Arsenal defender Alex Kirk 'gutted' to miss Ayr United promotion bid

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Injury is set to end the loan spell of Arsenal centre half Alex Kirk at Ayr United.The Gunners kid has been told by medics that he is unlikely to return in time for the Championship run-in at Somerset Park.It follows an ankle ligament strain suffered in last week's 3-1 defeat at Dundee.Kirk had initially hoped to be available for United's last couple of league fixtures, but a scan has revealed more damage than first feared.

He told the Ayrshire Post: "I'm gutted to be honest. This is never the way I'd want my time up here to end. "I had hoped it was just a case of rolling my ankle at Dundee but it's looking like I'll be out for longer than we first thought."It's so frustrating because I wanted to be part of the promotion push and give it my all in these final few games."The one thing I know is the boys have the ability to go on and do the job.

I'll be cheering them on from afar and have full confidence they can get it done."The Emirates youth prospect has proved to be one of Ayr's standouts with his composed displays at the back winning rave reviews.And he admits the hard knocks of the Scottish Championship are exactly what he's needed for his own career development.He said: "All I've ever known is the Arsenal Academy having signed there when I was 11."So it was crucial for me to come up here and get an experience of proper men's football where every game and every result matters."I looked at this as a massive opportunity to develop not only as a player but as a person."It was the first time I'd been away from home and I remember sitting in my flat up here on my first night with my suitcase thinking...what do I do now?!"But the club has been brilliant with me and has a proper family atmosphere to it.