BarryLFC

If I'm honest, the first season was a nightmare. Sure, we stayed in the division when it seemed unlikely at one point, but eighth place was not what the club, and the magnficient support, deserved or required.

A few older players agreed to step down to this level in time for the 2008/09 season, amongst them Stevie Crawford, Sean Mackle and Jerome Bonnissel. It looked promising on paper, but we were short at the back, and the opening day at home to Peterhead showed that as we romped to a 5-3 halftime lead before falling 9-7 behind in the second half. To be fair, we were playing strikers and midfielders in defence and it was a remarkable game. In injury time we pegged the visitors back to 9-9 and it was perhaps the strangest point I have ever won as a manager.

Ayr United 9-9 Peterhead
Gafour 11, 40, Mackle 17, Crawford 23, 64, 90, Lowe 44, Soumah 54, Gioia 86;
Bavidge 18, 21, 66, 69, 71, 78, Wake 36, 52, 68

BarryLFC

Of course we immediately signed Bavidge in an £8,000 deal, but after a sloppy 4-1 loss at home to Hamilton in the League Cup, things seemed to click. An immediate rematch in the Second Division saw Accies fall to a 5-3 defeat and Stranraer were a shambles, having two men sent off in a 5-0 Challenge Cup defeat at Somerset.

By now the fans were sensing that the defensive issues were easing, and they were perhaps astonished to realise that the flow of goals showed no signs of depleting similarly. A trip to Livingston ought to have been approached with trepidation, but a 3-1 win later we were flying.

Against Brechin even keeper Jérémie Moreau got in on the act, scoring when his long kick was misjudged by Christopher Mccluskey in the Brechin goal and bounced over his opposite number into the top corner of the net! That game, also away from home, ended 4-2 and set the scene nicely for a home double-header with Airdrie.

The first of those games ended 0-0 after extra time and so penalties would determine which side advanced to the Challenge Cup quarter finals. Twelve kicks followed, eight of them saved, one missed and it was our boys who triumphed, 2-1. On then to the league game, where Sean Mackle goals either side of half time gave us a comfortable 2-0 lead. Airdrie did pull one back, but until they netted deep into injury time a draw never looked achievable. That was a kick in the teeth, but at least maintained our advantage over the second placed Diamonds.

retired_missk222

9-9????

Good start HD, kutgw!

BarryLFC

Results steadily improved after the Airdrie games, though handing winless Alloa their first point of the season was not too auspicious, particularly as they had a man sent off after just three minutes. Morton then eliminated us from Challenge Cup contention at the Quarter Final stage, winning 2-1 at Cappielow.

Despite two bad results we fought tooth and nail to earn a 3-2 win over Forfar and followed that up with a 5-0 romp against East Fife. The team were clicking now, but perhaps complacent, dropping points in a 1-0 home loss to Queen's Park and a 1-1 draw at new leaders Hamilton.

Three great performances followed, however. Livingston travelled to Somerset and were thumped 4-0, before we went up to face Peterhead and handed them a similar 4-0 thrashing. No strikers in defence here, and though we were five goals shy of our previous tally, we were a little happier with the result. Brechin could have been a tricky opponent, but three second half goals saw them off without reply.

Then came Airdrie again and we lost. Badly. It just goes to show, you should never count your chooks before they're hatched.

BarryLFC

After the Airdrie result I charged my men to prove it an abberation, to lift themselves to new heights. They responded positively, winning 3-0 at Dumbarton in the Third Round of the Scottish Cup to set up a mouthwatering home tie with Rangers in the last-32 stage. Alloa were brushed aside 4-0 and a 2-0 win over East Fife followed before we welcomed Forfar to Somerset the following week riding on the crest of a wave.

Then the story broke.

Following Thursday's decision by Aberdeen to ditch manager Gary McAllister the press had been knocking down my door demanding to know whether I was interested in the position.

"Of course!", I said, bemused, "but I doubt an SPL club is going to pluck a manager from the Second Division, no matter how successful."

The Ayr board were not overly chuffed, but their opinon soon mattered little. At 6.30am on the Saturday morning I received a phone call from Stuart Milne:

"Hello, can I speak to Iain Bartholomew please?" he said.
"Ungrnmngn" I replied.

The conversation improved from that point on. He was keen to install me as the new manager of Aberdeen, having been impressed with the style of football and results achieved by my Ayr side. Admittedly we were on a run of results which read 4-0, 4-0, 3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 4-0, 2-0, but these were mostly against Second Division opposition, simply outmatched by some of the talent in the squad. Ousmane Soumah, Jérémie Moreau and Sean Mackle were just too good for this league and it showed.

I had to accept the job. Even though Aberdeen were bottom of the SPL, they were not adrift. If I were to be a success in this career then I had to take opportunities when they were offered. If I was being honest, I don't think I would have moved to a First Division team, but this job, the Aberdeen job, was on a whole other level. I informed the Ayr board of my decision and agreed to take charge for the Forfar game, my farewell gesture.

The game was relatively clear cut, a goal in each half securing a 2-0 win, but it was in the dressing room that emotions took control. A number of the players were devastated at my departure, but there was little I could say to cheer them. It was simply a new chapter for everyone. That the team went on to lose 3-1 to Queen's Park and 4-1 to Hamilton afer I left was perhaps evidence of the hurt felt.

Aberdeen was another story altogether. Despite rallying the troops, we lost 2-0 at Dundee United to run to eight games without a win. That was remedied at Gretna, where we scored the only goal of the game, but then at home to Motherwell, our closest competition in the relegation battle, we imploded, going down 2-0 once more. This was not going to be a cakewalk.

retired_rn321

i like this. good job :thup:

BarryLFC

The transfer window was open, but we were hardly doing a roaring trade. Veteran strikers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Tore Andre Flo signed on to the end of the season, but neither inspired much confidence. Elsewhere we were shallow and lacking in top talent. Hence our position at the foot of the league and, following a loss by 1-0 at home to St. Johnstone, out of the cup.

Further losses, to 11th placed Dundee 2-1 and Celtic 3-2 were disappointing, but not disheartening and we travelled over to Inverness in good spirits.

shannon2007

Easily pleased.

HD can write better stuff than this with his eyes closed and his hands ties behind his back.

BarryLFC

Still, better than your drivel. :p

shannon2007

Don't see your name in the Hall of Fame anywhere :cool: