Scott Brown has stepped down as manager of Ayr United by mutual consent, the Scottish Championship side has confirmed, bringing an end to his tenure at Somerset Park.
The 40-year-old leaves alongside assistant Steven Whittaker following a difficult run of nine matches without a victory. The downturn in form culminated in a 3-0 defeat to Raith Rovers, a result that saw Ayr drop to sixth in the table as their opponents moved ahead into fifth place.
Ayr, nicknamed “The Honest Men,” have consequently fallen out of the promotion play-off positions and now sit five points behind Dunfermline Athletic in fourth, who also hold a game in hand—further compounding the challenge of regaining momentum in the final stretch of the campaign.
Brown was appointed in January 2024 and initially stabilised the club, steering them clear of relegation danger before guiding Ayr to an impressive third-place finish in his first full season in charge. However, recent performances have marked a significant reversal in trajectory.
His managerial career began in a player-coach role at Aberdeen following his departure from Celtic, before he moved into management with Fleetwood Town. After securing a 13th-place finish in his debut season, Brown was dismissed early in his second campaign in September 2023 amid a poor run of results.
In the interim, Ayr United have placed training responsibilities in the hands of veteran winger Jamie Murphy, alongside first-team coach Tommy Tait and goalkeeping coach Dave Timmins. The club has indicated that further updates regarding an interim managerial appointment will follow in due course.
