| Full name | Ayr Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Auld Town[1] | |
| Founded | 1879 | |
| Dissolved | 1910 | |
| Ground | Springvale Park (1879–1884) Beresford Park (1884–1888) Somerset Park (1888–1910) | |
|
| ||
Ayr Football Club was a Scottish Football League club from Ayr, Scotland. They were formed in 1879 by a merger of the Ayr Thistle and Ayr Academicals football clubs. Their initial home ground was Springvale Park, which they left in 1884 to play home fixtures at Beresford Park, which they in turn left in 1888 to move to Somerset Park. Ayr won their first ever game at Somerset Park 3–0 against Aston Villa.
Ayr had spent 13 seasons in the Scottish Football League Division Two,[2] with a best finish of third place which they managed on three occasions. They never won promotion above this level.[2] Ayr F.C. merged with fellow league members Ayr Parkhouse in 1910 to form Ayr United.[2] This is the first and only example in Scottish football of a merger between two league clubs from the same town.[2] The merger came about because it was felt that a merged club would have better prospects of playing in Division One.[3] Ayr United achieved that status three years after the merger.[3]
- ^ "Football". Irvine Herald: 6. 18 April 1879.
- ^ a b c d (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 292)
- ^ a b (Bob Crampsey 1990, p. 47)