Andy McLaren on the way out of Ayr United

Jul 18 2008 by Mike Wilson

AYR UNITED have called time on controversial striker Andy McLaren and won’t be offering him a new deal.

And boss Brian Reid has rebuffed claims from the player that he was asked to take a wage cut after missing most of last season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Reid said: “I never sat down with Andy and talked figures. If Andy had come back and worked really hard, there probably would have been something there for him. After being out for so long, he should have been working doubly hard but he missed some training sessions and didn’t show me what I was looking for.

“It’s a shame because I really like Andy but I needed to see that he was fit enough to merit a contract.”

The departure of the 35-year-old leaves Ayr looking for a striker and Reid is continuing to run the rule over Glenafton’s David Gormley and former Rangers youth player Lloyd Murphy who spent last season with Ross County.

Gormley, a 20-year-old former Motherwell player, caught the eye in Tuesday evening’s 3-0 defeat by Queen of the South in a Somerset Park friendly.

But he is a retained player with Glens and Ayr will have to deal with their former boss Gordon Dalziel if they want to make him their next signing.

David Bagan, a former team-mate of Reid’s at Queen of the South, came off the bench on Tuesday and also played part of last Thursday’s 2-1 defeat by Partick Thistle.

Bagan’s former clubs include Kilmarnock, Inverness, Dumbarton and Irvine Meadow.

Reid said: “David phoned me in the summer asking for training facilities after a knee operation and I am happy to help him out.”

New skipper Chris Aitken led Ayr out against Queens but it was the visitors who grabbed the lead a minute before the break when Stephen Dobbie turned Willie Easton and fired past Stephen Grindlay.

The impressive Gormley had a shot well saved before trying his hand with a chip which the trialist keeper held.

Gormley then headed over from a corner before setting up Ryan Borris for a shot which was deflected wide.

Murphy made his mark with a surging run and cross but Scott Agnew’s header was blocked.

Sauchie keeper David Thomson was pitched on but was beaten twice in a minute as Queens sealed a flattering win.

Paul Burns got the first, despite the ref blowing his whistle before the ball entered the net and then former Ayr striker Stewart Kean dumped his old team with a header.

Ayr continue their build-up with team bonding trip to Belfast this weekend.

They sail from Troon on Friday, play Crusaders on Saturday and return home on Sunday.