Ex-Hartlepool United, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday forward finds new club

Maguire, who had contractual issues with Hartlepool United prior to a pending FA investigation, has been without a club since his deal at the Suit Direct Stadium was taken 'off the table' earlier this season.

Former Sunderland, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday star Maguire was recently cleared to return to football following the conclusion of an FA investigation into alleged breaches of betting rules.

An independent commission initially served Maguire with a £750 fine and a warning, but a successful FA appeal meant he was served with a six-week suspension from all football activities.

That suspension was backdated to November, meaning the 34-year-old is free to resume his playing career with the Scotsman now joining promotion chasing Ayr until the end of the season.

Maguire became a free agent after leaving League One side Lincoln City by mutual consent having been suspended by the Imps after being charged with misconduct by the FA before former Hartlepool boss Paul Hartley made him his 17th summer signing when a deal was announced in September.

But Maguire was unable to feature for Hartlepool with what Hartley initially suggested was due to registration issues, as well as a foot injury, before further details were provided by the club’s senior advisor Lee Rust at a fan forum in October in relation to a dispute over Maguire's contract.

Speaking at the event in October, Rust commented: “We got to an agreement with Chris under Paul Hartley. We agreed terms that went off to the EFL and then the PFA, ultimately, have to agree to contract changes and they came back and said that they were not accepting the changes in the contract template.

“The PFA have to agree any changes to a standard template and with Chris’ ban pending we’d agreed terms that reflected that potential ban, but the PFA turned around and said we can’t accept that change in the contract template.

“So we’ve effectively entered a situation now where we haven’t got a signed contract."

After Hartley was sacked by Hartlepool in September, Keith Curle was also quizzed over Maguire’s situation as the player continued to train with the club during the period of uncertainty.

"The agreement that we’ve come to now is the contract is off the table and it’s going to be revisited after his pending alleged case,” Curle said in October.

“There’s been a lot of toing and froing but I spoke to Chris and his agent and said we need to come to an agreement whereby we sit down and have discussions where if you get charged and there’s a ban then do your ban and then we sit down with complete and utter clarity.

Curle added: “Chris is down here, he’s living down here away from his family, away from his kids and unable to play and unable to sign a contract that’s been offered by the football club.

“We have a duty of care to the player and the welfare of the player so we just need to get everything out of the way and we’ll revisit it."

Maguire, subsequently, would leave Hartlepool without ever featuring for the club before Curle admitted to speaking with the 34-year-old’s agent upon hearing the outcome of his FA investigation.

Following Hartlepool’s 3-1 defeat at Carlisle United in January, Curle was asked by The Mail if a return for Maguire could be an option with the club, at that point, still searching for further attacking additions in the transfer window.

“No. I spoke to his agent about three weeks ago, he informed me about his court case, but I told him no," said Curle.

“I like him as a player, I like him as a person. But he’s not what we need as a footballer right now.”

Instead, Curle made moves for Stockport County forward Connor Jennings, Walsall’s Brendan Kiernan and MK Dons’ Dan Kemp before 38-year-old free agent Leon Clarke also joined the club.

And Maguire, too, has now moved on from the possibility of a Hartlepool return after he completed a move to the Scottish Championship with Ayr.

A statement on Ayr’s social media said: “The club are delighted to announce the signing of forward and free agent, Chris Maguire, on a short-term deal until the end of the season, subject to international clearance. Welcome to Somerset Park, Chris.”

Maguire has also commented on his return to football, having not featured since Lincoln’s 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup back in August, admitting he is keen to make up for lost time.

“With the experience I’ve got, I’d like to think I can bring something to the squad here,” Maguire told the Ayrshire Post.

“They’ve had a great season so far and there’s lots still to play for in the run-in.

“I went along to watch them at Cove the other week and was really impressed with what I saw.

“Ayr blew them away that night and the style of football they played is something I can see myself enjoying.”

“Football is all I’ve ever known, so for that to be taken away from me has been tough. It’s been a very frustrating time for me.

“But I’m choking to get back out there and play again and make up for lost time.

“I had other options in the pipeline and didn’t want to rush into a decision.

“But the opportunity to come here with a manager I know is one that really appeals to me.

“I think he can get the best out of me and hopefully I can repay his faith in me by getting among the goals.

“If we’re going to win a league and get to Hampden in the cup then we’ll need everyone chipping in and I’m here to do that.”