2001–02 Ayr United F.C. season

The 2001–02 season is often regarded as one of the most successful seasons of Ayr United's history. In this season they eliminated Stranraer, Kilmarnock, Inverness CT and Hibernian en-route to the Scottish League Cup Final,[1] in which they were beaten by Rangers. In the Scottish Cup they beat Deveronvale, Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee United before losing out to Celtic in the semi-final.[2] While maintaining good cup runs the club sustained a respectable finish of Third Place in Division One.

Ayr United
2001–02 season
Chairman Bill Barr
Manager Gordon Dalziel
First DivisionThird place
Scottish CupSemi-Final, lost to Celtic
League CupRunners-Up
Challenge CupSecond round, lost to Stranraer

Competitions

  Win   Draw   Loss

Pre season
16 July 2001 FriendlyBlyth Spartans 1 – 1 Ayr UnitedCroft Park, Blyth
[[3](Report)] Attendance: n/a
18 July 2001 FriendlyDarlington 0 – 0 Ayr UnitedCroft Park, Blyth
Attendance: 182
21 July 2001 FriendlyBerwick Rangers 0 – 0 Ayr UnitedShielfield Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed
Attendance: 212
23 July 2001 FriendlyAyr United 0 – 2 BlackpoolSomerset Park, Ayr
Attendance: 1,381
25 July 2001 FriendlyQueens Park 0 – 2 Ayr UnitedHampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 264
28 July 2001 FriendlyAyr United 4 – 0 Wigan AthleticSomerset Park, Ayr
Attendance: 1,300
31 July 2001 FriendlyAyr United 0 – 0 DumbartonSomerset Park, Ayr
Attendance: n/a

Scottish First Division
Main article: 2001–02 Scottish First Division

Matches
4 August 2001 Match 1Falkirk1 – 2Ayr UnitedBrockville Park, Falkirk
15:00 Attendance: 2,828
11 August 2001 Match 2Ayr United2 – 0Ross CountySomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 [4] (Report) Attendance: 2,457
18 August 2001 Match 3Airdrieonians2 – 1Ayr UnitedExcelsior Stadium, Airdrie
15:00 Attendance: 2,039
25 August 2001 Match 4Ayr United0 – 0Raith RoversSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,410
8 September 2001 Match 5Partick Thistle1 – 2Ayr UnitedFirhill Stadium, Glasgow
15:00 Attendance: 3,820
15 September 2001 Match 6Ayr United4 – 2St MirrenSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 [5] Attendance: 3,645
18 September 2001 Match 7Arbroath3 – 2Ayr UnitedGayfield Park, Arbroath
Attendance: 438
23 September 2001 Match 8Ayr United2 – 1ClydeSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,278
29 September 2001 Match 9Inverness CT3 – 1Ayr UnitedCaledonian Stadium, Inverness
15:00 [6] Attendance: 1,533
13 October 2001 Match 10Ayr United2 – 2FalkirkSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,439
20 October 2001 Match 11Ross County3 – 2Ayr UnitedVictoria Park, Dingwall
15:00 [7] Attendance: 1,991
27 October 2001 Match 12Ayr United0 – 2Partick ThistleSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 3,447
Match 13Raith Rovers1 – 1Ayr UnitedStark's Park, Kirkcaldy
15:00 Attendance: 1,781
10 November 2001 Match 14Ayr United0 – 1ArbroathSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 1,977
17 November 2001 Match 15St Mirren0 – 1Ayr UnitedLove Street, Paisley
15:00 [8] Attendance: 3,973
24 November 2001 Match 16Ayr United3 – 0Inverness CTSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 1,999
1 December 2001 Match 17Clyde2 – 2Ayr UnitedBroadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
15:00 [9] Attendance: 1,303
8 December 2001 Match 18Ayr United1 – 3AirdrieoniansSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 [10] Attendance: 2,656
15 December 2001 Match 19Falkirk0 – 2Ayr UnitedBrockville Park, Falkirk
15:00 [11] Attendance: 2,418
26 December 2001 Match 20Partick Thistle2 – 1Ayr UnitedFirhill Stadium, Glasgow
15:00 Attendance: 4,611
29 December 2001 Match 21Ayr United3 – 1Raith RoversSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,033
12 January 2002 Match 22Arbroath0 – 2Ayr UnitedGayfield Park, Arbroath
15:00 [12] Attendance: 700
19 January 2002 Match 23Ayr United0 – 1ClydeSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,151
2 February 2002 Match 24Inverness CT1 – 1Ayr UnitedCaledonian Stadium, Inverness
15:00 Attendance: 1,409
9 February 2002 Match 25Airdrieonians1 – 2Ayr UnitedExcelsior Stadium, Airdrie
15:00 Attendance: 1,771
16 February 2002 Match 26Ayr United0 – 0Ross CountySomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,186
26 February 2002 Match 27Ayr United4 – 1St MirrenSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 1,932
2 March 2002 Match 28Raith Rovers3 – 3Ayr UnitedStark's Park, Kirkcaldy
19:45 Attendance: 2,010
9 March 2002 Match 29Ayr United1 – 1Partick ThistleSomerset Park, Ayr
19:45 Attendance: 3,624
26 March 2002 Match 30Ayr United0 – 0ArbroathSomerset Park, Ayr
19:45 Attendance: 2,249
30 March 2002 Match 31Clyde2 – 2Ayr UnitedBroadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
15:00 Attendance: 1,023
2 April 2002 Match 32St Mirren1 – 1Ayr UnitedLove Street, Paisley
19:45 Attendance: 3,002
6 April 2002 Match 33Ayr United1 – 0Inverness CTSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 1,818
13 April 2002 Match 34Ayr United0 – 0FalkirkSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,473
21 April 2002 Match 35Ross County1 – 1Ayr UnitedVictoria Park, Dingwall
15:00 Attendance: 2,822
27 April 2002 Match 36Ayr United1 – 0AirdrieoniansSomerset Park, Ayr
15:00 Attendance: 2,793
Note: Match abandoned after twenty-one minutes due to crowd trouble. The result was later given as such.

Scottish Challenge Cup
Main article: 2001–02 Scottish Challenge Cup
7 August 2001 1st RoundSt Mirren1 – 3Ayr UnitedLove Street, Paisley
19:30 BST Yardley  49' [13]  15' Teale
 49' Sheerin
 72' Annand		 Attendance: 2,072
14 August 2001 2nd RoundStranraer3 – 2Ayr UnitedStair Park, Stranraer
19:30 BST Finlayson  36'
Harty  57'
Wright  58'		 [14]  7' Bradford
 82' McGinlay		 Attendance: 1,387
Referee: Robert Orr

Scottish League Cup
Main article: 2001–02 Scottish League Cup
25 September 2001 2nd RoundAyr United4 – 0StranraerSomerset Park, Ayr
Attendance: 1,503
9 October 2001 3rd RoundAyr United0 – 0
(5 – 4 p)		KilmarnockSomerset Park, Ayr
[15][16] Attendance: 7,418
28 November 2001 Quarter–FinalAyr United5 – 1Inverness CTSomerset Park, Ayr
[17] Attendance: 2,710
5 February 2002 Semi–FinalHibernian0 – 1
AET		Ayr UnitedHampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 11,779
17 March 2002 FinalAyr United0 – 4RangersHampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 50,076

Scottish Cup
Main article: 2001–02 Scottish Cup
5 January 2002 3rd RoundDeveronvale0 – 6Ayr UnitedPrincess Royal Park, Banff
[18] Attendance: 1,800
26 January 2002 4th roundAyr United3 – 0Dunfermline AthleticSomerset Park, Ayr
Attendance: 3,681
23 February 2002 Quarter–FinalDundee United2 – 2Ayr UnitedTannadice Park, Dundee
Attendance: 5,884
6 March 2002 Quarter–Final ReplayAyr United2 – 0Dundee UnitedSomerset Park, Ayr
Attendance: 4,446
23 March 2002 Semi–FinalCeltic3 – 0Ayr UnitedHampden Park, Glasgow
Attendance: 26,774

Final League Table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Partick Thistle 36 19 9 8 61 38 +23 66 Promoted to 2002–03 Scottish Premier League
2 Airdrieonians 36 15 11 10 59 40 +19 56 Club folded
3 Ayr United 36 13 13 10 53 44 +9 52
4 Ross County 36 14 10 12 51 43 +8 52
5 Clyde 36 13 10 13 51 56 −5 49
Source:

References
  1. "Hampden set for Ayr raid". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 13 March 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  2. "Cup Heroes walking on Ayr". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 6 March 2002. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  3. "Ayr United 1-1 Blyth Spartans". HonestPage.co.uk. 16 July 2010. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  4. "Ayr United 2-0 Ross County". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 11 August 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  5. "Ayr United 4-2 Saint Mirren". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 15 September 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  6. "Inverness CT 3-1 Ayr United". HonestPage.co.uk. 29 September 2001. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  7. "Ross County 3-2 Ayr United". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 20 October 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  8. "St Mirren 0-1 Ayr United". HonestPage.co.uk. 17 November 2001. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  9. "Clyde 2-2 Ayr United". HonestPage.co.uk. 1 December 2001. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  10. "Ayr United 1-3 Airdrieonians". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 8 December 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  11. "Falkirk 0-2 Ayr United". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 15 August 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  12. "Arbroath 0-2 Ayr United". HonestPage.co.uk. 12 January 2002. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  13. "Saint Mirren 1-3 Ayr United". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 7 August 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  14. "Stranraer 3-2 Ayr United". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 14 August 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  15. "Ayr United 0-0 Kilmarnock (5-4 pens)". HonestPage.co.uk. 9 October 2001. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  16. "Ayr United 0-0 Kilmarnock". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 9 October 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  17. "Ayr United 5-1 Inverness CT". BBC.co.uk/SPORT. 28 November 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  18. "Deveronvale 0-6 Ayr United". HonestPage.co.uk. 5 January 2002. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
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