George Stanger (Kilmarnock | Scotland)

Huge game. Ayr (2nd, 47 pts) travel to Falkirk (1st, 49 pts)

Full game Stanger in a 2-2 draw. Ayr were 2-0 up.

36 yr old midfielder Scott Arfield a goal for Falkirk. He's there on loan from Bolton. Played with Tuiloma at Charlotte last season, and further back with Wood at Burnley.

Another big game for Ayr (2nd, 48 pts) hosting Livingston (3rd, 46 pts)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/02/22/scotland/first-division/ayr-united-fc/livingston-fc/4382230/

Bugger. Livingston with a 96th min winner to get up 2-1.
Teams swap positions on the ladder with Ayr down to 3rd, 5 pts behind Falkirk (1st)

Full game Stanger, and ditto Aussies Ryan McGowan & Tete Yengi for Livingston.

Ayr (3rd) needing a win host Airdrieonians (10th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/01/scotland/first-division/ayr-united-fc/airdrie-united-fc/4382270/

Stanger the 2nd goal in a 4-1 win.
Falkirk and Livingston both dropped points with draws so Ayr close the gap on both

Some header tennis at a corner from Ayr, and Stanger gets his goal.
About 2.30 mins into the highlights video. Ayr in the light grey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q3tmW21gVk&list=PLC2TjbbVw3s7p2zgdWx0s2lNyqWG7mRK

Ayr (3rd) travel to Queens Park (5th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/04/scotland/first-division/queens-park-fc/ayr-united-fc/4382267/

Big big result for Ayr (54 pts) who comeback from being 2-0 down to win 3-2 on the road. Scored 3 goals in 13 mins (66th-79th). Full game Stanger.

Ayr go 2nd, only 3 pts behind Falkirk (57 pts). It's a tight 3 horse race for the one automatic promotion spot. Livingston 3rd (53 pts).

Ayr (2nd) travel to Greenock Morton (7th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/08/scotland/first-division/greenock-morton-fc/ayr-united-fc/4382297/

Bugger. Ayr lose 2-1. Full game Stanger.

Ayr stay 2nd on GD from Livingston (3rd) but Falkirk are now 6 pts clear in 1st.

Ayr (2nd) travel to Patrick Thistle (4th)

Bugger. Ayr (drop to 3rd) lose 2-0. They slip 9 pts now behind league leaders Falkirk.

Full game Stanger

Ayr (3rd) host Hamilton Academical (8th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/03/22/scotland/first-division/ayr-united-fc/hamilton-academicals-fc/4382329/

Sadly Ayr (2nd on GD from Livingston) continue to drop pts. Stanger full game in a 1-1 draw.

Falkirk (1st) are now 11 pts ahead. So looks like the playoffs for Ayr.

Dylan McGowan (ex WSW & Adelaide) a full game for HA. Both McGowan brothers (Ryan at Livingston) play in this league.

Ayr (3rd) host Dunfermline Athletic (9th)

Stanger full game in a 3-0 win.

Ayr (2nd) travel to Raith Rovers (5th)

Stanger full game in a 1-0 loss. 

Ayr drop to 3rd and are no chance now of finishing 1st & automatic promotion. Falkirk basically have 1st locked up. But Ayr will be in the playoffs.

4 rounds left in the regular season.

Ayr (3rd, 58 pts) host Falkirk (1st, 69 pts).

4 league games left, and realistically Ayr can't catch Falkirk and the sole automatic promotion spot. But they can catch Livingston (2nd, 61 pts), and so get a more favourable playoff position.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/04/11/scotland/first-division/ayr-united-fc/falkirk-fc/4382379/

Full game Stanger in a 1-1 draw

The juggling of playoff positions.
Ayr (3rd) travel to Livingston (2nd). 3 games left. Falkirk (1st) loook like having automatic promotion sewn up.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/04/18/scotland/first-division/livingston-fc/ayr-united-fc/4382407/

Ayr get spanked 5-0
Full game Stanger

Livingston had Aussies Ryan McGowan and Tete Yengi 

Ayr (3rd) host Queens Park (8th)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/04/26/scotland/first-division/ayr-united-fc/queens-park-fc/4382410/

2 rounds left, and Ayr can't finish higher or lower than 3rd. All about preparing for the playoffs.

2-2 draw. Stanger with a rare spell on the pine. Though he did come on at 56 mins (2-2)

Last round of the regular season, Ayr (3rd) travel to Airdrieonians (9th/2nd last)

Ayr (60 pts) who will finish 3rd will play the 4th placed team - either Partick Thistle (4th, 52 pts) or Raith Rovers (5th, 50 pts) -  in the Playoff quarterfinal over 2 legs (6th & 9th May).

The winner over those 2 games will then play over 2 games in the Playoff semi final (13th & 16th May), against the 2nd placed team. 2nd will be either Falkirk or Livingston

And the winner of that Playoff semi final, will then play the 11th (2nd last) placed SPL team over 2 legs in the Playoff final (22nd & 26th May). 

So possible a further 6 Playoff games for Ayr in only 3 weeks. A very tough road to get promoted.

Falkirk (1st, 70 pts, +37 GD) have bottled it the last few games (2L & 1D), and Livingston (2nd, 70 pts, +29 GD) have caught them up.

Other last Round Championship (2nd tier) games

Falkirk v Hamilton Academical

Greenock Morton v Dunfermline Athletic

Livingston v Partick Thistle

Queen's Park v Raith Rovers

11th in the SPL will likely be one of Kilmarnock, Dundee or Ross County.

St Johnstone in last spot already look gone burgers

Stanger off at 67 mins (1-0) in a 1-0 win for Ayr (3rd)
Playoff QF will be against Patrick Thistle (4th), first game in a few days.

Win that playoff and Livingston (2nd) is next. Livingston lost 1-0 at PT, so Falkirk finished first to get the automatic promotion spot.

Semi final promotion playoff 1st leg at Partick Thistle.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/05/06/scotland/play-offs-12/partick-thistle-fc/ayr-united-fc/4646438/

Good news is Ayr won 1-0
Bad news is no Stanger. A blow to their promotion chances if he’s out injured for the playoffs 

Ayr 1-0 up after the 1st leg host Partick Thistle in their playoff 2nd leg.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/05/09/scotland/play-offs-12/ayr-united-fc/partick-thistle-fc/4646439/

Stanger injured at just the wrong time??

Ayr sans George lose 0-2, and out of the playoffs on agg 1-2. Bugger. No SPL promotion for them. Ayr finished 8 pts clear of Partick Thistle, but playoff football is brutal.


Hopefully those Stanger to League One/Two rumours resurface. Gillingham in the below January article. Also Exeter City and even Millwall rumours at one point. Be good to see him get out of the Scottish 2nd tier

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/01/31/olywhites-defender-george-stanger-linked-with-potential-move-to-english-club/

From Niche Cache.
Surely Gillingham FC would also be interested in fellow Kiwi CB in Scotland, Will Gillingham!


Judging by this claim in the Daily Record, it sure doesn’t sound like he’ll be back (to Ayr)...

“Gillingham are one of three or four English clubs who are interested in George Stanger. The former Ayr defender also has rival offers from the Scottish Championship and interest that could also harden up in the Scottish Premiership.”

From Niche Cache. Sounds like he has already left Ayr.

As far as Stanger goes, here are two separate scoops by two different journalists working for the same newspaper...

Daily Record, 28 May: “Gillingham are one of three or four English clubs who are interested in George Stanger. The former Ayr defender also has rival offers from the Scottish Championship and interest that could also harden up in the Scottish Premiership.”

Daily Record, 2 June: “Colchester have stepped up their interest in George Stanger. The English League Two side want to land the defender. Stanger is a free agent after leaving Ayr United. The 24-year-old has several options on both sides of the border.”

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/06/09/another-english-club-linked-with-age-group-international-george-stanger/

Stanger (24) completed his contract with Scottish Championship club Ayr United at the end of May, and UK media reports have linked him with English Football League Two clubs Colchester United, and Gillingham.

Depending on the wages, he'd be better in the SPL than England L2?

How much would a Colchester pony up vs, say, a Kilmarnock?

We are delighted to announce the signing of highly-rated defender George Stanger.

The 24-year-old New Zealand Under-23 international joins having most recently played with Scottish Championship side Ayr United, and he has penned a two-year deal.

— Kilmarnock FC (@KilmarnockFC) June 19, 2025

Moving up!!

Must be in line for a call up... SPL is a decent level, certainly higher than the A League.

George Stanger is relishing the chance to continue his development at Kilmarnock after joining the William Hill Premiership club on a two-year contract following his departure from local rivals Ayr United.

The 24-year-old – son of former Scotland rugby international Tony Stanger – caught the eye of Killie boss Stuart Kettlewell during a two-year stint with the Honest Men in which he made more than 70 appearances in the Championship.

“I feel like it’s a really good step for me in my career and I’m looking forward to get going and showing what I can do at this level," Stanger told the Killie website.

“I’ve spoken to the manager plenty the last couple of weeks and I’ll be honest, he’s a big part of why I came here.

“I know that he’s got a good reputation for how he can help players develop and that’s a key thing for me.

“I want to be here, I want to win games for the club, absolutely, but I want to make sure that I get better."

Good on the wee lad!!

Steven Olds, formerly of the Nix, old team. 

he needs to play regularly first, and impress. This is like saying Bill Tuiloma should be in the All Whites because he plays in the MLS

MetalLegNZ

Must be in line for a call up... SPL is a decent level, certainly higher than the A League.