Gary Naysmith is set to take the reins at Ayr United, but only after he finishes his current mission: leading Stenhousemuir through the Scottish Championship play-offs. The former Scotland full-back has agreed to a three-year contract with the full-time Championship side, bringing his assistant Brown Ferguson along for the ride.
It's been a remarkable journey for the 47-year-old, who has taken part-time Stenhousemuir to the brink of promotion. After finishing runners-up to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, his side drew 1-1 in the first leg of their semi-final away to Queen of the South—a team Naysmith himself once managed. The second leg promises to be a tense affair.
Naysmith's pedigree is undeniable. A former defender for Hearts, Everton, Sheffield United, and Huddersfield Town, he cut his managerial teeth at East Fife before spells with Queen of the South and Edinburgh City. Since taking over at Stenhousemuir in 2023, he's transformed the club, leading them to their first-ever league title and promotion to League 1, followed by back-to-back play-off campaigns. This season, they pushed for automatic promotion until the final day, earning him a nomination for the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year award.
Ayr United chairman David Smith praised Naysmith's ability to "outperform budget," a skill honed through years of working with limited resources. "What became clear through the interview process was Gary's enthusiasm to be involved with Ayr United and the skillset he has to take our club forward," Smith said.
The move comes after Ayr parted ways with former Scotland midfielder Scott Brown in March, following a nine-game winless streak that saw the club slip from the promotion race to a seventh-place finish. With Naysmith at the helm, the Honest Men are hoping for a fresh start—and a return to the form that made them contenders.
For Stenhousemuir, it's a bittersweet farewell. Chairman Dan Wharton summed it up: "He came in, transformed what was possible here, achieved promotion success, and leaves the club in its highest-ever league position." If they can overcome Queen of the South on Saturday, they'll face either Airdrieonians or Alloa in the final—a fitting send-off for a manager who gave them everything.