McCall named new Ayr boss

Ayr United have appointed Ian McCall as their new manager following the departure of Mark Roberts from Somerset Park last month.

Andy Millen has been in interim charge of the team for recent matches but McCall will be in the dug-out for the first time against Brechin City at Glebe Park on Saturday.

The 50-year-old has previously managed Clydebank, Morton, Airdrie, Falkirk, Dundee United, Queen of the South and Partick Thistle, who he parted company with in April 2011.

Ayr have slipped to ninth place in League 1 after picking up just one point from a possible 24 and chairman Lachlan Cameron is delighted to have McCall on board.

He told the club website: "We had three main criteria - experience at our level, working with financial constraints and developing youth. Ian scored very highly in all three areas and, combined with his obvious passion for the game, we are delighted to welcome him to the club."

McCall added: "This last two years I have really missed the day-to-day working of football management. Ayr United is still a big name in Scottish football - the club is under achieving and my initial aim is a simple one - to start winning matches.

“We need to stay in this league and then think about promotion to the Championship and establishing ourselves there. This is a clean slate for all the players but I will be looking to bring players in quickly to improve the squad."