Ayr FC was a former Scottish League side formed when Ayr Thistle and Ayr Academicals merged in 1879. In 1893, having turned professional, Ayr joined the Ayrshire Combination League and  were elected to Scottish League Division Two four years later. Ayr spent the next 13 seasons in the Scottish Football League Division Two, with a best finish of third place which they managed on three occasions. They never managed to win promotion above this level. Ayr F.C. merged with fellow league members Ayr Parkhouse in 1910 to form Ayr United. This is the only example in Scottish football of a merger between two league clubs from the same town.