | 1−3 | Ayr United | Greenock |
| 19:45 | Crawford | Report | Ashford McGinty Akinyemi | Stadium:Cappielow Attendance: 2,309 Referee: Peter Stuart |
| 18 March 202328 | Hamilton Academical | 0−2 | Ayr United | Hamilton |
| 15:00 | Report | Dempsey Ashford | Stadium:New Douglas Park Attendance: 1,284 Referee: Calum Scott |
| 21 March 202329 | Dundee | 3−1 | Ayr United | Dundee |
| 19:45 | Sweeney Jakubiak McCowan | Report | Akinyemi | Stadium:Dens Park Attendance: 4,007 Referee: Steven Kirkland |
| 24 March 202330 | Ayr United | 3−0 | Cove Rangers | Ayr |
| 19:45 | O'Connor Akinyemi Mitchell-Lawson | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,710 Referee: Craig Napier |
| 31 March 202331 | Arbroath | 2−0 | Ayr United | Arbroath |
| 19:45 | Hilson Gold | Report | Stadium:Gayfield Park Attendance: 1,759 Referee: Chris Graham |
| 8 April 202332 | Ayr United | 1−1 | Greenock Morton | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Musonda | Report | Waters Oakley | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,265 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 15 April 202333 | Partick Thistle | 1−1 | Ayr United | Glasgow |
| 15:00 | Tiffoney | Report | Akinyemi | Stadium:Firhill Stadium Attendance: 4,102 Referee: Grant Irvine |
| 21 April 202334 | Ayr United | 0–0 | Queen's Park | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,230 Referee: Steven McLean |
| 29 April 202335 | Ayr United | 1–0 | Raith Rovers | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Musonda | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,331 Referee: David Munro |
| 5 May 202336 | Inverness CT | 1–2 | Ayr United | Inverness |
| 19:45 | Shaw | Report | Mullin McKenzie | Stadium:Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 3,435 Referee: Don Robertson |
| 19 May 2023Semi-finals 1st Leg | Partick Thistle | 3–0 | Ayr United | Glasgow |
| 19:45 | McMillan Graham | Report | Stadium:Firhill Stadium Attendance: 7,012 Referee: Greg Aitken |
| 26 May 2023Semi-finals 2nd Leg | Ayr United | 0–5 (0–8agg.) | Partick Thistle | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Akinyemi | Report | McMillan Tiffoney Lawless Holt | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 5,811 Referee: Colin Steven |
Results
| 9 July 2022Group stage | Ayr United | 3−0[A] | Elgin City | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,194 Referee: David Munro |
| 12 July 2022Group stage | Ayr United | 0−3 | Queen of the South | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Report | Connelly Murray Todd | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,352 Referee: Duncan Williams |
| 19 July 2022Group stage | Annan Athletic | 1−1 (5−4p) | Ayr United | Annan |
| 19:45 | Docherty Wallace | Report | Bryden | Stadium:Galabank Attendance: 528 Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
| 23 July 2022Group stage | St Johnstone | 1−0 | Ayr United | Perth |
| 15:00 | Carey | Report | Stadium:McDiarmid Park Attendance: 2,036 Referee: Gavin Duncan |
| 22 September 2022Third round | Greenock Morton | 1−1 (5−4p) | Ayr United | Greenock |
| 19:45 | McGregor | Mullin | Stadium:Cappielow Attendance: 988 Referee: Craig Napier |
| 28 November 2022Third round | Ayr United | 1−0 | Pollok | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Dempsey | Report | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 2,425 Referee: Don Robertson |
| 31 January 2023Fourth round | Cove Rangers | 0−3 | Ayr United | Aberdeen |
| 19:45 | Report | McKenzie Akinyemi Ashford | Stadium:Balmoral Stadium Attendance: 433 Referee: Steven Kirkland |
| 11 February 2023Fifth round | Ayr United | 4−1 | Elgin City | Ayr |
| 15:00 | Bryden Dempsey Akinyemi | Report | Hester | Stadium:Somerset Park Attendance: 1,819 Referee: John Beaton |
| 13 March 2023Quarter-final | Falkirk | 2−1 | Ayr United | Falkirk |
| 19:45 | Morrison Kennedy | Report | Akinyemi | Stadium:Falkirk Stadium Attendance: 6,375 Referee: Nick Walsh |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Championship | League Cup | Challenge Cup | Scottish Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 1 | GK | Aidan McAdams | 7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | |
| 2 | DF | Jordan Houston | 25 | 1 | 10+7 | 1 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | |
| 3 | DF | Patrick Reading | 46 | 0 | 36+2 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | |
| 4 | DF | Frankie Musonda | 30 | 1 | 24+1 | 1 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| 5 | DF | Sean McGinty | 43 | 3 | 30+5 | 3 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | |
| 6 | MF | Andy Murdoch | 34 | 2 | 26+2 | 2 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| 8 | MF | Ben Dempsey | 46 | 9 | 37+0 | 7 | 3+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 2 | |
| 9 | FW | Dipo Akinyemi | 46 | 24 | 37+0 | 20 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 4+0 | 4 | |
| 10 | MF | Daire O'Connor | 32 | 1 | 14+12 | 1 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | |
| 11 | MF | Jayden Mitchell-Lawson | 36 | 2 | 9+21 | 2 | 2+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | |
| 14 | MF | Josh Mullin | 26 | 9 | 22+2 | 8 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| 15 | DF | Alex Kirk | 24 | 2 | 19+1 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | |
| 17 | DF | Nick McAllister | 33 | 1 | 25+2 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | |
| 18 | MF | Reece McAlear | 17 | 0 | 12+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | |
| 20 | MF | Michael Hewitt | 17 | 0 | 8+4 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| 21 | GK | Charlie Albinson | 40 | 0 | 38+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 22 | FW | Mark McKenzie | 43 | 5 | 15+20 | 4 | 1+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 | |
| 23 | FW | Sam Ashford | 42 | 3 | 21+13 | 2 | 3+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 | |
| 24 | MF | Scott Tomlinson | 1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| 26 | DF | Kinlay Bilham | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| 27 | FW | Max Guthrie | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 30 | FW | Fraser Bryden | 20 | 3 | 3+10 | 1 | 0+3 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+4 | 1 | |
| 31 | MF | Paul Smith | 24 | 0 | 6+12 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | |
| 32 | MF | Dylan Watret | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | |
| 33 | MF | Carter Jenkins | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 77 | FW | Chris Maguire | 15 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| Players who left the club during the 2022–23 season | |||||||||||||
| 7 | FW | Michael Moffat | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 16 | MF | Logan Chalmers | 12 | 2 | 8+3 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| 18 | FW | Brad Young | 13 | 2 | 7+4 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | |
| 19 | GK | Tom Carter | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 25 | DF | Finn Ecrepont | 9 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 28 | DF | Alex Jeanes | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| 29 | MF | David Bangala | 9 | 0 | 1+5 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | |
| 34 | FW | Dario Viviani | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dundee(C, P) | 36 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 66 | 40 | +26 | 63 | Promotion to thePremiership |
| 2 | Ayr United | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 61 | 43 | +18 | 58 | Qualification for thePremiership play-off semi-final |
| 3 | Queen's Park | 36 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 63 | 52 | +11 | 58 | Qualification for thePremiership play-off quarter-final |
| 4 | Partick Thistle | 36 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 65 | 45 | +20 | 57 | |
| 5 | Greenock Morton | 36 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 53 | 43 | +10 | 57 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | ANN | QOS | STJ | AYR | ELG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annan Athletic | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 10 | Qualification for thesecond round | — | — | — | p1–1 | 4–0 | |
| 2 | Queen of the South | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 8 | 2–3 | — | p2–2 | — | — | ||
| 3 | St Johnstone | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 8 | 0–0p | — | — | 1–0 | — | ||
| 4 | Ayr United | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 4 | — | 0–3 | — | — | 3–0[a] | ||
| 5 | Elgin City | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 13 | −11 | 0 | — | 0–2 | 2–4 | — | — |
| Date | Position | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 2022 | MF | Undisclosed | [9] | ||
| 3 June 2022 | FW | Free transfer | [10] | ||
| 10 June 2022 | MF | [11] | |||
| 22 June 2022 | DF | Raith Rovers | [12] | ||
| 28 June 2022 | MF | [13] | |||
| 31 January 2023 | MF | Josh Mullin | Livingston | [14] | |
| 20 February 2023 | FW | Chris Maguire | Free Agent | [15] |
| Date | Position | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 2022 | DF | Free transfer | [16] | ||
| DF | Retired[16] | ||||
| MF | Free transfer | [16][17] | |||
| MF | Michael Miller | Stenhousemuir | [16][18] | ||
| 16 May 2022 | DF | Aaron Muirhead | Partick Thistle | [19] | |
| 1 July 2022 | DF | Jack Baird | Greenock Morton | [20] | |
| 15 July 2022 | FW | [21] | |||
| Date | Position | Name | From | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July 2022 | DF | 31 May 2023 | [22] | ||
| 19 August 2022 | GK | Jack McConnell | Rangers | 26 August 2022 | [23] |
| 31 August 2022 | MF | Josh Mullin | Livingston | 31 January 2023 | [24] |
| 1 September 2022 | FW | 31 May 2023 | [25] | ||
| 3 September 2022 | GK | Hibernian | 10 September 2022 | [26] | |
| 30 September 2022 | MF | Logan Chalmers | Dundee United | 14 January 2023 | [27] |
| 31 January 2023 | MF | Reece McAlear | 31 May 2023 | [28] |
| Date | Position | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 September 2022 | DF | Michael Hewitt | Peterhead | 1 January 2023 | [29] |
| 26 January 2023 | DF | Finn Ecrepont | Stranraer | 31 May 2023 | [30] |
| 31 January 2023 | FW | Michael Moffat | Glenafton Athletic | [31] | |
| 1 February 2023 | MF | Cove Rangers | [32] |
Notes