Ayr United chairman believes

May 15 2009 by Mike Wilson

CHAIRMAN Lachlan Cameron insists Ayr United’s move to a new stadium WILL happen – if not, he wouldn’t still be at the club.

And he revealed United are currently talking to twodevelopers with negotiations ‘pretty advanced’.

He stressed: “If I thought the whole thing was dead then I wouldn’t be here.”

But Cameron warned that he won’t be pouring more loans into the club which must stand on its own feet.

United posted losses of £258,666 to the year ended June 2008. Much of that figure was legal and building fees towards selling Somerset Park and building a new stadium at Heathfield.

But the deal collapsed inAugust 2008, more than 18 months after an application was launched, when Barratt pulled the plug on their move to buy Somerset.

Cameron blamed delays by the council’s planning department and believes that if they had acted swiftly, United’s future would now be assured.

He said: “It took an unreasonable amount of time. If not, the deal would now be done and we would be preparing to move into the new stadium.

“I am still convinced we can do a deal. I’m here because I think we can build – if not, I would head home.”

Ayr raised their player budget for this season on the basis of getting money up front from Barratt.

And while promotion wouldensure they could maintain it, failure would mean figures being slashed for next season.