Ayr were the surprise package of the season. They were expected to struggle, but the newly promoted team took the Championship by storm as Lawrence Shankland led the way with his goals. They went toe-to-toe with Ross County for the first half of the season and gathered genuine hopes that they could return to top-flight football after a 40 year absence. However, injury to Shankland at the midpoint of the season revealed how thin their squad was. Without his presence their form faded and they finished in 4th place. Ayr were in no shape for the play-offs and failed to get past Inverness. Despite their season finishing on a low note, Ayr can be rightly proud of their efforts.
Shankland scored a double in the opening fixture against Partick Thistle setting the tone for his season. He was hot property, but he showed loyalty by remaining at Somerset Park despite intense transfer speculation. Ayr only lost twice in the first half of the season although a 5-0 hammering at Queen of the South showed they were far from invincible. Ayr then limped into 2019 with just one win in eight fixtures and their title hopes fading fast. A series of injuries saw Shankland dropping in and out of the squad and the goals dried up. Ayr lost 10 of their 18 fixtures in the second half of the season and finished 17 points behind Ross County.
Ayr’s season may have petered out early, but it was still a highly successful one for them. At the start they would have happily accepted 8th place. They won praise for their attacking style but ultimately they lacked the depth to sustain a challenge. The question is now can they repeat it? Shankland will move on for a big fee and it’s up to Ayr to unearth another striker.
