By signing to a new contract at Somerset Park, Anton Dowds has handed Ayr United a significant preseason boost.
The 28-year-old striker had a fantastic start to the season but had to miss most of it due to a ruptured cruciate ligament.
As United got off to a scorching start, Dowds was named August’s Championship Player of the Month after scoring nine goals in 11 games.
But he was cut down in the prime of his best ever campaign and had to watch on from the sidelines as Ayr ultimately went on to lose out in the promotion play-offs.
One of Britain’s top knee surgeons – who has helped the likes of Virgil Van Dijk recover from a similar injury – operated on Dowds, who has since been undergoing eight months of rehab
In a week when the team welcomed seasoned players Stuart Bannigan, Liam Dick, and Shaun Want to their roster, Dowds has now pledged to remain with Scott Brown’s team and provides a new boost.
United is in advanced negotiations to develop a cooperation arrangement with a Premiership team and is still searching for fresh players.
If a contract is reached, United might have access to up to three players through the new SFA-backed Cooperation System.
