Celtic legend Scott Brown has been slated in a report which has predicted him to leave Ayr United at the end of the season.
The Hoops hero has been in charge for over two years at Somerset Park, but currently sits four points adrift of the division’s play-off spots, having not won a league game since January.
Craig Fowler of The Terrace says it feels ‘inevitable’ that there will be a parting of ways at the end of the season, with supporters ‘sick’ of Brown.
There are a variety of reasons for this.
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Ayr United fans ‘sick’ of Celtic hero Scott Brown
Given that Ayr haven’t been a top-flight club in almost 50 years, such a negative sentiment towards a manager currently knocking on the doors of the play-offs could be a surprise.
But Brown’s tenure has coincided with increased investment in the club’s playing squad, with players such as Jamie Murphy, Stuart Bannigan and Scott McMann just three former Premiership players signed in recent years.
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In the eyes of many fans, this investment has not been reflected on the pitch, with some voicing fears of relegation earlier this season.
The Celtic affiliation appears to have worked against him, too, with the report saying that the media’s constant reminders of his Hoops status has added to fans’ “resentment.”
Brown has brought a number of young players on loan from Parkhead to Somerset Park, with Francis Turley, Kyle Ure, Jude Bonnar and Ben Summers all currently on their books.
Last season, Brown signed Josh Clarke and Lenny Agbaire, earning the latter a move to Rotherham United in England.
The ex-Hoops captain is himself familiar with the EFL; he began his managerial career there, being sacked a short time into his second season at Fleetwood Town.
Brown moving into management as such an iconic figure makes him an obvious candidate to manage the Hoops in the future, but at this current stage, that feels a long way away.
He isn’t the only gaffer in Scotland’s second tier with ties to Celtic – Neil Lennon is one place above him with Dunfermline, whilst Mark Wilson’s Partick Thistle are still in with a shout of beating St Johnstone to the title.
Speaking of the Saints, Brown was linked with the job at McDiarmid Park early on last season – will he regret his decision to commit to a new contract with Ayr instead?
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Let us know in the comments!
Celtic hero Scott Brown’s full managerial record
The difference between Brown’s numbers at Ayr compared with Fleetwood make it clear that the Hoops icon is struggling in a more demanding environment at Ayr:
| Team | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleetwood Town | 12 May 2022 | 3 Sep 2023 | 64 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 29.7% |
| Ayr United | 24 Jan 2024 | Present | 102 | 45 | 27 | 30 | 42.1% |
| Total | 166 | 62 | 48 | 54 | 37.3% |
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