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The 2012/13 season was the 116th season of competitive football in Scotland. The season began on 28 July 2012, with the start of the Challenge Cup The season was Ayr United’s 98th season of competitive football in the clubs history and saw Mark Roberts replace Brian Reid as manager for the start of the season in a player-manager role as the club adjusted to life back in the Second Division after relegation through the play-offs the previous season.
An inexperienced Mark Roberts began about leading the new club back up the league. A mixed-bag of pre-season results, including 1-1 draws in a closed door game at Queen's Park, at home to Northern Irish side, Glentoran and at home English side, Bolton Wanderers as well as 4-0 win over Premier League side, Motherwell and a thumping 4-1 defeat at home to Partick Thistle.
Results were not as hoped leaving United at the foot of the table. Some improvement helped the league position before Christmas. Ayr United welcomed Inverness Clachnacuddin to Somerset Park for the Third Round of the Scottish Cup, with the Highland League club proving stern-opposition as they took an early lead only for Michael Moffat to score two second half goals.
The Fourth Round of the Scottish Cup saw Ayr United make another trip up to Station Park to face fellow Second Division side, Forfar Athletic and David Sinclair gave The Honest Men an early lead but his goal was later canceled out by two second half Forfar goals saw Ayr exit the competition
At least by the time that United beat Albion Rovers 5-2 at Somerset Park in February it looked certain automatic relegation for the Coatbridge men. The season generally ‘died’ with United seemingly unable to offer anything that may constitute a serious challenge with many odd goal defeats that a little extra effort may have seen them win and attain promotion.
Ayr's formed remained inconsistent throughout the rest of the season; with six wins including a 5-2 win at home to Albion Rovers in which Michael Moffat and a 4-1 win at Arbroath where Moffat got all four of Ayr's goals, nine loses including a devastating 4-0 loss at Stenhousemuir that lead to Ayr losing the next and last two games of the season at home to Arbroath and Away to Forfar Athletic .The later games of the season were marred by indiscipline with Ayr having players sent off in almost every game.
Supporters clamboured for a better effort and ethos in the following season.
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