Ayr United boss Scott Brown rules himself out of vacant Motherwell job

Ayr United manager Scott Brown has ruled himself out of the vacant Motherwell job as he looks to continue his progress with the Championship club.

Stuart Kettlewell left his position at the Fir Park side last week, citing personal abuse from supporters as one the reasons for leaving, with the Steelmen currently sitting sixth in the table.

Former Celtic captain Brown has guided United to the top of the second tier after 23 games this season and has been tipped as a frontrunner to take over at Motherwell.

But the 39-year-old, who also played for Hibernian and Aberdeen and earned 55 Scotland caps during an illustrious and trophy-laden playing career, insists he is happy at Somerset Park.

Speaking to STV Sport, he said: “My main concentration is on Ayr, I am really enjoying it here at this moment in time and looking forward to the game on Friday.

“Motherwell is a great club and I’m sure somebody will go and get that job, but it’s not going to be me.”

Ayr United have won seven out of their last eight games and have leapfrogged Falkirk, who have a game in hand, at the top of the table.

They are now preparing to host Brown’s former club Hibs in the Scottish Cup last-16 on Friday and it’s one the manager is relishing.

He said: “We are in a great place and the lads have responded really well after the East Kilbride game especially, we have made little changes to the shape and structure of the team and we have brought in some different personnel in this window.

“So we are in a good place at this moment in time, but this is a huge game coming up on Friday, it will be brilliant for our fans to see a real top quality side like Hibs come here and it will be good for us to see where we are as well because we have come a long way in the last year.

“David (Gray) has done a great job, especially the last ten games he is unbeaten so for us it will be a huge challenge, but one we are relishing as well.

“Hibs have a special place in my heart, they always will do and I always look out for their results and things like that, but Friday will be different.

“As I say, we have to relish these opportunities and make sure we bring our A-game and we are switched on for 90 minutes.”

Hibs manager Gray was starting to come under real pressure after a disappointing start, but has now turned their fortunes around with a good run of results that leaves them sitting in fifth place and just four points behind third-placed Dundee United.

Brown says he is delighted that Hibs stuck by him and that they are now reaping the benefits.

He said: “David is a legend of the club, so it’s fantastic, it shows what that club means to him and also that they put that faith in him.

“He is a young manager as well and you like to see all young managers do well. For me I want to see him doing well due to him being at my old club and he is a good guy as well.”