Blues midfielder Ryan Stevenson will be cheering on his former club Ayr United in their Scottish First Division play-off semi-final second leg against Airdrie United on Saturday. Stevenson, who was with the side he supported as a youngster from July 2007 and February 2010, was at last night’s first leg at Airdrie which ended 0-0.
The 27-year-old has fond memories of scoring a goal in a play-off against the same opposition which took the Honest Men into the First Division in May 2009: "Nothing beats scoring the winner for your home town team to clinch promotion," he told the Ayrshire Post. "I have always had a special relationship with Ayr and have supported them since I was a boy.
"That goal will always mean so much to me. I missed the first leg through suspension then came back to score the winner.
"The whole occasion and the celebrations afterwards were amazing. The significance of the goal means I will never forget it. I’m now back home and will be at both games against Airdrie to roar on the lads. I still get twinges when I see Ayr and wish I could play.
"Ayr are my team. Goalie Kevin Cuthbert was the best man at my wedding, so I have a great affinity with the club.”
Stevenson, who joined the Blues from Hearts for £50,000 in January, is back home in Troon with his wife Hannah and son Carter, who was born nine weeks ago.
The midfielder, who walloped in his first Blues goal in the 3-2 victory at Doncaster on the final day of the season, expects Town to make a better showing in his first full season at Portman Road: "After I signed in January, we went on a great run and in the end were unlucky not to make the play-offs. We’ll have a real go next season.”
Photo: Action Images