Scott Brown reveals excitement at potential of ambitious Ayr United

Scott Brown says Ayr United’s ambition helped attract him to Somerset Park and he is excited about the next chapter of his management career.

The former Celtic and Scotland star has been unveiled as the permanent successor to Lee Bullen at Ayr and is tasked with moving the club up the Championship table in the immediate future.

Brown and the Ayr United board are looking beyond that though, and the 38-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Fleetwood in October, has been sold on a vision for the future.

“We’re looking forward to it because the club’s got ambition,” he told STV. “We’ve got ambition because we’re young coaches.

“We’re thankful of the opportunity to get back in because we have had a couple of interviews and a couple of opportunities. They haven’t been inch perfect for us and it’s never going to be inch perfect but more about how you get on with the board members and have that understanding.

“For me, they’re great people and they’re honest. That’s the best thing that you can ask for in football is that they’re honest with you. Everyone’s on the same page.”

The team have won their last two games, climbing from ninth to seventh in the league, and while Brown says his immediate priority is steering the club away from any relegation fears, there’s a bigger picture.

“There’s a long-term vision for this club,” he said. “The chairman has put a lot of money into it.

“There’s a new stand getting built, he wants to make Ayr a top team and to push it as far as he possibly can. We’re the driving force behind that .

“We’ve got a good enough squad so far to maintain ourselves in this league and it’s about making sure we take it one game at a time.

“There’s a lot of good players to work with and we’re excited about this.

“It’s a journey and while as players and coaches we should only look at the next game and let the directors think about that, we’ve always got that in the back of our minds.”

For Brown, it’s the next step on a journey that saw him take on his first coaching role at Aberdeen at the end of a long playing career, before his 16-month spell as Fleetwood Town manager.

“I really enjoyed my time at Fleetwood,” he said. “They had fantastic facilities and a drive to go forward.

“The first season for us was exceptional and we had everyone working hard and on point. To finish 13th and get to the fifth round of the FA Cup we were punching well above our weight.

“We probably just didn’t get the time we needed in the second season but it is part and parcel of football.

“We’re on a journey now and the board and chairman believe in us and will give us that time and opportunity.”