Football club referred to Court of the Lord Lyon over unregistered coat of arms

Ayr United has been referred to the Court of the Lord Lyon in a complaint by a rival team who accuse it of breaking the law which dates back to the reign of King Charles II.

Tracy McTrusty, the operations manager at Ayr United, said the club would ensure the badge was legal whether by altering or redesigning it.

She added: “We’re trying to look at the positives for now. We can use this as an opportunity to rebrand ourselves and ask any fans who are good graphic designers to come up with a new logo.

“It would cost £3,000 to register the crest as a coat of arms but we’re told it probably wouldn’t happen because it has a saltire on it and we’re not a national institution.”

The club was founded in 1910 but only began using the badge in the mid 1950s.

Another club, League One side Airdrieonians fell foul of heraldic law last season and were forced to alter their badge.

Alexander Green, the Procurator Fiscal to the court of Lord Lyon, suggested three options for Ayr.

First, they could apply for a grant of arms to the Lyon, or render the current badge so as to make it non-heraldic. Failing these, it could redesign it to be non-heraldic.

He said: “I have made suggestions to the club about what changes they can make.

“We are dealing with the oldest heraldic register in the world here. It is a very serious matter.

“We only look into these cases when asked to investigate. It is not a case of searching for football club badges and going after people.

“The law is the law and if Ayr United have been found to have broken it, then they will have too make changes.”