View source for Billy Ayre

{{short description|English footballer and manager}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Billy Ayre
| image = Billy_Ayre.jpg
| caption = Billy Ayre around 1990
| fullname = William Ayre
| birth_date  = {{birth date|df=y|1952|5|7}}
| birth_place = [[Crookhill]], England
| death_date  = {{death date and age|df=y|2002|4|16|1952|5|7}}
| death_place = [[Ormskirk]], England
| height = 6 ft<ref>{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=182 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}</ref>
| position = [[Defender (association football)#Centre back|Centre back]]
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = [[Darlington F.C.|Darlington]]
| years1 = 1971–1973
| years2 = 1974–1975
| years3 = 1975–1977
| years4 = 1977–1981
| years5 = 1981–1982
| years6 = 1982–1984
| years7 = 1984–1986
| clubs1 = [[Crook Town A.F.C.|Crook Town]]
| clubs2 = [[Bishop Auckland F.C.|Bishop Auckland]]
| clubs3 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| clubs4 = [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]]
| clubs5 = [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]]
| clubs6 = [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]]
| clubs7 = [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]]
| caps1 = ?
| caps2 = ?
| caps3 = ?
| caps4 = 141
| caps5 = 63
| caps6 = 67
| caps7 = 32
| goals1 = ?
| goals2 = ?
| goals3 = ?
| goals4 = 27
| goals5 = 5
| goals6 = 7
| goals7 = 2
| manageryears1 = 1983–1984
| manageryears2 = 1984
| manageryears3 = 1986–1990
| manageryears4 = 1990–1994
| manageryears5 = 1994
| manageryears6 = 1995–1996
| manageryears7 = 2000
| managerclubs1 = [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]] (caretaker)
| managerclubs2 = [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]] (caretaker)
| managerclubs3 = [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]]
| managerclubs4 = [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]]
| managerclubs5 = [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
| managerclubs6 = [[Southport F.C.|Southport]]
| managerclubs7 = [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]]
}}

'''William Ayre''' (7 May 1952 – 16 April 2002) was an English [[association football|footballer]] who played for three clubs in a sixteen-year professional career, making over three hundred [[English Football League|League]] appearances in the process. After retiring from the playing side of the game, he became a manager, and took the helm at five clubs between 1984 and 2000. He guided [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] to two successive play-off finals, in [[Blackpool F.C. season 1990-91|1991]] and [[Blackpool F.C. season 1991-92|1992]] (winning promotion in the second appearance), during his four years in charge of the club.

==Playing career==
Billy Ayre was born in the [[Gateshead]] suburb of [[Crookhill]]. After trying his hand at [[Referee (association football)|referee]]ing in his teenage years,<ref>[http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Allan-adds-to-tributes.149313.jp "Allan adds to tributes"] – ''[[Blackpool Gazette]]'', 23 April 2002</ref> he played for several years in [[non-League]] football at two amateur clubs in [[County Durham]]: [[Crook Town A.F.C.|Crook Town]] and [[Bishop Auckland F.C.|Bishop Auckland]].

===Scarborough===
Ayre began his professional playing career at [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]] in 1975 whilst balancing a teaching profession<ref name="SEN">[http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?sectionid=801&articleid=389644 "Ex-Boro boss dies"]{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – ''Scarborough Evening News''</ref> at [[St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham|St Leonard's Catholic School]] in [[Durham, England|Durham]], where he taught art and physical education. He won the Scarborough Supporters' Player of the Year award in 1977.<ref name="SEN"/><ref>[http://scarboroughfc.com/club/poty.php Player of the Year awards] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080511195459/http://scarboroughfc.com/club/poty.php |date=11 May 2008 }} – ScarboroughFC.com</ref> It was his uncompromising performances for ''Boro'' that earned him a move, also in 1977, to [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]].

===Hartlepool United===
Ayre played in over one hundred league games and score 27 goals for Hartlepool. He made his debut for ''Pools'' on 13 August 1977, in a 3–0 defeat at [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]] in the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]].<ref name="Ayre 1977-78">[http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_playerseason.asp?seasonoid=1977/78&playerid=23 In The Mad Crowd – a Hartlepool United Resource] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001081753/http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_playerseason.asp?seasonoid=1977%2F78&playerid=23 |date=1 October 2011 }}</ref> He made his league debut seven days later in a 2–1 home defeat to [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay United]].<ref name="Ayre 1977-78"/> He was the club's top scorer in an ever-present season with the club, [[1977–78 in English football|1977–78]], with thirteen goals,<ref>[http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_squad.asp?seasonoid=1977/78 In The Mad Crowd – a Hartlepool United Resource] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001081649/http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_squad.asp?seasonoid=1977%2F78 |date=1 October 2011 }}</ref> which assisted in his being named as the Supporters' Player of the Year.<ref>[http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_person.asp?oid=23 In The Mad Crowd – a Hartlepool United Resource] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070905015402/http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_person.asp?oid=23 |date=5 September 2007 }}</ref> In 2008, Ayre was posthumously named United's "Player of the 1970s".<ref name="HU01">
{{cite web
| title = Hartlepool United F.C. Centenary Awards
| publisher = [[Hartlepool United FC]]
| url = http://www.hartlepoolunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10326~1307138,00.html
| access-date = 7 May 2008
}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
</ref>

In Ayre's second season at Hartlepool, [[1978–79 in English football|1978–79]], he made 42 league appearances and scored five goals. In [[1979–80 in English football|1979–80]], he made 43 league appearances and score nine goals. In his final season at the club, [[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]], he made ten league appearances and scored one goal before he was sold to [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]]. He played against Hartlepool in Halifax's visit to [[Victoria Park, Hartlepool|Victoria Park]] later in the season.<ref>[http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_match.asp?oid=2891 In The Mad Crowd – a Hartlepool United Resource] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001081730/http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_match.asp?oid=2891 |date=1 October 2011 }}</ref>

===Halifax Town===
At Halifax, Ayre made 63 league appearances and scored five goals in his first spell at [[The Shay]].

===Mansfield Town===
The summer of 1982 saw Ayre move again, this time to [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]], then managed by [[Stuart Boam]]. He spent two seasons with ''the Stags'', making 67 league appearances and scoring seven goals. He scored a headed goal on his first-team debut in a [[Football League Trophy]] tie at [[Field Mill]].<ref>[http://www.stagsnet.net/vintage/reports/billyayre.htm "Billy Ayre sadly passes away"] – Stags.net</ref>

The following season, 1983–84, Ayre found himself acting as [[caretaker manager]] after the sacking of Boam. [[Ian Greaves]] was eventually appointed as the new manager, and Ayre was released on a free transfer.<ref>[https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/friday-s-former-stags-billy-ayre-1-8088926 "Friday's Former Stags: Billy Ayre"] – Chad.co.uk, 26 August 2016</ref>

===Halifax Town===
Ayre re-joined Halifax for a second spell in 1984. In two years, he made 32 league appearances and scored two goals. He brought his playing career to a close with the club in 1986.<ref>{{NeilBrownPlayers|player1/billyayre}}</ref> On 5 August 1987, Halifax played a benefit match for Ayre against [[Halifax RLFC]]. At this point, he was the club's manager.

==Managerial career==

===Halifax===
In October 1984, Ayre took over as caretaker manager of Halifax for less than a month. [[Mick Jones (footballer, born 1947)|Mick Jones]], who is the [[Godparent|godfather]] to Ayre's daughter Rachel, was installed on 10 November.

In December 1986, Ayre became manager of Halifax again, this time on a full-time basis.<ref>[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?sectionid=701&articleid=314093 "Billy kept club going – Jack"]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – ''Halifax Courier''</ref> (He was also [[managing director]] of the club.)<ref name=gazette2015/> Three years later, in April of the [[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]] season, he resigned,<ref name=gazette2015>[https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/25-years-on-there-was-never-a-dull-moment-with-billy-ayre-1-7602436 "25 years on: "There was never a dull moment with Billy Ayre"] – ''Blackpool Gazette'', 2 December 2015</ref> having failed to get them out of the league's [[Football League Fourth Division|basement division]].

===Blackpool===
[[File:Billy Ayre (1992).jpg|thumb|Ayre in a [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] shirt at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] in May 1992]]

A few days after departing Halifax, Ayre joined [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] as assistant to manager [[Jimmy Mullen (footballer, born 1952)|Jimmy Mullen]]. After Mullen's departure at the end of the month, Ayre worked alongside caretaker manager [[Tom White (footballer, born 1939)|Tom White]]. [[Graham Carr]] was installed during the close season, and he kept Ayre on as assistant. When Carr himself was sacked in November 1990, Ayre was promoted in his place.<ref name=gazette2015/><ref>[http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0,,10432~63119,00.html The History of Blackpool Football Club] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022033216/http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0,,10432~63119,00.html |date=22 October 2007 }} – BlackpoolFC.co.uk</ref> His first game in charge was a draw at [[Hereford United F.C.|Hereford United]] on 1 December 1990. As [[Roy Calley]] wrote in his 1992 book, ''Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992'', Ayre, almost unknown outside the lower leagues, was "greeted reservedly by Blackpool supporters, yet in the space of two years [had] become the club's most popular – and certainly most successful – boss since [[Stan Mortensen]]". On matchdays, he wore the number 15 Blackpool shirt, in the days when only three substitutes (numbers 12 to 14) were permitted for league games.

When Carr left, Blackpool were lying in eighteenth position in the Division Four table; six months later, however, the team had qualified for the play-offs after losing only five of their remaining thirty games. Between 10 November 1990 and 19 November 1991 two new (and still existing) club records were set: fifteen consecutive home League wins in what turned out to be a twenty-four-game unbeaten run at [[Bloomfield Road]]. (The match that set the ball rolling, a 4–2 victory over [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]], was under the guidance of Carr.) Their good fortune came undone at the last hurdle, however, when they lost in a [[Penalty shootout (association football)|penalty shoot-out]] to [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay United]] in the final at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] and remained in the Fourth Division for another season. (In an interview at the final whistle, Ayre said, "I've never had a worse moment in my life, never mind football.")<ref>''[[The Seasiders (DVD)|The Seasiders]]''</ref>

Ayre was able to keep largely the same team together and guided them back to Wembley the following [[Blackpool F.C. season 1991-92#Play-offs|1991–92]] season, in which they finally gained promotion after another, more successful penalties experience. [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]] were the unlucky team on this occasion. Blackpool had booked their place in the new [[Football League Second Division|Division Two]]. Ayre dedicated the victory to his parents, who died the previous year.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=9V-hGabXBXSCsVYj&t=1066&v=naXkn7IE_bw&feature=youtu.be |title=23-05-1992 Scunthorpe United v Blackpool |date=2022-10-15 |last=Football Archives |access-date=2024-10-10 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Ayre's son, David, was Blackpool's mascot, and accompanied his father in the pre-match walk out to the centre circle.

The [[1992–93 in English football|following season]] saw ''the Seasiders'' finish in a lowly eighteenth position after winning only twelve of their forty-six games.

On the final day of the [[1993–94 in English football|1993–94]] season, Blackpool avoided relegation by a single point by virtue of beating [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]] 4–1 at Bloomfield Road. Ayre was sacked in June by then-chairman [[Owen Oyston]] after ''the Seasiders'' failed to impress at their new level. He was succeeded by [[Sam Allardyce]]. Ayre's league record in his three and a half years at Bloomfield Road: 191 games, 77 wins, 70 draws, 44 losses.<ref>[https://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=167 Ayre's managerial stats at Soccerbase]</ref> At the time of his departure, Ayre was the sixth-longest-serving Blackpool manager in terms of Football League games in charge.

Ayre achieved not only promotion but subsequently survival with very little financial backing from Oyston.<ref>Calley, Roy (1992). ''Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992'', Breedon Books Sport {{ISBN|1-873626-07-X}}</ref> After a defeat at his former club, Hartlepool United, on 2 October 1992, Ayre confronted the travelling support, who had been shouting to Ayre to spend some money. He explained how his access to finances were tied by his chairman. During this period, players such as [[Alan Wright]], [[Paul Groves (footballer)|Paul Groves]], and, most notably, [[Trevor Sinclair]] all left the club for bigger and better things. Despite this, Ayre's sides battled, grafted, and occasionally shocked sides with far greater resources at their disposal. As demonstrated in the retrospective DVD ''[[The Seasiders (DVD)|The Seasiders]]'', a feature of the Geordie's time at Bloomfield Road was his "ticker-tape entrance" in games at Bloomfield Road – fans throwing paper aloft whilst Ayre made his way across to the dugout on the east side of the ground. He would acknowledge the fans, then clench his fists, urging ''the Seasiders''{{'}} faithful to back his team.

===Scarborough===
Ayre's next stop was Scarborough, where he arrived in August [[1994–95 in English football|1994]], some twenty years after playing for the Yorkshiremen. His reign at the [[McCain Stadium]] lasted just four months, after he was sacked for failing to turn around the [[Football League Third Division|Division Three]] strugglers.

===Southport===
A short-but-successful stint at [[non-League]] [[Southport F.C.|Southport]] followed during the 1994–95 season. Ayre had guided ''the Sandgrounders'' to a third-placed finishing position. He continued to manage the club in the 1995–96 season, in which they finished in 6th position.

===Swansea City===
In March 1996, Ayre was asked by new [[Swansea City F.C.|Swansea City]] boss [[Jan Mølby]] to be his assistant, but the duo arrived too late to prevent ''the Swans'' from sliding into Division Three. They reached the play-off final a year later, but a last-minute goal saw them lose to [[Northampton Town F.C.|Northampton Town]] and miss out on promotion. Ayre and Mølby were both sacked soon after the disappointment.<ref>[http://www.4thegame.com/news/story/34992/MOLBY+HITS+OUT+AFTER+SWANSEA+DISMISSAL.html "Molby hits out after Swansea dismissal"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020111906/http://www.4thegame.com/news/story/34992/MOLBY+HITS+OUT+AFTER+SWANSEA+DISMISSAL.html |date=20 October 2007 }} – 4thgame.com</ref>

===Cardiff City===
Ayre then assisted [[Frank Burrows]] at [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] and helped them to promotion to Division Two in [[1998–99 in English football|1998–99]].

After a month-long break while having a benign [[tumor]] removed, Ayre was installed to the manager's seat at Cardiff when Burrows resigned in January 2000.<ref>[http://www.cardiffcity.com/reports99-2000/060500rep.htm Cardiff City 1–0 Bristol Rovers] – CardiffCity.com</ref> "This came as a complete shock," he said at the time. "I was on the motorway driving back to [[South Wales]] when the chairman rang me. I want to keep the job, and I hope I'm given the chance to prove myself."<ref name="CCFC">[http://www.cardiffcity.com/Daily_newsfile_2000/010200-5.htm "Billy Ayre takes control"] – CardiffCity.com</ref>

"There will be changes," he continued. "I will be tweaking a few things, and we will be looking at the playing system. I'm still stunned about what has happened, but we have to revitalise and rejuvenate the team quickly. Frank Burrows brought me to Cardiff and did everything within his power for the club. But we have to look forward, we have to work quickly. That's what Frank would want."

Regarding the tumor, Ayre said: "That wasn't something which bothered me too much. That may sound strange, but it was outside my control, so I got on with things. Now the Cardiff City job has been given to me, albeit temporarily for now, and that ''is'' within my control. I haven't spoken to Frank yet, because he has gone away. But I will talk to him soon."<ref name="CCFC"/>

[[File:Ayre at the Millennium.jpg|thumb|Ayre (centre) in 2001 on 26 May 2001 at the [[Millennium Stadium]], [[Cardiff]], just under a year before his death]]

Also regarding his tumor, he stated: "I'm not at all frightened. I know the risks. The odds of people not even surviving the treatment are 20–1, but that doesn't bother me. I've backed a few 20–1 winners in my time. One in four people get cancer, and I'm pleased it's me and not somebody else in my family. I'd rather take it, because I think I can deal with it."<ref>[http://cardiffcity.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=927&p=2&stid=8253261 "Billy Ayre loses his brave battle against cancer"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709041609/http://cardiffcity.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=927 |date=9 July 2007 }} – CCFCSleepingGiant.com</ref>

Ayre stayed on beyond the end of the season despite ''the Bluebirds'' falling back into Division Three. He was demoted to assistant manager when owner [[Sam Hammam]] installed [[Bobby Gould]] in August 2000.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/sport/2000/0808/soccer13.html "Gould takes Cardiff job"] – RTE.ie</ref> His services were disposed of completely two months later when [[Alan Cork]] was put in charge of first-team affairs and Gould was appointed general manager.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/953216.stm "Ayre sacked by Cardiff"] – BBC Sport</ref>

===Bury===
Ayre's final job in football came within weeks of leaving Cardiff. He joined Division Two side [[Bury F.C.|Bury]] as assistant to [[Andy Preece]], but in the spring of 2001 it was found that the [[lymph node]] cancer he had initially been diagnosed with in 1995 had returned.<ref>[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?sectionid=701&articleid=314092 "Billy battles with cancer"]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} – ''Halifax Courier'', 25 June 2001</ref> [[Graham Barrow]] was given the temporary job of assistant manager while Ayre received treatment for his illness, and he appeared to be recovering; however, he suffered a setback in early 2002 and was admitted to Clatterbridge Hospital in [[Bebington]], Merseyside.

==Death==
[[File:Grave of William Ayre.jpg|thumb|upright|Ayre's grave at [[St Cuthbert's Church, Halsall|St Cuthbert's Churchyard]] in [[Halsall]]]]

Ayre died from cancer on 16 April 2002, aged 49.<ref name="Funeral">[http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Popular-Billy-is-laid-to.148544.jp "Popular Billy laid to rest"] – ''[[Blackpool Gazette]]'', 22 April 2002</ref>

During a [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]] v. [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]] league encounter four days after Ayre's death,<ref>http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=360037 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> the away fans rang out an impromptu rendition of "There's Only One Billy Ayre", followed by spontaneous applause, in honour of their former manager. [[Mark Bonner (footballer)|Mark Bonner]], who Ayre nurtured through from the Blackpool youth ranks, was in the Cardiff team that day.

Ayre's funeral took place on 21 April at [[St. Cuthbert's Church, Halsall|St. Cuthbert's Church]] in [[Halsall]], near Ormskirk,<ref name="Funeral"/> and his final wish was to have the Blackpool team with whom he won promotion in 1992 be present.<ref>[http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Blackpool-heroes-to-honour-Billy.149300.jp "Blackpool heroes to honour Billy"] – ''[[Blackpool Gazette]]'', 18 April 2002</ref> His wish was granted.<ref name="Funeral"/>

During the service, Revd. Heather Penman related an event that had touched Ayre during the final year of his life. On 26 May 2001, Ayre had attended the [[Football League Two]] play-off final between Blackpool and Leyton Orient at the [[Millennium Stadium]] in his then-home, [[Cardiff]]. As he was walking to the stadium, he was spotted by some Blackpool fans, who proceeded to pick up their former manager and carry him shoulder-high into the stadium.<ref name="Funeral"/> "I expect he did that famous fist sign as they took him in," said Penman. "And Elaine said Billy was absolutely delighted by that gesture."<ref name="Funeral"/>

"He was a fantastic fella, I couldn't speak highly enough about him," said [[Phil Brown (footballer born 1959)|Phil Brown]], who played alongside Ayre at [[Hartlepool United F.C.|Hartlepool United]] and [[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]] and under him at the latter. "He tried to play the game the way it should be played. He had a funny side to him that not many people saw, and had the ability to turn a serious situation and make light of it. He was the salt of the earth, a man you could trust with your life. There weren't many people like him."<ref>[http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/s/10/10886_preece_tribute_to_billy.html "Preece tribute to Billy"] – ''Manchester Evening News'', 20 April 2002</ref>

On 17 April 2012, ten minutes into Blackpool's Championship fixture with [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] at Bloomfield Road, the home support sang "Billy Ayre's tangerine army", for ten minutes, while a photograph of their former manager appeared on the television screen, along with the words "Billy Ayre, gone but never forgotten". It marked ten years and one day since the death of Ayre. His daughter, Rachel, was in attendance.<ref>[http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/football/blackpool-fc/angel-hands-pool-vital-win-1-4455786 "Angel hands Pool vital win"] – ''Blackpool Gazette'', 17 April 2012</ref>

On 5 October 2012, a special tribute evening was held at Bloomfield Road in his honour. A specially-commissioned painting of Ayre was unveiled by his widow, his daughter and his son.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19577002 "Billy Ayre: Blackpool to honour promotion-winning boss"] – BBC Sport, 2 October 2012</ref>

To mark two decades since Ayre's death, a minute's applause was held in the 15th minute of Blackpool's match against [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] at Bloomfield Road on 18 April 2022.<ref>{{Citation |title=Billy Ayre's Tangerine Army |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmMd7xBwHFQ |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}}</ref> Ayre was also featured on the front cover of the matchday programme. His wife and children were in attendance at the match, after which Blackpool manager [[Neil Critchley]] said he remembered Ayre when he used to bring his teams to [[Crewe Alexandra F.C.|Crewe Alexandra]] in the 1990s. "I remember him as a young boy myself, growing up when I was at Crewe. I remember Blackpool coming and seeing Billy, and he was different because he wore the kit. But you could see the passion he had, and you could see the connection he had with the Blackpool supporters."<ref>"Birmingham City Reaction | Neil Critchley"] – TangerineTV, Blackpool F.C., 18 April 2022</ref>

==Honours==

===As a player===

'''Hartlepool United'''
* Voted '''Player of the 1970s'''<ref name="HU01"/>

===As a manager===

'''Blackpool'''
* '''[[Football League Fourth Division|Division Four]] play-off winner:''' [[Blackpool F.C. season 1991-92#Play-offs|1991–92]]
* '''[[Lancashire Senior Cup]]:''' 1993–94

==Managerial stats==
:''League games only. Only statistics that are available are listed.''

<!--LEAGUE GAMES ONLY-->
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|Nation
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="5"|Record
|-
!G!!W!!D!!L!!Win %
|- <!--
|align=left|[[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]] (caretaker)
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|1984
|align=left|1984
||?||?||?||?||? -->
|- <!--
|align=left|[[Halifax Town A.F.C.|Halifax Town]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|1986
|align=left|1990
||?||?||?||?||? -->
|-
|align=left|[[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|30 November 1990
|align=left|10 June 1994
||191||77||44||70||40.31
|-
|align=left|[[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|1 August 1994
|align=left|12 December 1994
||25||6||5||14||24.00
|- 
|align=left|[[Southport F.C.|Southport]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|22 March 1995
|align=left|4 May 1996
||55||23||14||18||41.81
|-
|align=left|[[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]]
|{{flagicon|Wales}}
|align=left|2 February 2000
|align=left|14 August 2000
||19||5||7||7||26.31
|}

<small>[https://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=167 Source]</small>

==References==
;Specific
{{reflist}}

;General
* {{Soccerbase manager|167}}
* {{NeilBrownPlayers|player1/billyayre}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070905015402/http://www.inthemadcrowd.co.uk/cgi-bin/itmc_view_person.asp?oid=23 In The Mad Crowd – a Hartlepool United Resource]
* {{cite book | first=Roy | last=Calley| title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport | year=1992 | isbn=1-873626-07-X}}

==External links==
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19577002 "Billy Ayre: Blackpool to honour promotion-winning boss"] – BBC Sport, 2 October 2012
* {{YouTube|p5lEdHyi5_s|A documentary on Cardiff City, featuring Billy Ayre as manager}}
* [http://smarter-than-you-think.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/daddy-or-chips-daddy-every-time_12.html "Daddy or Chips? Daddy. Every time." – Rachel Ayre]
* [http://smarter-than-you-think.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/billy-ayres-tangerine-army.html "Billy Ayre's Tangerine Army" – Rachel Ayre]

===Obituaries===
* [http://www.stagsnet.net/vintage/reports/billyayre.htm StagsNet.net] (includes two action photographs)
* [http://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=47610 Clarets MAD]
* [http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/sport/ex_boro_boss_dies_1_1413937 ''Scarborough Evening News'']
* [http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Pool-hero-Ayre-dies-at.148527.jp "Pool hero Ayre dies at 49"] – ''[[Blackpool Gazette]]''
* [http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/ayre_looses_cancer_battle_1_1991134 Article on Ayre from the ''Halifax Courier'']
* [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/s/10/10886_preece_tribute_to_billy.html "Preece tribute to Billy"] – ''[[Manchester Evening News]]'', 20 April 2002

{{navboxes
|title=Awards
|fg=navy
|bg=gold
|list1=
{{Scarborough F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Hartlepool United F.C. Player of the Year}}
}}
{{navboxes
|title=Billy Ayre managerial positions
|list1=
{{Halifax Town A.F.C. managers}}
{{Blackpool F.C. managers}}
{{Scarborough F.C. managers}}
{{Southport F.C. managers}}
{{Cardiff City F.C. managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayre, Billy}}
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Crook Town A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Bishop Auckland F.C. players]]
[[Category:Scarborough F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Mansfield Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Mansfield Town F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Blackpool F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Scarborough F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Cardiff City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Southport F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Swansea City A.F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Cardiff City F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Bury F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Gateshead]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]