Scott Brown has detailed his short-term aims as Ayr United boss, stating the play-offs is still a realistic ambition for the Somerset Park side.

The Celtic hero has joined the Scottish Championship club on two-and-half-year deal, with former Rangers and Hibernian defender Steven Whittaker as his assistant.

Brown has been out of work since being sacked by Fleetwood Town last September and he feels the team are in a positive  place after their last three matches.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I think short-term we focus game to game. That is the main thing for us.

"We need to start getting results and start pushing up the league. We are five points clear of bottom of the league which is great after the result, but we are also only four points off fourth place.

"The league is tight and it is one of those leagues you can go on a run for two or three games and be in those play-offs.

"You lose two or three you are in a relegation battle. For us we need to be aiming high. The lads should be in a positive position in this moment in time after the last three games and we just need to build on that."

While at Fleetwood, Brown used his contacts across the game to bring in young players with Celtic starlets Bosun Lawal and Adam Montgomery joining on loan while Lennoxtown academy graduate Scott Robertson signed for the English League One side.

And Brown has no qualms about doing something similar at Ayr.

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"We are always looking to strengthen the squad," he continued. "Everyone is in the same positiion and looking for the same players.

"They wants strikers, centre-halves and midfielders. We will all be fighting for the same players but hopefully our contacts and a little favour here and there, we will manage to pull it off."

The 39-year-old will reunite with old Celtic team-mate Aiden McGeady who is currently playing at the Scottish Championship club while also serving as a technical manager.

And Brown is looking forward to working with the winger both on and off the park.

He added: "Aiden is a good lad and a fantastic football player. He has had a great career. For us he is doing a technical directors course and working under Graeme Mathie.

"He's doing a lot of one to ones with the younger ones and got that drive as well."