Ayr United won't play the full

May 29 2009 by Mike Wilson

NEWLY promoted Ayr United will have a full-time complement of players in the First Division.

But they won’t risk putting the future of the club in jeopardy by abandoning their part-time status.

Boss Brian Reid has been rewarded with a new full-time deal while Scott Walker,Murray Henderson, Allan Dempsie and Fraser Stewart have been freed.

Eleven players are already signed for next season while deals have been offered to six whose contracts are up.

Ayr have been operating on a semi full-time basis for the past few months with some first teamers joining youngsters and coaches from the United Youth Academy for Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions.

Now the club are keen to expand the system for the higher flight.

Reid said: “We have part-time players with jobs and can’t ask them to give these up to go full-time. We will still be a predominantly part-time club but we will have some players in during the week.

“Players I target will have the option of signing part-time or full-time deals. I’ll need to strengthen the squad but I’m two weeks behind other managers because we didn’t know until Sunday what league we would be in next season.

“However, part-time teams can still do well. I played at Queen of the South when they were fourth and fifth so that shows what is achievable.

“In some ways going up through the play-offs is a greater feeling than winning the league because we had to play another four games to get there. Credit to the players who worked really hard while the supporters were magnificent.”

Chairman Lachlan Cameron said the thrill of beating Airdrie United 1-0 in Sunday’s second leg gave him his greatest moment at the club.

He said: “Now we have got to the First Division, the target is to keep ourselves there but we have to remain financially sound at the same time. We’re not going to throw away all the hard work to get the club on a stable footing by going full-time for the sake of it.”

Sunday’s goal hero Ryan Stevenson is among those under contract for another year.

Also signed up for another season are David Gormley, Bryan Prunty, Chris Aitken, Martyn Campbell, Dean Keenan, Scott Agnew, Alex Williams and Ally Woodburn. Youngsters David Mitchell and Lloyd Kinnaird may be farmed out.

Reid is waiting to hear back from Willie Easton, Kenny Connolly, Mark Roberts, Neil McGowan, Stephen Grindlay and Ryan Borris who have all been offered deals.

A commanding centre-half is now on the wish list and Reid is being linked with a move for freed St Johnstone stopper Kevin James who was a big hit during a 28 day loan spell.

Ayr will host St Johnstone in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, July 21.