Why Ayr United decided to tempt Lee Bullen away from Sheffield Wednesday

The Star reported earlier in the week that the Scottish Championship outfit were keen to try and bring ‘Bully’ on board to take over at the club following the exit of Jim Duffy last month, and it has now been confirmed that he’s taken on the role of head coach at the club back in his home nation.

Bullen gave the best part of two decades of his life to Wednesday as a player and then as part of the technical setup, most recently occupying the role as head coach of the Owls’ U23 side.

Now, having wanted to take on a management role for some time, he’ll be looking to make an impact with the Honest Men – and he's certainly got the full backing of the men who chose to appoint him.

The club’s managing director, Graeme Mathie, told their official website, "In all our conversations with Lee, it became clear he had a great desire to be the First Team Head Coach at Ayr United and be part of the journey we want to start as a Club.

“He brings a variety of experiences from his time playing and coaching in a number of different countries, and he has taken on a variety of leadership roles throughout his career. We are all really looking forward to working with him and supporting him to deliver on field success here."

Meanwhile, their chairman, David Smith, added, "We are delighted to secure Lee's services, he comes with a strong pedigree in coaching from his experiences at Falkirk and also from his time at Sheffield Wednesday. I'd like to thank them for their support in bringing Lee to Ayr United.

“He is clearly highly respected from his time there and I am glad we were able to secure an agreement to suit both parties. Lee's previous experiences and numerous personal qualities makes him an ideal candidate for the position, especially at this time in our evolution."

Bullen’s first game in charge will be against league leaders, Arbroath, this coming weekend.

Sigh of relief as key player gets good injury news at Sheffield Wednesday