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Promotion at Last
Having 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.
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