It was off to Ibiza to enjoy some well earned R and R for a number of the Ayr squad to re-charge the batteries for er, one more game. Well, the break had been organised well before it was known that the season would seemingly be endless but in the end, they didn’t have to go to Selkirk after all.

In another arrangement similar to the double header cupfinal/ league match against Melrose common sense prevailed and with the clubs agreeing that the match at Philiphaugh was meaningless, the SRU concurred and the season came to a close.

For the purists and stats anoraks this decision will be called a mistake but believe me, the saving on transport for Ayr, organisation for Selkirk and wear and tear on the players bodies-don’t forget that they will be back in pre-season training in no time- made this a very sensible call indeed.

One player who may just have a touch of regret is prop Gordon Sykes who would have pulled on an Ayr jersey for the last time at Philiphaugh. “It is a shame Sykesy didn’t get that last game in” said Ayr captain Damien Kelly “but maybe that will be an excuse for us to persuade him come back next season!”

I caught up with the Ayr skipper in reflective mood as he looked back over what has been another memorable season in the annals of Millbrae.

“”Yes it was disappointing not to win the league because our main goal from the moment we started pre-season training was to retain the title but in the end it went down to the wire and when you look at the points we had and still to come second, I don’t know if that has ever happened before but it just shows how strong both Ayr and Currie have been this season.”
”What made up for that disappointment was winning the cup and I have to admit that it was the best day in rugby I have ever experienced. From leaving Millbrae where there was a crowd to see us off then arriving at Murrayfield to be greeted by even more fans and then to look up from the pitch to a sea of pink on the terracing was awesome. The way the fans reacted after we won the cup showed just how much it meant to them and it felt like being the Beatles for a day!.”

“The day flashed past so quickly but it is the support we had which will always stick in my mind and it was wonderful to meet so many fans, some of whom have been Ayr supporters for a long time and others who are new to he club and that was very special.”

“The experience we got from playing in the British and Irish Cup has been huge and we came close to winning four out of five, losing in the last minute to Pontypridd and then by three points at Cardiff Arms Park but we were well beaten by Doncaster who were the best team we played last season. They were a much more clinical side than we were used to but even at that if we had played them later in the competition at Millbrae, we could have got a different result because we would have been more aware of what was needed against that sort of opposition. I would like to think that our taking part in the B & I Cup has been a success and it was great to represent Scotland and to be the most successful of the three Scottish sides in the competition. We will go into it next season with no fears having had the experience of this season and since we won the league last year, the cup this year, why not the B & I Cup next year?”

“It was a long hard league campaign and there is no doubt that the result up at Mayfield against Dundee came back to haunt us but it was good that the league went to the wire with Currie because we need that sort of competition but at the end there were a lot of tired and sore bodies. There were a few of the squad played through injury but when you look at how close the league was and the fantastic day we had in the cup final, you would play on one leg to experience hat.”

“This time last season we were looking at re-building a fair part of the squad but from the first training session with new lads, we knew that we had got some great guys in. Jono Crossan was bit of an unsung hero for the side but he has been a fantastic performer all season and has been responsible for a few of the wins we have had, Mark Stewart brought a lot of experience to the side and is a great general in the backs as well as keeping Ross Curle under control! Ross and Jamie Hunter have both been exceptional for us and we are very lucky to have had two players with that real quality in the squad.”

“Because the new payers blended in so well and because we had the core of the side which won the league, the team spirit in the side was fantastic. There have been times in games when we have been under pressure but we knew at we had quality all over the park and that we could back ourselves in the knowledge that someone would do something. That is the way we play and during a game you can look on each side of you and know that there are guys there who are not going t let you down.”

“I will be taking it easy over the summer and will possibly be having an operation on my foot which has been pretty bad since February but if that gets cleared up then it will be back into things as soon as possible next season after I have some Aussie sun on my back.”

With that Ayr’s inspirational captain finished our chat, off to fulfil his duties as rugby development office where his Pied Piper approach has introduced kids to the game who, even if they don’t take it up in future , will always look up to the big man who came to their school with the odd shaped ball.