Buckfast Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 It was the manner in which the league was won that was celebrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrmad Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 11 minutes ago, Buckfast said: It was the manner in which the league was won that was celebrated. Yep, this season isn't comparable in the slightest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hursty Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I've often wondered this myself - I was only 4 at the time so obviously don't really know how the fans saw the club at the time. Were we underdogs at the start of the season? Strangely i'd have thought there was more expectation to win it back then as the days of us being in the Premier League were still reasonably recent. 30 years later and despite not playing in the top league since there seems to be more of an attitude these days that success in this league is to be expected rather than celebrated. For me, if we win it this season it would be as good an achievement as any since I started going regularly in 1990 or so - 2 teams winning the same league and scoring a hell of a lot of goals certianly seems comparable.. Not saying either view is right or wrong btw, its a genuine question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mgc1910 Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 7 hours ago, Richey Edwards said: I have always found the level of adoration levelled at a squad who achieved nothing more than winning the third tier of Scottish football a tad embarrassing tbh. The fact that the whole squad are in our hall of fame speaks volumes. I am not disputing that it must have been a good season to watch Ayr United, but winning the third tier should be nothing more than a means to achieving our future ambitions rather than being something that the club felt was such a momentous event in their history that it required commemorating 25 years on. Winning the third tier is worth nothing if there is no ambition to succeed at the next level. Indeed, the past few times we have been in the second tier I got the impression that the club were just happy to be there rather than having any intention to stay there. The football we played that season is why people remember it so fondly. Couple that with having Ally in charge who was a bit of a living legend at the time and you have a recipe for some good times at Somerset. Let's face it, we're probably not going to win the champions league so if you can't enjoy a season like that, what's the point? If that team embarrasses you, then I would suggest you need to re-evaluate your expectations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mgc1910 Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Just now, Hursty said: I've often wondered this myself - I was only 4 at the time so obviously don't really know how the fans saw the club at the time. Were we underdogs at the start of the season? Strangely i'd have thought there was more expectation to win it back then as the days of us being in the Premier League were still reasonably recent. 30 years later and despite not playing in the top league since there seems to be more of an attitude these days that success in this league is to be expected rather than celebrated. For me, if we win it this season it would be as good an achievement as any since I started going regularly in 1990 or so - 2 teams winning the same league and scoring a hell of a lot of goals certianly seems comparable.. Not saying either view is right or wrong btw, its a genuine question. We weren't underdogs, but we'd been suffering decline ever since relegation from the premier league. Ally lifted the club big time and built a team that were outstanding to watch. I think for a some older fans, that season reminded them of how football was played in a different era. The fact that we didn't kick on is not the fault of the players who won the league that season. They absolutely deserve their place in the hall of fame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandarilla Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I have always found the level of adoration levelled at a squad who achieved nothing more than winning the third tier of Scottish football a tad embarrassing tbh. The fact that the whole squad are in our hall of fame speaks volumes. I am not disputing that it must have been a good season to watch Ayr United, but winning the third tier should be nothing more than a means to achieving our future ambitions rather than being something that the club felt was such a momentous event in their history that it required commemorating 25 years on. Winning the third tier is worth nothing if there is no ambition to succeed at the next level. Indeed, the past few times we have been in the second tier I got the impression that the club were just happy to be there rather than having any intention to stay there. Aye I get your point, but this is what we live for. I just don't think we're playing the entertaining football that we supposedly played in 88. It's still a very good season, and if we finish it off it'll be a great one. But not automatic legends for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hursty Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 We weren't underdogs, but we'd been suffering decline ever since relegation from the premier league. Ally lifted the club big time and built a team that were outstanding to watch. I think for a some older fans, that season reminded them of how football was played in a different era. The fact that we didn't kick on is not the fault of the players who won the league that season. They absolutely deserve their place in the hall of fame. Aye - as I say i've never really looked in to it, other than the basic fact that they won the league and scored loads of goals in to the bargain which seemed potentially similar to this year. At the end of the day, if we do manage to win the league in the next couple of months and then stay up next season i'll be happy being in a position to debate the relative merits of each team! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hursty Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Aye I get your point, but this is what we live for. I just don't think we're playing the entertaining football that we supposedly played in 88. It's still a very good season, and if we finish it off it'll be a great one. But not automatic legends for me. On a slight tangent, I also sometimes wonder if peoples expectations as to what qualifies as 'good' or 'entertaining' football is now different due to the sheer volume of live top level football that we see on the telly almost every day. Back then you didnt have wall to wall coverage of the likes of Man City / Barcelona / PSG playing a game that effectively looks completely different to what we see every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sci-fi Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I was just a wee guy back in 87/88 but the way that team played and the excitement they generated was the absolute catalyst that started 30+ years of devotion for me. For us that were too young to remember better times, they were world beating heroes. For our older relatives, they reminded them of the greats of the 60s/70s. The number of goals we've scored this season certainly recalls the crazy days of 87-88, I only hope that a younger generation who are maybe starting out following us now are hooked in the same way I was back then. We know the quality of football could be better, but inarguably there's been entertainment all year. That's the stuff that can keep the next generations coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1nickydevlin Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Think people myself included are getting such a bricky about this season is that mostly every week its a bloody joy too watch .we are in a very good position ,we have scored 100+ goals before march and have got some very good players in shankland ,moore ,moff , our fully fit starting 11 are the best in probably 15 years. but knowing ayr united we would probably f**k it and still be in this seaside league next season .[emoji40] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valelover Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Have to say I find it hard to agree a who,eh squad of 87/88 is worth hall of fame status when you look at the layers before that especially those of the famous early 70s teams. Players who went on to do pretty well..e.g Stewart, Ingram, as well who were absent lute stalwarts if the club..e.g. Spud Murphy, Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I was born after that season and don't care much for anything that happened before I started going, I feel no connection to it at all. This season has been a whole lot of fun at times and is my best as an adult to this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm86 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Stewart, Malone, Murphy, Fleming, Quinn, Mitchell, Young, Ferguson, Ingram, McCulloch, Rough. The team that beat Rangers 2-1 in September 69, before our record crowd of 25,225. Possibly the best Ayr team I’ve seen in my lifetime. In October 69 they were unlucky not win in a 3-3 draw with Celtic in the league cup semi at Hampden. Lost the replay 2-1. The 72-73 team finished 6th in top league and by this time included players like Sanny McAnespie, Johnny Doyle, Johnny Graham, George McLean and Joe Filippi. I suppose, given their results over the season, this lot may just about pip the 69 team. Over the next 3 seasons we finished 7th, 7th and then 6th (out of 10) in the newly formed premier league in 75-76. Downhill from then on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegomarahenry Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 87-88 six of the players played every game, had a piss-taking tricky winger in Henry Templeton and one of the most loyal Ayr servants in Ian McCallister. There also seemed a more togetherness between the players and the fans. The Daziel side that won was mostly journeymen who were at the club for a very short spell, Horace being one of the stand-outs along with Duncan George, but I'd be hard pushed to remember a backbone of that team I could recite the same as Watson, McIntyre, Hughes, Furphy, McCallister, Evans, Templeton, Scott/Wilson, Walker, Sludden and Cowell, Kennedy & McKenzie This year we are scoring lots of goals like we did in 87-88 and going head to head to the death with another team like we did with St Johnston and Hamilton but I think the years since have taken away the positive atmosphere around the club and there is a feeling of inevitability that we will end up in the play-offs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parkhouse Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 You've forgot about Big Dougie McCracken (RIP) & Jim McCann. Did Davie Kennedy make his debut that season? I thought it was maybe the season after that? If he played, it was a game or two, no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valelover Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I was at those Celtic games in 69 in league cup semis and the Celtic legend in goal Ronnie Simpson made an amazing save from Dixie Ingram which would, I believe given us a win. If I remember right it ended Simpson’s career as he collided with the post and done his shoulder. That 69 team (substitute Hood) going to 1975 we’re surely the best. Average gates around 5 to 7 thousand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick that one out Marshall Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 3 hours ago, Valelover said: I was at those Celtic games in 69 in league cup semis and the Celtic legend in goal Ronnie Simpson made an amazing save from Dixie Ingram which would, I believe given us a win. If I remember right it ended Simpson’s career as he collided with the post and done his shoulder. That 69 team (substitute Hood) going to 1975 we’re surely the best. Average gates around 5 to 7 thousand? They were a very good side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Wingers was the big thing for me, and of course Henry was one of the best, I still maintain that there's nothing better than seeing someone dribble past player after player and then either strike the ball at goal or put a telling cross into the box, unfortunately there's very little of that nowadays, at any level, as players seem afraid in some way or another to actually commit themselves. Messi is actually about the only one who springs to mind. The rest immediately stop if they feel a tug or nudge so rarely make any headway which is very disappointing from a spectators perspective. My favorites from the past would be the Hurst, Teale, Walker combination up top, however Duncan George, Stevie Evans and Alain Horace remain my 3 all time favourite midfielders with Gary Agnew and Robbo as the fullbacks and of course we'd need wee Henry out wide. Goalkeeper would be my big problem as we've had so many good ones I really wouldn't know who to choose, although Nelly at his best was almost unbeatable at times. aah the memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 2 hours ago, WATTOO said: Wingers was the big thing for me, and of course Henry was one of the best, I still maintain that there's nothing better than seeing someone dribble past player after player and then either strike the ball at goal or put a telling cross into the box, unfortunately there's very little of that nowadays, at any level, as players seem afraid in some way or another to actually commit themselves. Messi is actually about the only one who springs to mind. The rest immediately stop if they feel a tug or nudge so rarely make any headway which is very disappointing from a spectators perspective. We have Rab Crawford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pick that one out Marshall Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 1 hour ago, itzdrk said: We have Rab Crawford Hopefully back with a bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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