Did_us_proud02 Header4 AU Stadium
Jim1 Jim1
1912/13
saltire2
soccer0102
Click here to join AyrProgClub
Click to join Ayr United Programme Club

 

Promotion at Last

tn_ayr_utd_1213Having won the Second Division Championship the previous season and being refused promotion, Ayr set about repeating the performance knowing that it would mean promotion on this occassion. The first match in defence of their title however, didnt go well, losing 2-0 to Abercorn at Somerset Park. Bert Tickle’s testimonial saw a defeat against Queen’s Park, but it was league points that Ayr sought. Harry Simpson helped them to this end scoring a hat trick in a 6-0 drubbing of Vale Of Leven

The whole of September was taken up with the Scottish Cup. It took United four matches to dispose of Galston in the 1st round and two matches to dispose of Hurlford United. It was mid-October by the time that United beat Girvan 3-0 in the 3rd round to give Ayr a place in the Scottish Cup proper. A match against Abercorn at Ralston Park, Paisley in very cold conditions. The match was lost 2-1 in controversy. Referee A Allan erroneously awarded the home team a corner from which Abercorn scored. A journalist of the day wrote that ‘The name of Mr A. Allan will be handed down to posterity’.

By the time United took the field for the league match against Albion Rovers on 2nd November, they had signed goalkeeper Robert ‘Sprigger’ White from Mossblown. He then went on a run of nine shutouts from the next ten matches. Charlie Phillips scored a hat trick in the 5-0 drubbing of Johnstone. It was early in January that the United goal was breached - three times although a 3-3 draw was achieved against St Johnstone, Charlie Phillips and Switcher McLaughlan scoring two of United’s goals. The confidence was dented and Ayr lost a few weeks later to bottom club Dundee Hibs and Tannadice by 1-0, their first defeat since the opening of the season. After a few draws first division Airdrieonians provided a good diversion in the Scottish Cup even though a defeat was suffered. It proved enough to re-focus the promotion push and successive wins against Leith Athletic, Vale of Leven and St Johnstone brought the season back on track. A defeat by Johnstone stalled the winning run at Newfield, in reality it was a more like a mud bath.

With three games to go United had a two point advantage over East Stirling, other challenges having fallen away. United slumped 3-0 to St Bernard’s but East Stirling also lost. United won one and lost one of their last two games with east Stirling also losing meaning that Abercorn, who still had five games to play where the only club capable of pipping the Honest men. The Paisley side lost three and drew one handing the title to Ayr United.

At the Scottish Football League Annuial General meeting it was decided to admit the top two second division clubs to the top flight. After three seasons, Ayr United had gained their place as a first division club.romotion with it.

soccer0102
ebayLogo

Find Ayr United Products on E-Bay

Date

Opponents

H/A

Competition

Score (Ayr Score First

Att

Programme Issued

Comments

15/8/12

Kilwinning Rangers

A

Friendly

3-1

 

No

 

17/8/12

Abercorn

H

2nd Division

0-2

 

No

 

21/8/12

Queens Park

H

Friendly

1-2

 

No

Bert Tickle's Testimonial

24/8/12

Cowdenbeath

A

2nd Division

1-1

 

No

 

31/8/12

Vale of Leven

H

2nd Division

6-0

 

No

 

7/9/12

Galston

A

Scottish Qualifying Cup 1st Rnd

2-2

 

No

 

14/9/12

Galston

H

Scottish Qualifying Cup 1st Rnd replay

1-1

 

No

 

21/9/12

Galston

H

Scottish Qualifying Cup 1st Rnd 2nd replay

0-0 aet

 

No

 

25/9/12

Galston

H

Scottish Qualifying Cup 1st Rnd 3rd replay

3-0

 

No

 

28/9/12

Hurlford United

A

Scottish Qualifying Cup 2nd Rnd

3-3

 

No

 

5/10/12

Hurlford United

H

Scottish Qualifying Cup 2nd Rnd replay

4-2

 

No

 

12/10/12

Girvan Athletic

H

Scottish Qualifying Cup 3rd Rnd

3-0

 

No

 

19/12/12

Albion Rovers

A

2nd Division

1-0

 

No

 

26/10/12

Abercorn

A

Scottish Qualifying Cup 4th Rnd

1-2

 

No

 

2/11/12

Albion Rovers

H

2nd Division

3-0

 

No

 

9/11/12

Arthurlie

A

2nd Division

2-1

 

No

 

16/11/12

Dundee Hibs

H

2nd Division

0-0

 

No

 

23/11/12

Cowdenbeath

H

2nd Division

1-0

 

No

 

30/11/12

Dunfermline Athletic

A

2nd Division

0-0

 

No

 

7/12/12

Leith Athletic

H

2nd Division

3-0

 

No

 

14/12/12

Abercorn

A

2nd Division

0-0

 

No

 

21/12/12

East Stirling

A

2nd Division

0-0

 

No

 

28/12/12

Johnstone

H

2nd Division

5-0

 

No

 

1/1/13

St Bernard's

H

2nd Division

3-0

 

No

 

4/1/13

St Johnstone

A

2nd Division

3-3

 

No

 

11/1/13

East Stirling

H

2nd Division

3-0

 

No

 

18/1/13

Dundee Hibs

A

2nd Division

0-1

 

No

 

25/1/13

Arthurlie

H

2nd Division

1-1

 

No

 

1/2/13

Dumbarton

H

2nd Division

1-1

 

No

 

8/2/13

Airdrieonians

H

Scottish Cup 2nd Rnd

0-2

 

No

 

15/2/13

Annbank United

H

Ayrshire Cup 2nd Rnd

5-2

 

No

 

22/2/13

Leith Athletic

A

2nd Division

4-1

 

No

 

1/3/13

Vale of Leven

A

2nd Division

3-1

 

No

 

8/3/13

St Johnstone

H

2nd Division

3-1

 

No

 

15/3/13

Johnstone

A

2nd Division

1-2

 

No

 

22/3/13

St Bernard's

A

2nd Division

0-3

 

No

 

29/3/13

Dunfermline Athletic

H

2nd Division

1-0

 

No

 

5/4/13

Dumbarton Harp

H

Friendly

2-1

 

No

 

12/4/13

Dumbarton

A

2nd Division

0-1

 

No

 

19/4/13

Beith

A

Ayrshire Cup Semi Final

1-1

 

No

 

26/4/13

Beith

H

Ayrshire Cup Semi Final replay

3-0