David Hopkin: Last News

Ayr United are on the hunt for their fourth manager in a year after parting company with Jim Duffy, the Ayrshire Post understands.

Ayr United continue without a permanent boss.Interim manager Jim Duffy’s three wins in a week have put him firmly in the driving seat to replace David Hopkin.But Smith is adamant that he and his directors remain in no rush to act.Duffy will stay in charge for Saturday’s visit of Morton, for whom he both played and managed.And Smith told the Ayrshire Post: “I’m really comfortable with where we are just now.“Jim has been the ultimate professional and along with the other coaches has provided us with a huge amount of experience at this time.“The results have obviously been really positive so long may that continue.”Saturday’s 2-0 win at Hamilton completed a brilliant week for Duffy, but the caretaker is only looking to his next task.He said:

Ange Postecoglou joined the club this summer, as Anton McElhone is appointed as the club’s new head of sport science. The former Tottenham fitness coach joins the Parkhead club after a spell as Morton manger last season, taking over for Jack Nayler who left Celtic in June to join German side RB Leipzig.

Ayr United ended a troubled week by putting desperate Dunfermline to the sword.Tomi Adeloye hit a double and Cammy Salkeld also got on the scoresheet as United looked the part.And caretaker boss Jim Duffy refused to rule himself out of a long term shot in the Somerset hotseat following a positive 90 minutes.He said: "The Board asked me to look after the team for today and we'll see where we are on Tuesday when we play again."If we're not here then we'll have enjoyed our day."The chairman determines who manages this football club but I'm not ready for the pipe and slippers just yet, I'd like to think I've got a wee bit left to offer the game."Tuesday night's 2-0 home defeat to Raith ultimately led to David Hopkin's departure on Thursday just

Ayr United caretaker Jim Duffy admits preparing a team was the last thing he expected to be doing this week.But the hugely experienced figure can't wait to ditch a week of chaos at Somerset by tackling Dunfermline tomorrow.The Honest Men were left without a manager just four games into the new season when the club parted company with David Hopkin yesterday.Duffy will now take the team along with first coaches John Joyce, Dave Timmins and Derek Stillie.And he's pledging to keep the players' minds fully focused on football following their upheaval only weeks into the campaign.Duffy told the Ayrshire Post: "This is certainly not something I anticipated when I came in during the summer to help Davie out with the coaching."But the Board have

Ayr United stopper Markus Fjortoft insists he and his teammates are letting down boss David Hopkin.The giant Norwegian has called on the dressing room to stand up and be counted following last night's 2-0 defeat at home to Raith.The result and performance led to a testing night with fans venting their anger.And Fjortoft, one of a clutch of summer signings, admits it was tough to take.He told the Ayrshire Post: "We're disappointed that as players we let ourselves down - but more than anything we let the gaffer down."He brought many of us here - so I speak for a lot of us when I say that hurts."It's not good enough to concede two avoidable goals like we did."But we now have to face the severity of the situation."For us it's about sticking

Ayr fans to get behind his side after a damaging night at Somerset.The boss hit out at terracing boo boys who were vocal as nine man United were well beaten by Raith.Hopkin insists his squad needs support from the home faithful to ride their rough patch.It followed a 2-0 defeat which saw Jonathan Afolabi and skipper Aaron Muirhead both see red as Ayr's discipline crumbled near the end.First half goals from Ethon Varian and former Ayr winger Dario Zanatta sealed the points for Rovers.Hopkin told the Ayrshire Post: "It's the first time since I've been here that nine or ten players didn't play well."I can take abuse - I've been in football for a long time."All I ask the fans is to get behind Ayr United and the players on that pitch."They can

Ayr United are in Covid no-man’s land as they return from isolation this week.The first-team squad is back in training today after an enforced 10-day shutdown of footballing operations at Somerset Park.Six of Hopkin’s first-team squad were among those at the club to test positive over the last fortnight.And that leaves the manager without his troubles to seek.Ayr will now face a run of four games in 12 days as they return to action following the lay-off.Hopkin told the Ayrshire Post: “It’s good to be getting a ball out again but the Covid situation has thrown up a lot of challenges.“We’ve got boys coming out of isolation this week and we’ll not know how it’s affected each of them until they’ve been fully evaluated.“It hits some harder than

Ayr's bid to make the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.The Honest Men were 1-0 up and had blown a host of good chances to bury Dundee United before Walsh handed the Premiership outfit a late route back into the tie.The ref's decision to send Jack Baird packing for a pull on Ryan Edwards with 10 minutes to go incensed Hopkin - who was forced to watch Nicky Clark slot home the resultant penalty.And although Ayr held on for spot kicks, they ultimately went out with hero keeper Benji Siegrist proving a man mountain for the Tangerines.Hopkin said: "Anybody at the game today could see there was only one team going to win it."The decision to give the penalty was horrific."The ball was out of the pitch and nobody had even claimed for it."Then

Ayr boss David Hopkin fuming.But ten man United limped on to spot kicks, before Siegrist denied Paddy Reading and Jonathan Afolabi to send the Tangerines through.Hopkin had made four changes from the team which drew with Arbroath last week as he sought a fresh approach.Aidan McAdams returned between the sticks to make his first start since the opening game of the season at Albion Rovers.Also in from the start were Aaron Muirhead, Michael Hewitt and Mark McKenzie, with Muirhead handed the captain's armband in place of Sean McGinty, who was one of four who dropped to the bench.And after a tight opening to the game, it was Ayr who fashioned the best early opening through their most creative option.Reading did well to intercept the ball down

Ayr take on Dundee United in the Premier Sports Cup tomorrow, fresh from salvaging a last-ditch point at home to Arbroath.But Hopkin has told how a half-time hairdryer was required to turn the tide during a potentially damaging day at Somerset.The boss said: “I had some pretty choice words to say on Saturday and the players needed to hear it.“The two goals we conceded were nowhere good enough.“You’re talking about basic mistakes that you should never be making.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise

Ayr as he bids to become the main man for boss David Hopkin.The striker bagged his third goal for United as they staged a late comeback to rob Arbroath at the death on Saturday.And Adeloye, who spent time on trial at Somerset under previous boss Mark Kerr, insists there’s far more to come from him now that he’s getting fully up to speed.The 25-year-old told the Ayrshire Post: “The gaffer wants me to be a real presence up front so I need to get my head down and work hard.“I’ve always said I know what kind of level I can reach when I get myself properly fit and I feel I’m slowly getting there now.“I’ve come here to play for a whole season with no distractions and score goals and the fans have been great with me.“I always wanted to come to

Ayr squad won't lie down without a fight.Two goals in the last 20 minutes pulled United back from the brink after they should have been dead and buried.The Lichties were cruising at 2-0 and missed a penalty midway through the second half before Ayr's late salvo.And Hopkin insists his men have passed a crucial early season gut check in front of their home support.He said: "We gave ourselves a mountain to climb in the first half by conceding the goals we did."We lost a poor goal to start with and then the second one was absolutely horrific."But I had a go at the players at half time and I got the reaction."I made the call at half time to bring Aaron Muirhead on and I thought he was terrific."He was able to give us a real foothold in the game

Ayr United boss David Hopkin reckons the club’s next generation of talent is giving him a pleasant selection headache.

Ayr home in on the big kick-off. United are less than two weeks from their competitive start in the Premier Sports Cup.

Ayr Racecourse this morning for the start of a three-day fitness regime.And Hopkin says he will use the boot camp to get his men in peak shape.He told the Ayrshire Post: “This is a vital few days for me.“It’s important to see who’s been doing the right things over the summer and this will immediately tell me that.“The racecourse is a fantastic facility which has been made available to us and I’m sure we’re going to get a lot out of these sessions.”The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with

Somerset Park.McGinty, who will be joined by fellow 'Ton defender Markus Fjortoft at Ayr, says he didn't have to think twice about following his old gaffer down the road.The 27-year-old told the Ayrshire Post: "I really enjoyed playing under him [Hopkin] at Morton and we enjoyed good success during his time there."I enjoy the way he builds his team and we had a really good relationship so I can't wait to work with him again."I had other options on the table and turned down a very good offer to stay at Morton."But for me it came down to how much I wanted to play for the gaffer again."McGinty, who came through Charlton Athletic's youth system, won a dream move to Manchester United as a kid for a reported £1 million.But his career failed

Ayr United.The Geordie joined old boss David Hopkin at Somerset Park today after leaving Morton.And the midfielder says he can't wait to replicate the passion of a Tyne-Wear derby when Ayr face Kilmarnock next season.Salkeld, 22, told the Ayrshire Post: "I'm good mates with Craig McGuffie and he's told me all about how massive the game is here."I'm a Newcastle boy and the Newcastle-Sunderland derby is huge to me."So I can't wait to pull on the black and white and represent Ayr like I would Newcastle against Sunderland."I'm a passionate boy and I can't wait to be in amongst it."Salkeld becomes the first capture of Hopkin's new-look Ayr and admits the manager was a huge factor in his decision to join United.He said: "He brought me up to

Ayr can claim the point they need to ensure Championship safety as a final night shootout at Inverness looms.United's goalless draw against Queen of the South today leaves the Honest men facing a perilous trip to the Highlands next week.Ayr know a draw keeps them safe, while an Arbroath victory over Morton should also keep United safe without the need for anything in the Highlands due to goal difference.And Hopkin insists he is feeling far more confident about the task in the wake of Ayr's improved performance against Queens at Somerset.He said: “It’s good that we have managed to hang in there especially after last week."I said to the players we had to be resilient and I thought we were."But we should have won today."The players were low

Ayr squad show they want to play for the club after a disastrous defeat at Arbroath.United were dismantled 4-0 by their relegation rivals on a dark day in Angus.Ayr were three down inside 27 minutes and left chasing shadows in a performance that will spark a long inquest at Somerset Park.And Hopkin insists his players must step up and show some leadership on the park as they enter two crunch games that will decide their fate.The boss said: "We didn't play at all today and some of the goals we lost were schoolboy stuff."I just will not accept that."I've only been in here five weeks and you can coach and do whatever you want, but changing people's mentality is another thing."I now need to know who wants to be at Ayr United next season."That's

Ayr United clear of their relegation dogfight.The new boss has walked into a tough gig at Somerset Park with the club perched on the play-off verge.Key men Cammy Smith and Viljami Sinisalo have been lost from the first team squad since Hopkin was tasked with keeping Ayr up.But the former Morton and Livingston boss has issued a rallying call to his squad ahead of one final push.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to