Ayr United is up for sale

Nov 6 2009 by Mike Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

THE future of Ayr United is bright.

That’s the message from Lachlan Cameron, who has put the club up for sale in its centenary year.

He’s inviting potential investors to give the Honest Men a shot at the big time.

But he admitted: “In an ideal world, I’d be chairman of Ayr United forever. Sadly, this just can’t happen.

“I don’t have the finances we need to make things happen and it’s time to look for new investment.

“When I first came here, the intention was to have a stadium up and running within two and a half years with office space and the indoor training facility to provide added revenue streams to help fund the football club.

“I would be able to stay here by opening a CATZ facility and earn my income that way at the same time as paying rent to the club for the privilege.

“But it hasn’t happened and in actual fact, I haven’t earned a pay check in five years. I have a family and it’s time to start earning one.

“Despite what some people think, I haven’t taken a penny from this club since I arrived.”

Lachlan, who arrived from California five years ago to run the club for dad Donald, has been in full control for two years.

In his time, the club has risen from the foot of division two and enjoyed the success of promotion in May.

He added: “I understand that results on the pitch are poor just now.

“But what gets me is that the same people who came up to me in May saying eighth place would be great are now screaming at me to open my wallet.

“Look around Scottish football and clubs all over the place are in trouble for over-spending. I can’t and won’t do that here.

“This is potentially a money making project for whoever comes in with property development and the multiple income streams.”

And Mr Cameron admitted a potential investor could even choose to keep United at Somerset.

He said: “It would be a loss-maker, but theoretically if they had enough money to throw at it, they could just come in, re-develop Somerset and not move.

“But the chances of that happening are very slim.”