Ayr United: Partnership with Premier League side Burnley

Manager David Hopkin was key to the deal, using his connections in England from his playing days down south to strike a deal.

It was finally struck last week when the Honest Men announced the collaboration, which will see them join alongside other British clubs Cobh Ramblers, Portadown and Llandudno in becoming partners with the Premiership club.

Smith said:“The positives from our point of view from this coalition are huge. All of the back of house areas at the club including commercial, coaching, sports science and physiotherapy, we can get that knowledge from them and at their level what they do is substantially better than what we do.

“We can also get additional resources into the playing squad through loans from their under-23s squad, and some of them have been on the bench in the Premiership.

“So, the opportunity for us to get a couple of those players into our squad for next season, I do not think that can be underestimated, these are top elite players in England.

“On top of that, the academy stuff is massive too. We can say to our kids do not go to the Old Firm, we can give you a route to the Premiership. There is also the relationships with the other British clubs in the deal and we can maybe send some of our young players there for experience. “

Smith says the club are close to agreeing an extended stay at Cambusdoon Sports Club in Alloway as the club’s training base.

The Honest Men moved back into Ayr in March, having previously trained out in Cumnock, with Smith revealing that the club loved their time at Cambusdoon.

“The manager and the coaching staff really enjoyed being there and we all thought it was pretty important to be back in Ayr.

“It also means on the nutrition side of things, they can get their breakfast made for them at Somerset in the morning, go to training and come back and get a nutritious lunch. It is more or less agreed we will be there again next season.”