View source for Ayr United F.C.

{{Short description|Association football club in Scotland}}
{{About|the Scottish football club|the similarly named Isle of Man football club|Ayre United A.F.C.}}
{{Distinguish|Ayr F.C.|Ayr United Football Academy}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Ayr United
| image = Ayr United FC crest.svg
| image_size = 180px
| fullname = Ayr United Football Club
| nickname = The Honest Men<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/about_club_directory.asp |title=Ayr United FC |access-date=25 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320223122/http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/about_club_directory.asp |archive-date=20 March 2012}}</ref>
| founded = {{Start date and age|1910|df=yes}}
| ground = [[Somerset Park]]
| capacity = {{SPFL-stadiums|ayr}}<ref name="capacity"/> (1,597 seated)
| chairman = David Smith
| manager = [[Scott Brown (footballer, born June 1985)|Scott Brown]]
| league = {{Scottish football updater|AyrUnite}}
| season = {{Scottish football updater|AyrUnite2}}
| position = {{Scottish football updater|AyrUnite3}}
| current = 2025–26 Ayr United F.C. season
| website = {{URL|https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/}}
<!-- Home Kit -->| pattern_la1 = _ayrutd2425h
| pattern_la3 = _ayrutd2425t
| pattern_b1 = _ayrutd2425h
| pattern_b3 = _ayrutd2425t
| pattern_ra1 = _ayrutd2425h
| pattern_ra3 = _ayrutd2425t
| pattern_sh1 = _whitesides
| pattern_sh3 = _ayrutd2425t
| pattern_so1 = _hoops_black
| pattern_so3 = _ayrutd2425t
| leftarm1 = FFFFFF
| body1 = FFFFFF
| rightarm1 = FFFFFF
| shorts1 = 000000
| socks1 = FFFFFF
<!-- Away Kit -->| pattern_la2 = _ayrutd2425a
| pattern_b2 = _ayrutd2425a
| pattern_ra2 = _ayrutd2425a
| leftarm2 = FFFF00
| body2 = FFFF00
| rightarm2 = FFFF00
| shorts2 = FFFF00
| socks2 = FFFF00
| pattern_so2 = _ayrutd2425a
| pattern_sh2 = _ayrutd2425a
}}

'''Ayr United Football Club''' are a [[association football|football]] club in [[Ayr]], Scotland, who play in the {{Scottish football updater|AyrUnite}}, the second tier of the [[Scottish Professional Football League]]. Formed in 1910 by the merger of [[Ayr Parkhouse F.C.|Ayr Parkhouse]] and [[Ayr F.C.]], their nickname is The Honest Men, from a line in the [[Robert Burns]] poem "[[Tam o' Shanter (poem)|Tam o' Shanter]]". They play at [[Somerset Park]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ayr-united.co.uk/html/club_history.html|title=Club History|access-date=14 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607172242/http://www.ayr-united.co.uk/html/club_history.html|archive-date=7 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The club is currently managed by [[Scott Brown (footballer, born June 1985)|Scott Brown]]. The club have spent 34 seasons in Scotland's top division, the last being [[1977–78 in Scottish football|1977–78]], and have been the champions of the second tier of Scottish football on six occasions, and of the third tier on three occasions. The club's most successful manager, [[Ally MacLeod]], went on to manage the [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national team]]. In 2018, Ayr United secured promotion to the [[Scottish Championship]] as champions of [[Scottish League One|League One]].

==History==
{{See also|List of Ayr United F.C. seasons}}

Ayr United were founded in 1910 by the merger of [[Ayr Parkhouse F.C.|Ayr Parkhouse]] and [[Ayr F.C.]] Although [[Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.|Inverness Caledonian Thistle]] are also the product of a merger between two clubs, Ayr United are the only Scottish Football League club to have been formed from a merger of two existing league clubs.

The club's honours include winning six Second Division titles (as the second tier championship) and a further three titles (as the third tier championship), most recently in 2017–18. They have not won any national cup competitions, although they were runners-up in the 2001–02 Scottish League Cup, and in the Scottish Challenge Cup in the first two seasons in which the competition was held: 1990–91 and 1991–92. They have won the local competition the Ayrshire Cup on 26 occasions, most commonly facing fierce local rivals [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]] in the final. The Ayrshire Cup was last played for in season 1996–97, since when the competition has been suspended.

The club's record scorer in a single season is [[Jimmy Smith (footballer, born 1902)|Jimmy Smith]], who scored 66 goals for Ayr in only 38 league matches in 1927–28 and currently holds the British goalscoring record for the most league goals scored in a single season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/club-honours/|title=Club Honours – Ayr United Football Club|website=www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk|access-date=30 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611051211/http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/club-honours/|archive-date=11 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The club's overall record scorer is [[Peter Price (footballer, born 1932)|Peter Price]], who scored 213 times in competitive matches for the club between 1955 and 1962.

Former Scotland national team manager [[Ally MacLeod]] is regarded as the club's most famous and most successful manager. He led the club on three separate occasions spanning 15 years, during which his teams recorded a record 214 wins, and won two league titles. In 1973 MacLeod was voted Ayr's Citizen of the Year. More recent managers have also included the recent Scotland national team manager, [[George Burley]], and former [[Scottish League Cup]] winner with [[Raith Rovers F.C.|Raith Rovers]], [[Gordon Dalziel]]. Gordon Dalziel is the only manager to take Ayr to a national cup final on 17 March 2002 when they lost to Rangers 4–0.

Although the club has spent 34 seasons in Scotland's top division, they have played in the second and third tiers of Scottish senior football since the 1977–78 season. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the club established a record of defeating teams which played in higher leagues in [[Scottish football#Scottish Cup|cup competitions]], including [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]], [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee]], [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]], [[Motherwell F.C.|Motherwell]], [[Dunfermline F.C.|Dunfermline Athletic]] and four consecutive wins in cup competitions against their fiercest rivals [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]].

In 1988, Ayr United fan and businessman [[David Murray (Scottish businessman)|Sir David Murray]] offered to buy the club but the club's shareholders rejected the bid by a vote of 60 to 56. The manager at that time, Ally MacLeod, had threatened to leave if Murray's bid had succeeded: Murray went on to become chairman of [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]], which coincided with a period of financial growth and league success for that club. During much of the 1990s and 2000s, a period of relative success both in league and cup competitions, the Ayr United chairman was local construction magnate Bill Barr. After Barr stood down, there were occasional boardroom struggles: the club suffered significant cashflow problems in 2004 although it survived with a combination of efforts. [[Prestwick]]-based Roy Kennedy failed to take over the club in 2005, and his company Kennedy Construction went bankrupt in 2006.

On 24 May 2009, Ayr won the Scottish First Division Play-off against [[Airdrie United F.C.|Airdrie United]] 3–2 on aggregate to win promotion to the First Division. The following season, to celebrate the club's centenary, Ayr United played in black and white hoops, the club's original black and white kit. The away kit was crimson and gold with blue shorts to reflect the original club colours. But it was not a successful season. Ayr were relegated on the last day of the season after losing 2–1 to Morton.
The club bounced back the following season, winning promotion after defeating Forfar Athletic and Brechin City in the play-offs. That same season, they knocked out [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]] in the [[Scottish Cup]], winning 1–0 at Somerset Park in a replay.

In the 2011–12 season, Ayr enjoyed success in the [[2011–12 Scottish League Cup]], beating [[Scottish Premier League|SPL]] sides [[Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.|Inverness Caledonian Thistle]], [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]] and [[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]] on their way to the semi-finals. Ayr United played [[Ayrshire derby]] rivals [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]] in the semi-finals, the first time the two clubs had met at this stage. Kilmarnock won one-nil. But the league campaign was less successful, as United were relegated to the [[Scottish Football League Second Division|Second Division]] following a play-off defeat to [[Airdrie United F.C.|Airdrie United]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/news.asp?int_news_id=2962&bln_archive=no&int_month=5&int_year=2012 |title=Ayr United 1–3 Airdrie United |access-date=15 May 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Following relegation, United announced that [[Brian Reid (footballer)|Brian Reid]]'s contract would not be renewed. The club appointed [[Mark Roberts (footballer born 1975)|Mark Roberts]], top scorer in the previous three seasons, manager, with head of youth development, Davie White, as his assistant.<ref name="COM">{{cite web | url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/news.asp?int_news_id=2965&bln_archive=no&int_month=5&int_year=2012 | title=Change in Manager | publisher=Ayr United F.C. | date=15 May 2012 | access-date=15 May 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In January 2015, [[Ian McCall (footballer)|Ian McCall]] was appointed Ayr's new manager, taking over from Roberts. After saving the club from relegation on the final day of the 2014–15 season, McCall led Ayr back to the [[Scottish Championship|Championship]] with a penalty shoot-out victory over Stranraer in the play-offs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36240303|title=Ayr United 0–0 Stranraer (agg 1–1, 3–1 pens)|work=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2016|access-date=13 February 2018|archive-date=18 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518115141/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36240303|url-status=live}}</ref> Following their relegation in 2017, Ayr competed in [[Scottish League One|League One]] but finished the season as Champions, regaining their Championship status at the first time of asking and winning their first league title in over twenty years in the process.

Ayr United enjoyed a good start to the Championship during the 2018–19 season, and found themselves leading the division for part of the season. However, injuries to key players resulted in a dip of form during the second half of the season. This poor form included a shock Scottish Cup defeat to Junior Champions [[Auchinleck Talbot F.C.|Auchinleck Talbot]]. Ayr United eventually finish in fourth place, ensuring a place in the playoffs for promotion to the [[Scottish Premiership]]. However, they were beaten on aggregate by [[Inverness Caledonian Thistle]].

Key players [[Lawrence Shankland]], [[Robbie Crawford (footballer, born 1994)|Robbie Crawford]] and [[Liam Smith (footballer, born 1996)|Liam Smith]] departed at the end of 2018–19 and signed for other clubs. Despite these losses, Ayr started the 2019–20 season well and found themselves in 2nd place in September. However, manager [[Ian McCall (footballer)|Ian McCall]] departed the club to return to [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]], ending his {{frac|4|1|2}}-year tenure. After a recruitment process lasting four weeks, midfielder [[Mark Kerr (footballer)|Mark Kerr]] was appointed as manager on an 18-month contract.

The 2019–20 season was curtailed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. United were fourth place again at the time of curtailment and this stood as their final league standing. However, the playoffs were not contested due to the pandemic.

The 2020–2021 season was played behind closed doors due to the ongoing pandemic. Ayr United became embroiled in a relegation battle, and manager Mark Kerr was sacked in February 2021. He was replaced by ex-Scotland international and former [[Greenock Morton F.C.|Greenock Morton]], [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]] and [[Livingston F.C.|Livingston]] manager [[David Hopkin]].

Ayr United avoided relegation on the final day of the season after a draw with [[Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.|Inverness Caledonian Thistle]].

After a poor start to the 2021–22 season, David Hopkin resigned as manager. Following a spell as caretaker manager, [[Jim Duffy (footballer)|Jim Duffy]] was appointed as manager on a contract until the end of the season. However, after a poor run of only one win in twelve league games, Duffy was sacked in December 2021.

On 7 January 2022, former Sheffield Wednesday and Dunfermline player [[Lee Bullen]] was appointed as head coach. Under Bullen's leadership, Ayr United avoided the relegation play-offs and remained in the Championship.

In the 2022–23 season Ayr would clinch second place on the last day of the season, leapfrogging [[Queen's Park F.C.|Queen's Park]] who had lost out in a 5–3 thriller with [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee]] for the league title. With Queen's dropping 2 in goal difference it allowed Ayr to jump ahead into second due to their superior goal difference. This secured a place in the play-off semi-final, however they were defeated by [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]] in both legs.

==Crest and colours==

===Crests===

From 1948 to 2016, Ayr United used a crest which is a shield containing a [[flag of Scotland|Scottish saltire]], with a scroll beneath stating the club's name.<ref name = "Lyon">{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/ayr-united-face-legal-action-over-team-badge-1-3952853#ixzz3s29DWupx |title=Ayr United face legal action over team badge |first=Findlay |last=Mair |work=The Scotsman |date=19 November 2015 |access-date=20 November 2015 |archive-date=20 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120185412/http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/ayr-united-face-legal-action-over-team-badge-1-3952853#ixzz3s29DWupx |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2015, the club became subject to a legal action which claimed that the crest was an unregistered coat of arms.<ref name = "Lyon"/> After it had emerged that the club's badge was in jeopardy, a petition was started by fans and gained 700 signatures in 24 hours.<ref name = "petition">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ayr-united-badge-700-signatures-6906045 |title=Ayr United badge: Almost 700 signatures raised in 24 hours after The Ayrshire Post launch petition to save historic crest |work=Daily Record |date=26 November 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015 |archive-date=23 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223073931/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ayr-united-badge-700-signatures-6906045 |url-status=live }}</ref> The campaign gained support and many political, footballing figures and fans alike lent support to keep the Ayr badge intact. Leader of the [[Scottish Conservative Party]] leader [[Ruth Davidson]] stated "If archaic rules are forcing the team to change the badge, then I think we need to look at those rules again. When [[John Scott (MSP)|John Scott]] brought this issue to my attention, I was happy to take it all the way to the UK Government."<ref name = "ruth davidson">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/save-badge-scots-tory-leader-6953117 |title=Save The Badge: Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson pledges to "defend the proud history" of Ayr United |work=Daily Record |date=26 November 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015 |archive-date=23 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223072904/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/save-badge-scots-tory-leader-6953117 |url-status=live }}</ref> Another prominent name to join the campaign was former Ayr United and [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] striker and now a [[Sky Sports]] pundit on [[Soccer Saturday]],  [[Alan McInally]], who said "Badges are so important to football supporters and are treasured by everyone. They are worn with pride by grandfathers, dads and sons as they represent the club that they support. New stadiums get built and re-named but the club badge always stays the same”.<ref name = "alan mcinally">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/save-badge-scots-tory-leader-6953117 |title=Sky Sports pundit Alan McInally supports Ayr United's bid to save the badge" of Ayr United |work=Daily Record |date=19 December 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015 |archive-date=23 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223072904/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/save-badge-scots-tory-leader-6953117 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, after a fan competition to design a new club badge, a design incorporating most of the old features of the old badge was introduced.

<gallery widths="180px" heights="180px" align="center">
File:Ayrshire.png|alt=The crest of Ayrshire between 1890 and 1931, similar to the Ayr United crest.|<div align="center">The crest of Ayrshire between 1890 and 1931, similar to the Ayr United crest.</div>
File:Ayr United FC 1938-1948.png|alt=The crest worn between 1938 and 1948.|<div align="center">The crest worn between 1938 and 1948.</div>
</gallery>

===Colours===
{{Commons|Ayr United F.C. kits}}
The club's original jerseys were red and gold, inherited from [[Ayr F.C.|Ayr]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Scottish_Football_League/Ayr/ayr.html |title=Ayr FC kit history |publisher=HistoricalKits.co.uk |access-date=12 February 2011 |archive-date=9 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909152203/http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Scottish_Football_League/Ayr/ayr.html |url-status=live }}</ref> with navy blue shorts and socks. In 1914, Ayr adopted black and white hoops, which were worn, with several modifications, up to 1930, when The ''Honest Men'' switched to a plain white jersey, with navy blue shorts and socks, worn until the outbreak of [[World War II]]. After the war, the club retained the white jersey, and switched back to the black shorts that had originally complemented the hooped shirts, kits similar to these were worn up to 1958, when Ayr had changed the black and white look for a white with a blue trim, used until 1963, when they once again reverted to the black and white hoops, that were kept until 1968 and not used again until the [[2009–10 Ayr United F.C. season|2009–10 centenary season]]. From then until 1994, Ayr maintained white jerseys trimmed with black with either black or white shorts and socks, then switching to a striped shirt for a single season. The following season, Ayr wore an all-black jersey for the first time. Ayr went back to keeping an all-white jersey with either white or black shorts and socks until the centenary season. For the [[2011–12 Ayr United F.C. season|2011–12 season]], a half-black-half-white shirt was worn for the first time, however, Ayr FC had previously wore a similar jersey between 1899 and 1903. The [[2013–14 Ayr United F.C. season|2013–14 season]] saw Ayr return to the white jersey, black shorts and socks for the first time since 1973.

===Home kits===
{| border="0" style="margin: auto;"
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = _red_hoops
|pattern_b = _redhoops
|pattern_ra = _red_hoops
|leftarm = FFFF00
|body = FFFF00
|rightarm = FFFF00
|shorts = 003F87
|socks = 003F87
|title      = {{center|1910–1914}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = _black_hoops
|pattern_b = _black_hoops
|pattern_ra = _black_hoops
|leftarm = FFFFFF
|body = FFFFFF
|rightarm = FFFFFF
|shorts = 000000
|socks = 000000
|title      = {{center|1914–1938}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = 
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = FFFFFF
|body = FFFFFF
|rightarm = FFFFFF
|shorts = 003F87
|socks = 003F87
|title      = {{center|1938–1940}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = 
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = FFFFFF
|body = FFFFFF
|rightarm = FFFFFF
|shorts = 000000
|socks = 000000
|title      = {{center|1945–1958}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = _collarblack
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = FFFFFF
|body = FFFFFF
|rightarm = FFFFFF
|shorts = FFFFFF
|socks = FFFFFF
|title      = {{center|1973–1978}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = _ayr1112dom
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = FFFFFF
|body = FFFFFF
|rightarm = 000000
|shorts = FFFFFF
|socks = FFFFFF
|title      = {{center|[[2011–12 Ayr United F.C. season|2011–12]]}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = _shoulder_stripes_black_shirt
|pattern_b = _vneckwhite
|pattern_ra = _shoulder_stripes_black_shirt
|leftarm = 
|body = 000000
|rightarm = 
|shorts = FFFFFF
|socks = FFFFFF
|title      = {{center|[[2014–15 Ayr United F.C. season|2014–15]]}}}}
|}

===Away kits===
{| border="0" style="margin: auto;"
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = _collarwhite
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = FF0000
|body = FF0000
|rightarm = FF0000
|shorts = FF0000
|socks = FF0000
|title      = {{center|1970s}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = 
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = FFFF00
|body = FFFF00
|rightarm = FFFF00
|shorts = 000066
|socks = FFFF00
|title      = {{center|1990s}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = _blue_stripes
|pattern_b = _bluestripes
|pattern_ra = _blue_stripes
|leftarm = FF0000
|body = FF0000
|rightarm = FF0000
|shorts = 0000CC
|socks = 0000CC
|title      = {{center|1995–96}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = redborder
|pattern_b = _thinredsides
|pattern_ra = redborder
|leftarm = FFFF00
|body = FFFF00
|rightarm = FFFF00
|shorts = FFFF00
|socks = FFFF00
|title      = {{center|[[2001–02 Ayr United F.C. season|2001–02]]}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = 
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = 0080FF
|body = 0080FF
|rightarm = 0080FF
|shorts = 08088A
|socks = 0080FF
|title      = {{center|[[2003–04 Ayr United F.C. season|2003–04]]}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = _amber_sleeve_seams
|pattern_ra = 
|leftarm = DC143C
|body = DC143C
|rightarm = DC143C
|shorts = 003F87
|socks = 003f87
|title      = {{center|[[2009–10 Ayr United F.C. season|2009–10]]}}}}
|{{Football kit box
|align      = center
|pattern_la = _freiburg1112h
|pattern_b = _freiburg1112h
|pattern_ra = _freiburg1112h
|leftarm = 000000
|body = 000000
|rightarm = 000000
|shorts = 000000
|socks = 000000
|title      = {{center|[[2011–12 Ayr United F.C. season|2012–13]]}}}}
|}

===Sponsorship===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Period
!Sportswear
!Home sponsor
!Away sponsor
!Third sponsor
|-
|1977–1981
|rowspan=3|[[Umbro]]
|rowspan=1 colspan=2|''none''
|rowspan=26|''none''
|-
|1981–1987
|rowspan=1 colspan=2|[[Barr Construction]]
|-
|1987–1988
| colspan=2|[[Ayr Advertiser]]
|-
|1988–1990
|[[Bukta]]
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Centrum
|-
|1990–1991
|rowspan=3|Riberio
|-
|1991–1993
|rowspan=1 colspan=2|Arrow
|-
|1993–1994
|colspan=2|[[Sports Division]]
|-
|1994–1995
|Core
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|[[What Every Woman Wants (retail chain)|What Everyone Wants]]
|-
|1995–1996
|rowspan=2|The Ayr United Collection
|-
|1996–1997
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|[[Ayrshire Post]]
|-
|1997–1998
|rowspan=2|Premier Marketing UK
|-
|1998–1999
| colspan=2|[[Barr Construction]]
|-
|1999–2000
|rowspan=7|TFG Sports
|Strachans Motors
|[[Barr Construction]]
|-
|2000–2001
|Leader Newspaper
|rowspan=2|[[Barr Construction|Barr Steel]]
|-
|2001–2002
|Aurigin
|-
|2002–2004
|rowspan=1|Kerr & Smith
|rowspan=1|[[Iveco Daily]]
|-
|2004–2005
|Kennedy Construction
|Simply Purchasing
|-
|2005–2006
|The Home Bakery
|Honest Men Trust
|-
|2006–2007
|The Events Company
|Greig Lucas
|-
|2007–2008
|[[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto Sports]]
|Rodie
|Carrick Bathrooms
|-
|2008–2010
|rowspan=1|Surridge Sports
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Paligap
|-
|2010–2011
|rowspan=2|[[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
|-
|2011–2014
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Bodog
|-
|2014–2018
|rowspan=2|[[Adidas]]
|-
|2018–2020
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" | [[Bitcoin Cash|Bitcoin SV]]
|-
|2020–2022
| rowspan="2" |[[Hummel International|Hummel]]
|-
|2022–2023
|rowspan=3|[[Jewson]]
|rowspan=2|Lindsay Mortgage Services
|RSL Renewables
|-
|2023–2024
|rowspan=3|[[O'Neills]]
|Caledonia Vehicle Solutions
|-
|2024–2025
|MKM
|Simpson & Shaw
|-
|2025–present
|colspan=2|[[Jewson]]
|''none''
|}

==Stadium==
{{Main|Somerset Park}}
Ayr play their football at [[Somerset Park]] in Ayr's New Town. One of the few surviving traditional stadium designs, it consists of the original Archibald Leitch designed stand, two covered terraces, and, on the North side of the ground, a new stand has been constructed which sits behind an area of older terracing. It has a capacity of {{SPFL-stadiums|ayr}}.<ref name="capacity">{{cite web |url=http://spfl.co.uk/clubs/ayr-united/ |title=Ayr United Football Club |publisher=Scottish Professional Football League |access-date=11 November 2013 |archive-date=9 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509135214/https://spfl.co.uk/clubs/ayr-united |url-status=live }}</ref> The first match to take place at Somerset Park was between the former [[Ayr F.C.|Ayr]] and [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] in a 3–0 victory for Ayr.

During the 1990s, the club's chairman, Bill Barr, who owned and managed a company that built modern-style stadiums and stands for several other clubs around the UK, sought&nbsp;— and obtained&nbsp;— planning permission from [[South Ayrshire]] Council for a new 10,200 all-seated stadium at Heathfield in Ayr with an associated retail development. The [[Scottish Executive]] then "called in" the application and reversed the decision in respect of the retail development. Since the club considered this aspect of the proposal necessary to fund the construction, the development did not proceed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/index.asp?p=somersetpark |title=Ayr United Football Club&nbsp;— Official Website |publisher=Ayrunitedfc.co.uk |access-date=17 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070519034646/http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/index.asp?p=somersetpark |archive-date=19 May 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2006, United signed a contract with [[Barratt Developments|Barratt Homes]] for the sale of [[Somerset Park]], having secured a {{convert|20|acre|m2|adj=on}} site in the [[Heathfield, South Ayrshire|Heathfield]] area of Ayr. The site would house a new £29 million stadium seating 7,650 as part of a "sports and business campus".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/ayr_united/6190994.stm |title=Ayr poised to sell Somerset Park |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 November 2006 |access-date=17 April 2009 |archive-date=10 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610090610/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/ayr_united/6190994.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> The project ultimately did not proceed.

==First-team squad==
{{updated|7 September 2025<!--PLEASE UPDATE AFTER CHANGES--><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/mens-squad |title=First Team |website=Ayr United FC |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-date=30 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130142428/https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/mens-squad |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=1 |name=[[David Mitchell (footballer, born 1990)|David Mitchell]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=2 |name=Nick McAllister|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=3 |name=[[Liam Dick]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=4 |name=[[Shaun Want]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=5 |name=[[Kevin Holt]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=6 |name=[[Stuart Bannigan]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=7 |name=[[Anton Dowds]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|nat=ENG|no=8 |name=[[Ben Dempsey]]|pos=MF|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=ENG|no=9 |name=[[George Oakley (footballer)|George Oakley]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|nat=ENG|no=10|name=[[Curtis Main]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=11|name=[[Dom Thomas]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=14|name=Kyle Ure|pos=MF|other=co-operation loan with [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=15|name=[[Jamie Murphy (footballer, born 1989)|Jamie Murphy]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=17|name=Jude Bonnar|pos=MF|other=co-operation loan with [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=20|name=[[Leon King]]|pos=DF|other=on loan from [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=ENG|no=21|name=[[Ethan Walker]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=22|name=[[Mark McKenzie (footballer, born 2000)|Mark McKenzie]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|nat=ROU|no=23|name=[[Marco Rus]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|nat=NZL|no=26|name=Matthew Warbrick|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=32|name=Dylan Watret|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=33|name=[[Scott McMann]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=38|name=Liam Russell|pos=GK}}
{{Fs end}}

===On loan===
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=16|name=[[Jake Hastie]]|pos=FW|other=on loan at [[Airdrieonians F.C.|Airdrieonians]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=18|name=Jamie Hislop|pos=MF|other=co-operation loan with [[East Stirlingshire F.C.|East Stirlingshire]]<ref name="Co-operation agreement">{{cite news|url=https://x.com/AyrUnitedFC/status/1933514025289027670 |title=We are delighted to confirm a Co-operation Agreement with East Stirlingshire FC |website=X.com |access-date=13 June 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=19|name=Ollie Ecrepont|pos=GK|other=on loan at [[Dumbarton F.C.|Dumbarton]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=24|name=Scott Tomlinson|pos=MF|other=on loan at [[Dumbarton F.C.|Dumbarton]]}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=25|name=Kenzie Mitchell|pos=MF|other=co-operation loan with [[East Stirlingshire F.C.|East Stirlingshire]]<ref name="Co-operation agreement"/>}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=28|name=David Craig|pos=MF|other=on loan at [[Glenafton Athletic F.C.|Glenafton Athletic]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|no=29|name=Lucas McRoberts|pos=FW|other=co-operation loan with [[East Stirlingshire F.C.|East Stirlingshire]]<ref name="Co-operation agreement"/>}}
{{Fs end}}

==Coaching staff==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Role
! Name
|-
|Manager
|[[Scott Brown (footballer, born June 1985)|Scott Brown]]
|-
|Assistant manager
|[[Steven Whittaker]]
|-
|First team coaches
|[[Jamie Murphy (footballer, born 1989)|Jamie Murphy]]<br/>Tommy Tait
|-
|Goalkeeping coach
|Dave Timmins
|-
|Head of youth academy
|David White
|-
|Physiotherapist
|Steven Maguire
|-
|Performance analyst
|Jamie Watt
|-
|Kitman
|Chris Taylor
|}

==Managers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Dates<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ayr-united.co.uk/html/past_managers.html |title=Past Managers |access-date=12 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207132327/http://www.ayr-united.co.uk/html/past_managers.html |archive-date=7 December 2009}}</ref>
! Name
|-
| 1910–1914
| Committee
|-
| 1914–1915
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bert Dainty|Herbert Dainty]]
|-
| 1915–1918
| {{flagicon|ENG}} Lawrence Gemson
|-
| 1918–1919
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[John Cameron (footballer, born 1872)|John Cameron]]
|-
| 1919–1923
| {{flagicon|SCO}} James McDonald
|-
| 1923–1924
| {{flagicon|SCO}} [[James Richardson (footballer)|Jimmy Richardson]]
|-
| 1924–1926
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jimmy Hay]]
|-
| 1926–1931
|{{flagicon|SCO}} Archie Buchanan
|-
| 1931–1935
|{{flagicon|ENG}} Alex Gibson
|-
| 1935–1940
|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Frank Thompson (footballer)|Frank Thompson]]
|-
| 1945–1948
| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bob Ferrier (English footballer)|Bob Ferrier]]
|-
| 1949–1953
|{{flagicon|SCO}} Archie Anderson
|-
| 1953–1955
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Reuben Bennett]]
|-
| 1955–1956
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Neil McBain]]
|-
| 1956–1961
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jackie Cox (footballer)|Jackie Cox]]
|-
| 1961
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bobby Flavell (Scottish footballer)|Bobby Flavell]]
|-
| 1961–1962
|{{flagicon|SCO}} Gerry Mays
|-
| 1962–1963
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Neil McBain]]
|-
| 1963–1964
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bobby Flavell (Scottish footballer)|Bobby Flavell]]
|-
| 1964–1966
|{{flagicon|SCO}} Tom McCreath
|-
| 1966–1975
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ally MacLeod]]
|-
| 1975–1978
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Alex Stuart (footballer)|Alex Stuart]]
|-
| 1978
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ally MacLeod]]
|-
| 1979–1983
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Willie McLean (footballer, born 1935)|Willie McLean]]
|-
| 1983–1985
|{{flagicon|SCO}} George Caldwell
|-
| 1985–1990
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ally MacLeod]]
|-
| 1991–1993
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[George Burley]]
|-
| 1993–1995
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Simon Stainrod]]
|-
| 1995–2002
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Gordon Dalziel]]
|-
| 2002–2004
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Campbell Money]]
|-
| 2004–2005
|{{flagicon|SCO}} Mark Shanks
|-
| 2005–2007
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Bobby Connor]]
|-
| 2007
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Neil Watt]]
|-
| 2007–2012
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Brian Reid (footballer)|Brian Reid]]
|-
| 2012–2014
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Mark Roberts (footballer, born 1975)|Mark Roberts]]
|-
| 2015–2019
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ian McCall (footballer)|Ian McCall]]
|-
| 2019–2021
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Mark Kerr (footballer)|Mark Kerr]]
|-
| 2021
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[David Hopkin]]
|-
| 2021
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jim Duffy (footballer)|Jim Duffy]]
|-
| 2022–2024
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Lee Bullen]]
|-
|2024–
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Scott Brown (footballer, born June 1985)|Scott Brown]]
|}

==Honours==

===Domestic===

====League====
*'''[[List of winners of the Scottish Championship and predecessors|Scottish second tier]]''' ''(Division Two, Division B, First Division, Championship)''
**'''Winners (6):''' [[1911–12 Scottish Division Two|1911–12]], [[1912–13 Scottish Division Two|1912–13]], [[1927–28 Scottish Division Two|1927–28]], [[1936–37 Scottish Division Two|1936–37]], [[1958–59 Scottish Division Two|1958–59]], [[1965–66 Scottish Division Two|1965–66]]
**Runners-up (5): [[1910–11 in Scottish football|1910–11]], [[1955–56 in Scottish football|1955–56]], [[1968–69 in Scottish football|1968–69]], [[2000–01 Scottish First Division|2000–01]], [[2022–23 Scottish Championship|2022–23]]
*'''[[List of winners of the Scottish League One and predecessors|Scottish third tier]]''' ''(Second Division, League One)''
**'''Winners (3):''' [[1987–88 Scottish Second Division|1987–88]], [[1996–97 Scottish Second Division|1996–97]],  [[2017&ndash;18 Scottish League One|2017&ndash;18]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43936090 |title=Scottish League One: Ayr United pip Raith Rovers to title and automatic promotion |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=28 April 2018 |archive-date=28 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428182541/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43936090 |url-status=live }}</ref>
**Runners-up (3): [[2008–09 Scottish Second Division|2008–09]], [[2010–11 Scottish Second Division|2010–11]], [[2015-16 Ayr United F.C. season|2015–16]]
**'''Play-off winners (3):''' [[2008–09 Ayr United F.C. season|2008–09]], [[2010–11 Ayr United F.C. season|2010–11]], [[2015-16 Ayr United F.C. season|2015–16]]

====Cups====
*'''[[Scottish League Cup]]'''
**Runners-up (1): [[2001–02 Scottish League Cup|2001–02]]
*'''[[Scottish Challenge Cup]]'''
**Runners-up (2): [[1990–91 Scottish Challenge Cup|1990–91]], [[1991–92 Scottish Challenge Cup|1991–92]]

===Regional===
*'''[[Ayrshire Cup]]'''
**'''Winners (26):''' 1911–12, 1925–26, 1928–29, 1932–33, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1949–50, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1996–97
*'''Ayr Charity Cup'''
**'''Winners (17):''' 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1918–19, 1920–21, 1923–24, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1951–52
*'''Kilmarnock Charity Cup'''
**'''Winners (4):''' 1930–31, 1932–33, 1935–36, 1936–37

==Records==

===Club===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
; Record home [[Scottish football attendance records|attendance]]
25,225 vs [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]], 13 September 1969, in [[Scottish League Division One]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Record attendance in a match involving Ayr United
51,158 vs [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]], 4 April 1973, [[Scottish Cup]] semi-final, at [[Hampden Park]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Lowest home attendance
106 vs [[Girvan F.C.|Girvan]], 1 May 1991, in the [[Ayrshire Cup]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Lowest away attendance
192 vs [[Deveronvale F.C.|Deveronvale]], 28 November 2009, in the [[Scottish Cup]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Record victory
11–1 vs [[Dumbarton F.C.|Dumbarton]], 13 August 1952<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Record defeat
0–9 vs [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]], 16 November 1929<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/><br /> 0–9 vs [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Heart of Midlothian]], 28 February 1931<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/><br /> 0–9 vs [[Third Lanark A.C.|Third Lanark]], 4 December 1931<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
{{col-2}}
; Record appearances
John Murphy (597 apps), between 1963 and 1978<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Record goalscorer
[[Peter Price (footballer, born 1932)|Peter Price]], (213 goals in 251 apps) between 1955 and 1962<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Most goals in a single season
[[Jimmy Smith (footballer, born 1902)|Jimmy Smith]], (66 goals in 38 apps) in the [[1927–28 in Scottish football|1927–28 season]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Most international appearances (''While playing for Ayr'')
James Nisbet for [[Scotland men's national football team|Scotland]] (''3'') vs [[Norway national football team|Norway]], [[Germany national football team|Germany]] and [[Netherlands national football team|The Netherlands]] in 1929<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
; Youngest player
[[Mark Shankland]], aged 15 years and 300 days (vs [[Brechin City F.C.|Brechin City]], 7 May 2011)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/news.asp?int_news_id=2454&bln_archive=yes&int_month=5&int_year=2011 | title=Youngest Ever Player to play for Ayr United | publisher=Ayr United F.C. | work=ayrunitedfc.co.uk/ | date=10 May 2011 | access-date=1 August 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625062235/http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/news.asp?int_news_id=2454&bln_archive=yes&int_month=5&int_year=2011 | archive-date=25 June 2013 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref>
; Youngest goalscorer
[[Alan Forrest]], aged 16 years and 321 days (vs [[Queens Park F.C.|Queens Park]], 27 July 2013)
{{col-end}}

===Individual===
All players are from Scotland unless otherwise stated.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
; Top goalscorers
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!class="unsortable"|Rank
!class="unsortable"|Name
!class="unsortable"|Career
!Apps
!Goals
!Average
|-
|1
|align="left"|[[Peter Price (footballer, born 1932)|Peter Price]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
|1955–1962
|251
|213
|0.85
|-
|2
|align="left"|Sam McMillan<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
|1952–1968
|509
|129
|0.25
|-
|3
|align="left"|Terry McGibbons<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
|1933–1938
|n/a
|125
|n/a
|-
|4
|align="left"|[[Alex Ingram]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
|1966–1970, 1970–1977
|280
|117
|0.42
|-
|5
|align="left"|[[James Richardson (footballer)|Jimmy Richardson]]<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
|n/a
|n/a
|110
|n/a
|-
|}

{{col-2}}
; Most appearances

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!class="unsortable"|Rank
!class="unsortable"|Name
!class="unsortable"|Career
!Apps
!Goals
|-
|1
|align="left"|John Murphy<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road"/>
|1963–1978
|597
|18
|-
|2
|align="left"|Sam McMillan<ref name="appearances">{{cite web | url=http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/dom/tot400byclub.html | title=Scottish players with over 400 appearances | publisher=London Hearts | access-date=28 November 2017 | archive-date=15 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315093334/http://londonhearts.com/scotland/dom/tot400byclub.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
|1952–1968
|509
|129
|-
|3
|align="left"|[[Ian McAllister (footballer)|Ian McAllister]]<ref name="appearances"/>
|1977–1992
|462
|37
|}
{{col-end}}

===Hall of Fame===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year Inducted
! Name
! Years at Ayr Utd.
! Role(s) at Ayr Utd.
|-M
| rowspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |2006
| [[Ally MacLeod]]<ref name="HoF">{{cite web | url=http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/lottery_hall_of_fame.asp | title=Hall of Fame | publisher=Ayr United F.C. | access-date=22 June 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905044337/http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/lottery_hall_of_fame.asp | archive-date=5 September 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>
| 1964–1965, 1966–1975*, 1978*, 1986–1989*
| Player and Manager
|-
| [[Ian McAllister (footballer)|Ian McAllister]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1977–1992
| Player
|-
| [[Peter Price (footballer, born 1932)|Peter Price]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1955–1962
| Player
|-
| rowspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |2007
| Sam McMillan<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1952–1968
| Player and coach 
|-
| [[John Murphy (footballer, born 1942)|John 'Spud' Murphy]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1963–1978
| Player
|-
| [[Henry Templeton]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1987–1991
| Player
|-
| rowspan=3 style="text-align:center;" |2008
| [[Alex Ingram|Alex 'Dixie' Ingram]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1966–1970, 1970–1977, 2008–2022<ref name="Dixie">{{cite web | url=http://www.troontimes.com/sport/football/articles/2008/03/12/21078-breaking-news-ayr-united-chairman-resigns | title=BREAKING NEWS: Ayr United chairman resigns | publisher=Troon Times | date=12 March 2008 | access-date=22 June 2012 | archive-date=5 June 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605051748/http://www.troontimes.com/sport/football/articles/2008/03/12/21078-breaking-news-ayr-united-chairman-resigns | url-status=dead }}</ref>**
| Player and vice-chairman
|-
| [[Alex McAnespie|Alex 'Sanny' McAnespie]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1964–1978
| Player
|-
| [[David Stewart (footballer, born 1947)|Davie Stewart]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1967–1974
| Player
|-
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" |2010
| [[Rikki Fleming]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1968–1978
| Player
|-
| [[Dick Malone]]<ref name = "HoF"/>
| 1964–1971
| Player
|-
| {{center|2013}}
| The 1987–88 Squad
| 1987–88
| Team
|-
|}
''* years involved as a manager''<br />
''** years involved as vice-chairman''

; [[Scottish Football Hall of Fame]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year Inducted
! Player
! Years at Ayr United
|-
| {{center|2004<ref name="2004 induct">{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/hall-of-fame/2004.html |title=2004 inductees |publisher=[[Scottish Football Museum]] |access-date=22 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928040649/http://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/hall-of-fame/2004.html |archive-date=28 September 2011 }}</ref>}}
| Sir [[Alex Ferguson]] CBE
| {{center|1973–1974}}
|-
| {{center|2009<ref name = "2009 induct">{{cite web |url=http://scottishfootballhalloffame.co.uk/steve-archibald-1956/ |title=Steve Archibald |publisher=[[Scottish Football Museum]] |access-date=25 April 2016 |archive-date=6 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506161344/http://scottishfootballhalloffame.co.uk/steve-archibald-1956/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| [[Steve Archibald]]
| {{center|1991–1992}}
|-
| {{center|2013}}
| [[Alan Rough]]
| {{center|1989–1990}}
|-
| {{center|2015}}
| [[Ally MacLeod]]
| {{center|1964–1965<br />1966–1975*<br />1978*<br />1986–1989*}}
|-
|}

''* years involved as manager''

; [[English Football Hall of Fame]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! year Inducted
! Player
! Years at Ayr United
|-
| {{center|2002<ref name = "2002 induct">{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/hall-of-fame/about/ |title=2002 |publisher=[[National Football Museum]] |access-date=22 June 2012 |archive-date=2 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102011615/http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/hall-of-fame/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| Sir [[Alex Ferguson]] CBE
| {{center|1973–1974}}
|-
|}

===International players===

Only includes caps won while playing for Ayr United.

{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
; {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Scotland men's national football team|Scotland]]
* [[Johnny Crosbie]] (2 caps, 0 goals) 1919–1920<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football"/>
* [[Johnny Doyle (Scottish footballer)|Johnny Doyle]] (1 cap, 0 goals) 1975<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football">Phil H Jones & David Potter. Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football. {{ISBN|9-781909-626294}}.</ref>
* [[Bob Hepburn]] (1 cap, 0 goals) 1931<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football"/>
* [[James Hogg (footballer)|Jimmy Hogg]] (1 cap, 0 goals) 1922<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football"/>
* [[Philip McCloy]] (4 caps, 0 goals) 1924–1925<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football"/>
* [[Jimmy Nisbet]] (3 caps, 2 goals) 1929<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football"/>
* [[James Richardson (footballer)|Jimmy Richardson]] (2 caps, 0 goals) 1919<ref name = "Walking Down The Somerset Road">Carmichael, Duncan. Walking Down the Somerset Road. Fort Publishing Ltd {{ISBN|1-905769-05-9}}.</ref>
* [[John Smith (footballer, born 1898)|John Smith]] (1 cap, 0 goals) 1924<ref name = "Encyclopaedia of Scottish Football"/>
{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
; {{flagicon|Faroe Islands}} [[Faroe Islands national football team|Faroe Islands]]
* [[Jens Kristian Hansen]] (5 caps, 0 goals) 1999–2000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11680&pid=182 |title=Føroyar – Estland 0 – 2 |publisher=www.faroesoccer.com |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927202725/http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11680&pid=182 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11683&pid=182 |title=Føroyar – Litava 0 – 1 |publisher=www.faroesoccer.com |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927202338/http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11683&pid=182 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11687&pid=182 |title=Kekkia – Føroyar 2 – 0 |publisher=www.faroesoccer.com |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927124728/http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11687&pid=182 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web |url=http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11739&pid=182 |title=Finnland – Føroyar 1 – 0 |publisher=www.faroesoccer.com |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927124950/http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11739&pid=182 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{cite web |url=http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11740&pid=182 |title=Ísland – Føroyar 3 – 2 |publisher=www.faroesoccer.com |access-date=27 September 2016 |archive-date=27 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927124952/http://www.faroesoccer.com/match.php?matchID=11740&pid=182 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Jens Martin Knudsen (footballer)|Jens Martin Knudsen]] (3 caps, 0 goals) 1999–2000<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto2"/>
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{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
; {{flagicon|Zambia}} [[Zambia national football team|Zambia]]
* [[Frankie Musonda]] (14 caps, 1 goal) 2022–2025
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==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.ayrunitedfc.co.uk/}}
* {{OS coord|234503_622630_region:GB_scale:10000|Map and aerial photos}}<!-- OK the aerial don't work yet -->
* [https://ayrutdarchive.com Ayr United History]
* [http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Scottish_Football_League/Ayr_United/Ayr_United.htm Complete pictorial history of Ayr United playing kit] at Historical Football Kits

{{Ayr United F.C.}}
{{Ayr United F.C. seasons}}
{{Scottish Professional Football League}}
{{Scottish Football League}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ayr United F.C.| ]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Scotland]]
[[Category:Sport in Ayr]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1910]]
[[Category:1910 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League teams]]
[[Category:South of Scotland Football League teams]]
[[Category:Scottish Professional Football League teams]]
[[Category:Football in South Ayrshire]]