Scott Brown, the Celtic legend and former Scotland midfielder, has parted ways with Ayr United after a challenging run of results that saw the club tumble down the Scottish Championship table. The announcement came on March 30, 2026, with the club confirming via an official statement that Brown and his assistant, Steven Whittaker, have left their posts by mutual consent. The decision follows a winless streak that stretched to nine games, culminating in a 3-0 defeat to Raith Rovers on March 27 that proved to be the final straw for the club’s hierarchy.
Brown, who took the reins at Somerset Park in January 2024, initially injected hope into the club’s fortunes. In his first full season, he steered Ayr United to a third-place finish in the Championship, lifting them clear of relegation worries and into the promotion play-offs. That impressive turnaround had fans dreaming of a long-awaited return to the Scottish Premiership, a top-flight the club hasn’t graced since 1977. However, the optimism of the previous campaign has faded this season as the Honest Men have struggled to replicate last year’s form.
As of the morning of March 30, Ayr United found themselves languishing in eighth place. They sit seven points clear of Ross County in the relegation play-off spot, but crucially, are also five points adrift of Dunfermline Athletic, who occupy the final promotion play-off position—and Dunfermline still have a game in hand. The club’s official statement read, “Ayr United confirms that Scott Brown and Steven Whittaker have left the club by mutual consent. The club wishes to thank them both for their dedication throughout their time at Ayr United and wish them every success for their future careers.”
The club also announced that training would be overseen by veteran winger Jamie Murphy, first-team coach Tommy Tait, and goalkeeper coach Dave Timmins while they search for an interim manager. “Training today will be taken by Jamie Murphy, Tommy Tait and Dave Timmins, and there will be further communication regarding an interim position in due course,” the statement continued. With a crucial fixture against Partick Thistle looming, Ayr’s board faces a race against time to steady the ship and reignite the club’s promotion ambitions.
The recent 3-0 defeat at Raith Rovers not only extended Ayr’s winless run to nine matches but also saw the team slip further down the table. The Honest Men have now dropped out of the coveted promotion play-off places, and the mood among supporters has soured. Fans, once buoyed by Brown’s early successes, have grown increasingly vocal in their criticism of the management team. The board’s decision appears to have been driven by a need to halt the slide and avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight, with Ross County lurking just seven points behind.
Reflecting on the loss to Raith Rovers, Brown did not mince his words. “It was the poorest fight I’ve seen from us in a long time—you have to come here and show basic hunger and desire, but we didn’t,” he said after the match. “In the first half none of our forward players won a header or had a shot on target. We changed shape a bit in the second half but still didn’t create any clearcut chances. The goals we lost were so poor. Yes we have loads of injuries and come here without a recognised striker but that’s no excuse for the lack of fight and desire on show.”
Brown continued, “There wasn’t a togetherness to go and defend things. We need to have a fight because this isn’t good enough. It was plain sailing last season when they enjoyed themselves playing football and passing the ball with the physicality up top. When you don’t have that you need leaders to step up. There was an acceptance in that performance and it’s nowhere near good enough. We had the leaders last season.” He added, “When you’re in this situation, you find out who wants to be here and who has the desire to fight. There are a lot of people out of contract at the end of the season and whether they’re getting a contract here or not, people will look at that performance and think they don’t want to fight. I’m gutted—it’s not a performance anywhere near the level required.”
Brown’s tenure at Ayr United followed a decorated playing career, most notably with Celtic, where he amassed 22 major honours, including 10 Scottish Premiership titles, six Scottish Cups, and six League Cups. After hanging up his boots, Brown began his coaching journey as a player-coach under Stephen Glass at Aberdeen, before taking the managerial helm at Fleetwood Town in England. His stint at Fleetwood saw him guide the club to a 13th-place finish in his first season, but he was dismissed in September 2023 following a poor start to his second campaign.
Steven Whittaker, Brown’s assistant at Ayr, also boasts an impressive footballing pedigree, having played for Rangers and the Scotland national team. The pair had previously worked together at Fleetwood Town and joined Ayr United as a duo in January 2024. Their partnership brought initial success, but the demands of the Championship and a relentless fixture schedule ultimately took their toll.
With Brown and Whittaker’s departure, attention now turns to the future of Ayr United. Jamie Murphy, who spent a season with St Johnstone and has been part of the Ayr coaching staff, has stepped in to lead training. The club’s board is expected to make an announcement regarding an interim manager in the coming days, with crucial matches against Partick Thistle and St Johnstone still to come before the end of the season. The Honest Men’s ambitions of reaching the Premiership may yet be salvaged, but the new coaching team will have their work cut out to reverse the recent slump.
For Brown, the exit marks another twist in an already eventful coaching career. While his time at Ayr United ends on a sour note, his achievements—both as a player and in his early managerial career—remain a testament to his enduring influence on Scottish football. As the club looks to regroup and refocus, supporters will be watching closely to see who takes the reins and whether the Honest Men can reignite their push for promotion or risk being dragged further into the lower reaches of the Championship.
As of now, the search for Ayr United’s new manager is underway, and the club’s immediate future hangs in the balance. With the Championship season entering its decisive phase, all eyes are on Somerset Park to see if the Honest Men can rally and restore their fortunes in the weeks ahead.