Davie Wells may not be a household name in Scottish football, but at Somerset Park, his legacy is woven into the very fabric of Ayr United’s rich history, not just as a dedicated and determined right-back but also as a steadying hand on more than just one occasion when the team found itself in managerial limbo.
PART ONE
Ayr United Football Club, the proud sons of Somerset Park, had been established in 1910 from the merger of Ayr Parkhouse FC and Ayr F.C., a fusion that set them apart in Scottish football history, for while other clubs have emerged from amalgamations, such as Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ayr United remain the only team to have been formed from the unification of two existing Scottish Football League sides. There had been many ups and downs for the fans of Ayr, but the club had always managed to come through in the end.
Born on the 19th of September, 1951, in the historic mining village of New Cumnock, East Ayrshire, Davie Wells took his first steps in senior football when the fair-haired and no-nonsense defender signed for The Honest Men, then in the Scottish First Division, from junior side Auchinleck Talbot in 1970, at the age of 17, a move which proved to be the beginning of a rewarding association with the Somerset Park outfit.
Wells won the Scottish Reserve League with Ayr United in the 1971-72 campaign, and although he initially found himself on the periphery of the first team, his perseverance paid off, and his role as an overlapping right-back became a key part of their setup. Moreover, his early promise was evident when he was an unused substitute for Scotland’s U-23 side in a friendly encounter against England at Kilmarnock´s Rugby Park on the 13th of February 1973—a remarkable achievement for a player who had yet to cement himself as a regular in Ayr’s first team. Nonetheless, being in the national setup, even from the bench, was a testament to his potential.
Davie Wells played his part in one of the most famous nights in Ayr´s history, a night when the underdogs tore apart the reigning champions and left the mighty Rangers reeling under the floodlights of Somerset Park. It was October 11, 1975, and Ayr, now playing in the Premier Division, announced themselves in spectacular fashion by hammering Jock Wallace’s all-conquering side 3-0 in front of 15,000 stunned spectators.
Ayr were fearless, and their confidence was evident as they took the game to Rangers, pressing high and forcing mistakes. The first goal arrived in dramatic style, as Gerry Phillips seized on a weak passback and had the presence of mind to square the ball to Davie McCulloch, who gleefully rounded Ian McDougall before rifling his shot beyond the outstretched hands of Peter McCloy. The home fans had barely stopped celebrating when they were on their feet again, as a venomous drive from Johnny Doyle was beaten away by McCloy, only for Alex Ingram to react quickest and lash home the rebound. The unthinkable was happening—Ayr United were slicing through Rangers at will, and the visitors from Glasgow, for all their quality, had no response.
The final hammer blow was delivered just before the hour mark when the ever-present Doyle cut the ball back for Graham to unleash a thunderous volley past McCloy, confirming that this was no fluke but a deserved and emphatic victory. The scale of the shock became even more apparent as the season unfolded—Rangers recovered to win the treble, sweeping aside all before them in their relentless pursuit of silverware. However, on that unforgettable night in Ayrshire, The Gers were humbled, outfought, and outplayed.
PART TWO
Well´s development was steady rather than meteoric, yet he became a reliable figure within the Ayr squad, and his leadership qualities saw him naturally transition into a coaching role later in his career. In March 1984, he was appointed assistant manager to George Caldwell, a role that would see him involved in both tactical preparations and player development. However, when Caldwell stepped down in October 1985, he found himself thrust into the managerial hot seat as caretaker manager for a solitary match, a 2-0 defeat to Hamilton Academicals. His tenure may have been brief, but it highlighted his importance within the club structure.
The return of flamboyant and outspoken manager Ally MacLeod overshadowed Wells’ managerial ambitions, and rightly so, as MacLeod was synonymous with Ayr United’s most successful eras. However, when MacLeod departed in December 1990, it was Wells who once again answered the call, stepping in as interim boss while the club sought a permanent successor. This time, he had a little longer to make his mark.
His first match in charge was a 0-0 draw to Airdrie, a result that provided some stability amidst the uncertainty. What’s more, his team followed up with two successive wins—2-0 away at Clydebank and 1-0 at home to Morton—demonstrating that he had an ability to grind out results. However, fate has a way of playing cruel tricks, and just when momentum was building, they faced arch-rivals Kilmarnock on home soil on the 2nd of January 1991. Ayr were brimming with confidence ahead of the fixture but football, as ever, had a different script in mind, and they succumbed to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Killies in front of a bumper crowd of 9,448.
Despite the setback, Wells had acquitted himself well in his four games in charge, and when George Burley was appointed as permanent manager, he remained at the club as his assistant until the end of the season. In the grand tapestry of Scottish football, he may not be a celebrated figure, but his contributions to Ayr spanned both playing and coaching roles, ensuring his name remains fondly remembered at Somerset Park.
And as history has shown again and again, Ayr United Football Club may stumble, they may falter, and they may even flirt with disaster, but they never lose their spirit – and in a footballing world increasingly dominated by corporate giants and financial powerhouses, perhaps that is something to be cherished.