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National Cup Success Ayr United have never faired so well in national cup competitions, having been the nearly men so many time through history. A run of cup semi-final defeats in both the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup can be found in their past results. For Ayr United, however, the world turned in February 2002 when, as a 1st division team, they beat Premier league Hibernian 1-0 at Hampden Park in the semi-final of the CIS insurance Cup to earn themselves the right to play Rangers in the Scottish League Cup Final on 17th March 2002. United also managed a Scottish Cup semi-final place that season. Cup Final fever was everywhere to be found in the Ayrshire town and even Rabbie Burns seemed to be celebarting as his statue in Burns’ Statue Square, Ayr sported an Ayr United scarf in the days leading to the League Cup final in 2002 (picture left). Cup Final day ended in a 4-0 win for the Glasgow team, a score that was always the likely outcome, but the day belonged to United and the 12,000 supporters who followed them to the match. The players were given a superb send off at full time by the Somerset Park faithful (picture above). |
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Lower Divisions Cup A Lower Divisions Cup (originally called the Centenary Cup) was inaugurated in 1990 promised so much for Ayr with two successive cup final appearances in 1990 and 1991, but alas no silverware came to Somerset Park on either occasion. In season 1990/91 United reached the final of the inaugeral lower divisions cup (The B&Q Cup). The match was held at Fir Park, Motherwell where Ayr lost to Dundee in extra time. The following season Ayr again reached this same final, (now called the League Challenge Cup), but were beaten by Hamilton at the same venue. |
Scottish 2nd Eleven Cup Victory Ayr United can always claim to have won the Scottish Cup. In season 1939/40 clubs played their first teams in the Scottish 2nd eleven cup. Ayr beat Kilmarnock, and Celtic in the competition before lining up againt Aberdeen in a 2 leg final. United drew 1-1 in the first match winning 2-1 at Somerset park on 1st June 1940 and thereby winning the trophy. |