hɪz fˈɜːst mˌænɐdʒˈɪɹiəl dʒˈɑːb wʌz æɾ ˈɛɹ juːnˈaɪɾᵻd wˌɛɹ hiː ɡˈaɪdᵻd ðˌɛm tə ðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd wˈʌn zˈiəɹoʊ tˈuː lˈiːɡ kˈʌp fˈaɪnəl ænd ðə skˈɑːɾɪʃ kˈʌp sˈɛmaɪfˈaɪnəl ɪnðə sˈeɪm jˈɪɹ.
His first managerial job was at Ayr United where he guided them to the 2001–02 League Cup final and the Scottish Cup semi-final in the same year.