LAWRENCE Shankland admits it’s his dream to play in the Ladbrokes Premiership again after resurrecting his career with League One champions Ayr United. But Somerset boss Ian McCall is hoping to convince him to lead the Championship charge next season.
Shankland, released by Aberdeen last summer, smashed 29 goals in 33 games as Ayr sensationally won the title on the final day and he has run away with the Ladbrokes Player of the Season award with McCall winning the top boss prize. It has given the 22-year-old renewed belief that he can get back to the top.
Hearts are reputed to be interested while other Championship sides are also in the market.
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Shankland said: “Some people chuck it when they leave a big club but I just wanted to get back playing again. I think I showed that when I get game time I can do well.
“The gaffer was putting a lot of trust in me and I think it worked both ways. I still have ambitions of playing in the Premiership again. I’m an ambitious person. Whether it takes me six months or three years, I aim to be there at some point.
“I have had a good season – probably the best of my career – and it’s a great bunch of boys. I really enjoyed it and I think it’s the most consistent I have been in my career. It wasn’t just the goals, I felt I was playing well most games. I will just need to weigh up what’s best in the summer. If it’s Ayr then I will give it all I’ve got in the Championship.”
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Shankland enjoyed a sunshine break with the victorious Ayr boys last week and it really hit them what they had achieved. He added: “There was 15 of us over in Magaluf and we had a great laugh. We were all talking about the title win when we were away and we all realised that we might never win a league like that again in our lives.
“We thought we had messed it up with a week to go and then we went on to win it. I was talking to an Ayr fan the other day and he was telling me that the last three times Ayr have gone up they have come straight back down. So it would be good to go up and make a statement.
“Looking at the squad we have the capability and we just need to look at Livingston to see what can be done. They have had an amazing season – and it’s not finished yet.”
Ladbrokes Manager of the Season McCall, pictured below, said: “I’m confident that if I can keep the players I want to keep and maybe add four or five we can have a real go. It’s fair to say that in the last 15 or 20 years Ayr United have not been a Morton or an Inverness or a Queen of the South,
“I’ve not been able to do much as yet but I’m hoping to get a few deals tied up before the end of the week. Hopefully, the ones I want to keep will sign up for next season and be part of what we want to achieve. Lawrence is one of them.”
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