Honest Men Choose Naysmith as Brown’s Replacement
Ayr United appoint Gary Naysmith as new manager
Ayr United are delighted to announce that Gary Naysmith will join the club as Manager on a 3-year contract following the conclusion of Stenhousemuir’s League One playoff campaign.
— Ayr United (@AyrUnitedFC) May 6, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/sCt99c0BhV#WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/RJtzdweVCm
Ayr United have announced the appointment of former Hearts, Everton and Scotland defender Gary Naysmith as their new manager on a three-year contract.
The Honest Men have been without a permanent manager since the 30th of March when they sacked Scott Brown and assistant manager Steven Whittaker.
The club appointed former Hamilton Academical manager John Rankin as interim manager until the end of the season and managed to keep the Honest Men in the Championship for the 2026/27 season.
Naysmith, was one of three nominees for this season's PFA Scotland Manager of the Season award, will join the Honest Men at the end of the playoff campaign as he attempts to lead Stenhousemuir into Scotland's second tier for the first time since 1975.
It has also been confirmed that Warriors' assistant, Brown Ferguson, will join Naysmith at Somerset Park.
As of the 2nd of May 2026, Naysmith has been charge of 158 matches for the Warriors and has won 71 games and has a win percentage of 44.9%.
Harry Pascoe 
Ben Wright 