Ayr Utd are set to return to competitive action in the League Cup on July 11, with a trip to face League Two club Stranraer. Gary Naysmith, the Ayr Utd boss, wants to see his team start with a win, following a successful pre-season with three victories.

What happened in pre-season?

Ayr Utd brought their pre-season to a close with a 2-1 win over Airdrieonians, with Jamie Hislop and Reece Lyon scoring. Naysmith believes his side are in a good place, having secured three wins from three friendly matches, and is pleased with the team's fitness level, as they currently sit 7th in the Championship with 39 points, 38 points behind leaders ST Johnstone.

What's the plan for the League Cup?

The new Ayr Utd boss has been trying out his squad in different roles during pre-season, and is happy with the progress made, despite the team's recent form of 0W-0D-5L in their last 5 matches. Naysmith told Ayr United TV: “There are some things that I’m really happy with and there are other parts of the game, in and out of possession, that we need to improve on.”

What comes next for Ayr Utd?

Ayr Utd will face Stranraer on July 11, and Naysmith wants his team to start the League Cup campaign on a positive note, as they look to bounce back from their last result, a 0-1 loss to ST Johnstone on 2026-05-01. With the team's recent form in mind, Naysmith is focused on getting the players' mindsets right, and wants them to go into the match on the front foot, as they aim to improve their goal difference of -9, having scored 38 goals and conceded 47 this season.