The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[malkyshotton]

1 hour ago, Rugbypark said:

Bit ironic as you’ve got a thousand hardcore fans and the rest of your town supports Sevco. Half and half scarves 

Resorts to crowd wanking but doesn’t deny the wee team/big team mash up. And the scarf thing is a yawn  

[railwayend]

2 hours ago, WATTOO said:

The bottom line is that we need to sign at least 3 definite starters for this level otherwise it could be a long season.

We should be looking for continuous improvement season by season. The prize money and transfer sales should be the driver for that . It’s not too outrageous to expect us to sign three players a season that are better than anything we currently have , while dropping our poorest three off . The issue is we have around 8 players that can’t cut it at mid table Championship level . Unfortunately they were a hang over of our survival dig out season and some mistakes a little later . So it’ll be May before we can unload most of them . In the mean time we must find away to finish in the top five and maybe a Scottish Cup run again , We have already bagged £55k from the LC . So it can be done with a fair wind at our back . Firstly though get Logan ! 

[eez-eh]

2 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I’ve seen the line “every time we’ve competed for a player with another team in this division we’ve lost out” a few times. Is it not pretty well known that we were both in for Stanger from Alloa? 

That and the players they’re referring to are Brian Graham and Billy McKay. Graham was under contract at Thistle and coaches their women’s team, and McKay opted to stay at his current club instead of relocating to the other end of the country.

It‘s just hyperbolic pish.

[eez-eh]

58 minutes ago, malkyshotton said:

Resorts to crowd wanking but doesn’t deny the wee team/big team mash up. And the scarf thing is a yawn  

Since the half and half scarf debacle two decades ago, Kilmarnock have thrown hospitable title parties for both sides of the old firm, been the only club in the land not to vote against parachuting the new Rangers back into the top flight, and willingly employed massive bigot Kyle Lafferty.

Neck; blow torch.

Edited August 8, 2023 by eez-eh

[ayrunitedfw]

4 minutes ago, eez-eh said:

That and the players they’re referring to are Brian Graham and Billy McKay. Graham was under contract at Thistle and coaches their women’s team, and McKay opted to stay at his current club instead of relocating to the other end of the country.

It‘s just hyperbolic pish.

Why target them then? 
 

Just to be clear are we as a fan base allowed to complain if/when Chalmers signs for ICT or is that also hyperbolic pish? 

[D'Jaffo]

If Caley are offering a better financial package than us then fair enough. There isn’t a huge amount the club can do about it as they have a wage structure in place for a reason and they won’t be breaking it. 
 

It’s frustrating, just like January was, but it isn’t any fault of anyone at the club. We have one of the biggest squads in the league and I think besides Raith we’ve signed the most players. 

[ayrunitedfw]

3 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

If Caley are offering a better financial package than us then fair enough. There isn’t a huge amount the club can do about it as they have a wage structure in place for a reason and they won’t be breaking it. 
 

It’s frustrating, just like January was, but it isn’t any fault of anyone at the club. We have one of the biggest squads in the league and I think besides Raith we’ve signed the most players. 

It Absoulotely is the clubs fault, ICT have only recently came in and expressed an interest. If the club weren't constantly penny pinching and trying to find bargains from down south he would have been an Ayr player by now. 
 

Edited August 8, 2023 by ayrunitedfw

[D'Jaffo]

Just now, ayrunitedfw said:

It Absoulotely is the clubs fault, ICT have only recently came in and expressed an interest. If the club weren't constantly penny pinching and trying to find bargains from down south he would have been an Ayr player by now. 
 

I’ve asked this question before but what evidence is there to suggest that recruiting from England is “penny pinching”? They’re hardly going to sign them on the wages they’re earning down South and then they have to pay money to accommodate them. There will likely be a premium paid to players up here as everyone is looking at them but Ayr aren’t signing these guys as a means of saving vast quantities of cash. They believe there’s a chance to get younger players up here on longer contracts to try and make money on them. There’s also a larger pool of players and likely less competition in getting those players. 
 

There will absolutely have been a fair amount of negotiation for Chalmers but Ayr can’t just cave to the demands of players out of panic or the threat of fans being upset. We still need roughly three players so we can’t go and keep offering more money for one player at the risk of not being able to afford other targets. Smith won’t and shouldn’t keep topping up our transfer budget. Once it’s spent it’s spent and there’s every chance we’ll need to do business in January so money will need to be kept back. The club didn’t do that last year and once again they were accused of being “unambitious” or “penny pinching” in January when there was no money to be spent. 

[Richey Edwards]

17 minutes ago, eez-eh said:

Since the half and half scarf debacle two decades ago, Kilmarnock have thrown hospitable title parties for both sides of the old firm, been the only club in the land not to vote against parachuting the new Rangers back into the top flight, and willingly employed massive bigot Kyle Lafferty.

Neck; blow torch.

Their BoD also had some kind of party after getting relegated via the playoffs in 2021.

[shizzlemanizzle]

1 minute ago, Richey Edwards said:

Their BoD also had some kind of party after getting relegated via the playoffs in 2021.

Nothing to see here. Their relegation just so happened to coincide with giro day.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

I’ve asked this question before but what evidence is there to suggest that recruiting from England is “penny pinching”? They’re hardly going to sign them on the wages they’re earning down South and then they have to pay money to accommodate them. There will likely be a premium paid to players up here as everyone is looking at them but Ayr aren’t signing these guys as a means of saving vast quantities of cash. They believe there’s a chance to get younger players up here on longer contracts to try and make money on them. There’s also a larger pool of players and likely less competition in getting those players. 
 

There will absolutely have been a fair amount of negotiation for Chalmers but Ayr can’t just cave to the demands of players out of panic or the threat of fans being upset. We still need roughly three players so we can’t go and keep offering more money for one player at the risk of not being able to afford other targets. Smith won’t and shouldn’t keep topping up our transfer budget. Once it’s spent it’s spent and there’s every chance we’ll need to do business in January so money will need to be kept back. The club didn’t do that last year and once again they were accused of being “unambitious” or “penny pinching” in January when there was no money to be spent. 

We also had the season or two where we signed Tom Walsh, Cammy Smith, Bruce Anderson, Joe Chalmers, Jack Baird, Dario Zanatta who at the time were all seen as top end Championship players and proven in the league.

I think we can all agree that things didn't go entirely to plan.....

[diegomarahenry]

32 minutes ago, eez-eh said:

That and the players they’re referring to are Brian Graham and Billy McKay. Graham was under contract at Thistle and coaches their women’s team, and McKay opted to stay at his current club instead of relocating to the other end of the country.

It‘s just hyperbolic pish.

Paton agreed a deal but Queens Park offered him more

[Hawk89]

13 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

I’ve asked this question before but what evidence is there to suggest that recruiting from England is “penny pinching”? They’re hardly going to sign them on the wages they’re earning down South and then they have to pay money to accommodate them. There will likely be a premium paid to players up here as everyone is looking at them but Ayr aren’t signing these guys as a means of saving vast quantities of cash. They believe there’s a chance to get younger players up here on longer contracts to try and make money on them. There’s also a larger pool of players and likely less competition in getting those players. 

I wonder what the package is that we offer to entice players up here. Housing is obviously a fair bit cheaper than what it would be down South, so there is clearly a saving for the players themselves assuming they are footing the rent for somewhere in the SE. In one of the interviews Graham Spiers has done with the club (I think it was Mathie), it was mentioned the club are sourcing the accommodation which suggests a contribution of some sort as well. It must be a very tempting proposition if they are earning similar wages coming North, but saving a whack with life costs. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Hawk89 said:

I wonder what the package is that we offer to entice players up here. Housing is obviously a fair bit cheaper than what it would be down South, so there is clearly a saving for the players themselves assuming they are footing the rent for somewhere in the SE. In one of the interviews Graham Spiers has done with the club (I think it was Mathie), it was mentioned the club are sourcing the accommodation which suggests a contribution of some sort as well. It must be a very tempting proposition if they are earning similar wages coming North, but saving a whack with life costs. 

They're also getting much more media focus with regular live appearances on National TV and write ups from the National press plus of course the realistic chance of showcasing their talent against a top club in the cups.

If you do well in the Scottish Championship then there's every chance you'll get a gig at a League club in England or the top flight up here as opposed to just moving around non league club to non league club in England with few taking much notice of you.

[D'Jaffo]

7 minutes ago, Hawk89 said:

I wonder what the package is that we offer to entice players up here. Housing is obviously a fair bit cheaper than what it would be down South, so there is clearly a saving for the players themselves assuming they are footing the rent for somewhere in the SE. In one of the interviews Graham Spiers has done with the club (I think it was Mathie), it was mentioned the club are sourcing the accommodation which suggests a contribution of some sort as well. It must be a very tempting proposition if they are earning similar wages coming North, but saving a whack with life costs. 

I think people assume that if they’re earning not very much in England then we’ll just pay them the same. It’s also worth noting that even guys in the National League will be earning a good amount depending on what team they are at. 
 

I get that people want good signings to reassure them that everything is going to be okay but the fuss that folk make when the club loses out on a player to another club or don’t try and sign guys who’ve done well here before it’s so weird. It’s frustrating that we’re losing out on players but it’s just pure laziness to say that the club are effectively being cheap. 

[United1973]

Doesn't look like anything happening on signing front today then 

[Guest]

Just now, United1973 said:

Doesn't look like anything happening on signing front today then 

Are you the Panda ?

I only believe the Panda.

[malkyshotton]

2 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

Are you the Panda ?

I only believe the Panda.

Think the Panda has lost his touch 
 

#bringbacksylvestayr

[BukyOHare]

Like every other club in Scotland we'll have a tight budget to work to.

That means we will sign players and miss out on others. People need to accept there is no blank cheques to let players and their agents fill in.

I don't think missing out on players is anything other than the economics and general situation we find ourself in either.

We don't have anybody prepared to bankroll the club out of their own pocket so I'd imagine our budget is largely dictated to by prize money, gate receipts every 2nd week, season ticket revenue and transfer fees received.

I'd rather miss out on players and stick within budget than consistently overpay and run at huge losses. That's a road nobody wants to go down.

Clubs that make gradual gains, season on season, stand the best chance of challenging at the top of the table, get promoted and be in a financial state to stay up when they get there.

 

 

 

[Thumper]

1 hour ago, railwayend said:

The issue is we have around 8 players that can’t cut it at mid table Championship level .

This gets continually repeated, but can we nail down precisely who this is supposed to refer to? Assuming the new signings are given the benefit of the doubt, that list stands at:

• Reading
• McAllister
• McKenzie (borderline)
• Ashford
• Bangala
• Very, very tentatively Bryden

That's seven, and two of them are really only distinct from the rest of the Academy players because they've actually started shaving yet and have had a non-desultory amount of game time.

I think the notion that the squad is carrying a substantial amount of dead weight is overblown. Five of the above will probably be away in the summer.

51 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

I’ve asked this question before but what evidence is there to suggest that recruiting from England is “penny pinching”?

They're being signed from the sixth tier (or below), which is part time. The best player in the Scottish Championship last season had spent the previous season working for Deliveroo. Undoubtedly he got a substantial increase in compensation to move 500 miles way and go fully professional, but he was starting from a very very low base rate. There's no way he was even Ayr's highest-paid player, never mind the league's.

I wouldn't describe it as penny pinching as such. I would describe it as prudent scouting of a league which contains players who can potentially do great things at this level but are overlooked due to the deeply insular and conservative nature of Scottish football. But it is certainly the case that cost is a major factor in why the club is going this route.