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| Full name | Airdrieonians Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Diamonds The Waysiders | ||
| Founded | 1878as Excelsior F.C. | ||
| Dissolved | 2002 | ||
| Ground | Excelsior Stadium Airdrie, Lanarkshire | ||
| Capacity | 10,171 | ||
| League | Scottish First Division | ||
| 2001–02 | Scottish First Division, 2nd | ||
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known asAirdrie, was a Scottish professionalfootball team from the town ofAirdrie, in theMonklands area ofLanarkshire.
The club became defunct at the end of theScottish Football League 2001–02 season, despite the team finishing asrunners-up in theSFLFirst Division toPartick Thistle and therefore only narrowly missing out on promotion to theScottish Premier League.
During their 124-year existence the "Diamonds", as they were nicknamed, won the oldScottish Division Two three times, theSpring Cup once and theScottish Challenge Cup on three occasions. The club also competed in four separateScottish Cup finals; winning the competition in 1924.
Airdrieonians were the first club in theScottish League to fold since 1967, whenThird Lanark went bankrupt.
The team was founded inAirdrie, North Lanarkshire in 1878 asExcelsior Football Club, changing its name to Airdrieonians in 1881. It was elected to theScottish Football League in1894.[1]
The club enjoyed its most successful era in the 1920s, following the signing ofHughie Gallacher fromQueen of the South in 1921. Airdrie challenged the dominance ofRangers,[2] as they finished in second place in the Scottish League championship for four consecutive seasons (1923 - 1926). They won the1924 Scottish Cup Final beating Hibernian 2–0.Bob McPhail said, "The terror-like attitude of Gallacher caused havoc with the Hibs defenders. He and Russell were easily our best forwards".Willie Russell scored both goals.[3]
Following this victory, in early summer 1925, the club visited Norway and Sweden, and made a big impression. Translations of local newspaper reports, and some photographs of the tour, are still available.[4] This successful era came to an end after Gallacher in December 1925 and McPhail in 1927 were sold toNewcastle United and Rangers respectively.[2]
Airdrie spent much of the post war era "yo-yoing" between the top flight andSecond Division. Airdrie entered the firstTexaco Cup competition in1970–71,[5] defeatingNottingham Forest in the first round.[6] That tie was decided by apenalty shootout and Airdrie became the first Scottish club to be involved in that method of deciding a contest.[6] Airdrie reached the Texaco Cup Final in1972, losing 2–1 on aggregate toDerby County. They also reached the1975 Scottish Cup Final, losing 3–1 toCeltic. After the leagues were restructured in 1975, a competition called theSpring Cup was instituted for the teams in the lower divisions.[7] Airdrie won this competition in1976, but it was discontinued after one season as clubs preferred to play additional league games instead.[7]
During the 1990s, withAlex MacDonald at the helm, Airdrie worked their way into thePremier Division in the1991–92 and1992–93 seasons, were regularly considered challengers for promotion and recognised as one of the bigger clubs inFirst Division.
MacDonald also guided the Diamonds to twoScottish Cup Finals. The first appearance coming on 9 May 1992 when the club facedRangers in front of 44,045 strong crowd atHampden Park. Unfortunately for Airdrie on this occasion however, a goal each fromMark Hateley andAlly McCoist earned the blue half ofGlasgow a 2–1 victory.
Although Airdrie lost in the1992 Scottish Cup Final they had already qualified for the1992–93 European Cup Winners' Cup, asRangers had also won theScottish league championship in1992. Airdrie were drawn against Czech sideSparta Prague in the first round. Airdrie lost 1–0 at Broomfield and 2–1 in Prague, losing 3–1 on aggregate.Kenny Black, who later went on to become manager ofAirdrie United, scored the only Airdrie goal.[8]
Airdrie also reached the1995 Scottish Cup Final, where they faced the other half of theOld Firm,Celtic. Airdrie would once again fall at the final hurdle, as they lost 1–0 to aPierre van Hooijdonk goal.[9] Airdrie also won theScottish Challenge Cup in1994–95.
Airdrie sold their Broomfield home to Safeway in 1994, but had to groundshare withClyde at Broadwood Stadium for four years until theExcelsior Stadium was opened. It is arguably this stadium re-location and the difficulties generated by it that was Airdrie's first step towards oblivion. The mismanagement of the entire situation by the club's board, as well asNorth Lanarkshire Council's lengthy delay in granting planning permission caused Airdrieonians financial situation to reach critical level. This was not helped by the low attendances atExcelsior Stadium following the completion of the move, which was connected to the quality of football on display due to the lack of funds available to be spent on the team.
The demise of Airdrieonians was personified by the sudden and unexpected death of Joey Rowan, the club's sole remaining director. Rowan had a long and intimate association with the club and was son-in-law and advisor to Airdrieonians long term benefactor Jack Dalziel (recognised by having the main stand named after him). Rowan, already a popular figure with the club's supporters due to his passion, candour and trademark ponytail, gained even more respect by remaining with Airdrieonians and incurring substantial personal losses whilst trying to steer the club away from liquidation despite the fact that the rest of the board had resigned amid finger-pointing and acrimony in an attempt to avoid reproach and financial liabilities.[10] He is considered the club's last great hero for his selfless sacrifice and unyielding loyalty.
In February 2000,KPMG were appointed as provisional liquidators of Airdrieonians.[11] This move came soon afterRangers chairmanDavid Murray had applied for a court order to seize some of Airdrie's revenue in lieu of funds owed to another of his companies.[11] KPMG and the board hoped more private investment would be made in the club.[11] Most of the playing staff were made redundant at the end of the1999–2000 season.[12]Steve Archibald put forth a bid for the club and during the2000–01 season he brought in many foreign players, includingDavid Fernández,Jesus Sanjuán,Antonio Calderón andJavier Sánchez Broto, that became popular with the fans[13] and won theScottish Challenge Cup in 2000.KPMG terminated their management deal with Archibald in February 2001,[14] stating that Archibald had not kept up to date with payment of fees.[15] After difficulty fulfilling their fixtures, Airdrie narrowly avoided relegation to theSecond Division.
Despite the obvious financial problems,Ian McCall managed to build a new Airdrie team and retained the Scottish Challenge Cup.[16] The club also performed well in the2001–02 Scottish First Division and chased promotion to theScottish Premier League. A run of only two victories in the last 14 games, however, meant thatPartick Thistle won the First Division and the promotion place. The final match played by Airdrieonians was an away game againstAyr United atSomerset Park on 27 April.[17] The match was abandoned by the referee after a crossbar was broken during a pitch invasion by Airdrie fans, who were protesting against the Ayr United owner Bill Barr.[17] HisBarr Construction company had built theExcelsior Stadium and became one of the major creditors of Airdrie.[17]
After Airdrieonians went out of business on 1 May 2002, local accountantJim Ballantyne attempted to gain entry to theScottish Football League (SFL) with a team namedAirdrie United.[18] His bid for league status was rejected, however, in favour of the application byGretna, who were then playing in the EnglishNorthern Premier League.[19] Ballantyne then opted to buy control ofClydebank, another SFL club experiencing extreme financial hardship.[20] With approval by the SFL, their name was changed to Airdrie United, the team relocated to Airdrie and the strip was altered to the famous diamond style of Airdrieonians.[20] AHall of Fame was established by the new club to honour noted players of the previous entity (some of whom also played for the new club), with more entrants added each year.[21]
In June 2013, the SFA allowedAirdrie United to change their name to Airdrieonians.[22]
For most of its history, Airdrieonians played atBroomfield Park, which was opened in 1892.[23] The ground was located in a hollow inAirdrie town centre.[23] The Broomfield pitch was very narrow, at just 67 yards wide.[23] These physical features and the proximity of the stands to the pitch meant that Broomfield had a raucous atmosphere, which visiting clubs disliked.[23] Broomfield was known for its distinctive corner pavilion, which was built in 1907.[23] After winning the1923–24 Scottish Cup, the club built a main stand, adjacent to the pavilion.[23]
The final game at Broomfield took place in May 1994 after which the ground, having been sold to supermarket chainSafeway, was demolished to make room for their new store.[23] The club planned to make use of the funds generated from the sale to build a new all-seated stadium, but had difficulties acquiring planning permission.[23] Airdrie went on to groundshare withClyde atBroadwood Stadium inCumbernauld[23] for four seasons with the club eventually moving into its new home, theShyberry Excelsior Stadium, in time for the1998–99 season. Airdrieonians played their home games there until they were liquidated in 2002.
2001–02 SquadNote: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| Record Type | Record | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|
| Most Capped Player | Jimmy Crapnell,9 | forScotland |
| Most League Points in a Season | 60 | inScottish Division Two – 1973–74(2 points per win) |
| 61 | inScottish First Division – 1994–95(3 points per win) | |
| Most League Goals by a Player in a Season | Hughie Baird,53 | in 1954–55 Season |
| Record Attendance | 24,000 | -v-Heart of Midlothian on 8 March 1952 atBroomfield Park |
| 8,762 | -v-Celtic on 19 August 1998 at ShyberryExcelsior Stadium | |
| Record Victory | 15–1 | -v- Dundee Wanderers F.C. inScottish Division Two on 1 December 1894 |
| Record Defeat | 1–11 | -v-Hibernian inScottish First Division on 24 October 1959 |
| Record Appearances | John Martin,755 | between 1980 and 1999 |
The Diamonds Twelve Year League Record
Red =Scottish Football League Premier Division (beforeScottish Premier League)
Yellow =Scottish Football League First Division
| Year | Player | Goals Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Owen Coyle | 23 |
| 2000–01 | David Fernández | 7 |
| 1999–00 | Niall Thompson &Alex Neil | 5 |
| 1998–99 | Steve Cooper | 8 |
| 1997–98 | Brian McPhee | 12 |
| 1996–97 | Steve Cooper,Paddy Connolly &Brian McPhee | 8 |
| 1995–96 | Jim McIntyre | 9 |
| 1994–95 | Andy Smith | 12 |
| 1993–94 | Davie Kirkwood | 10 |
| 1992–93 | Owen Coyle | 9 |
| 1991–92 | Owen Coyle | 11 |
| 1990–91 | Owen Coyle | 20 |
| 1989–90 | Owen Coyle | 10 |
| 1988–89 | Kenneth Macdonald | 22 |
| 1987–88 | David McCabe | 20 |
| 1986–87 | David McCabe | 13 |
| 1985–86 | John Flood | 11 |
| 1984–85 | David McCabe | 21 |
| 1983–84 | John Flood | 11 |
| 1982–83 | Blair Millar | 12 |
| 1981–82 | Sandy Clark | 15 |
| 1980–81 | Sandy Clark | 10 |
| 1979–80 | Sandy Clark | 22 |
| 1978–79 | Sandy Clark | 23 |
| 1977–78 | Joe Cairney | 22 |
| 1976–77 | Derek Whiteford | 15 |
| 1975–76 | Derek Whiteford | 8 |
Airdrieonians qualified for a UEFA club competition on one occasion. In 1992, Airdrieonians reachedthe final of the Scottish Cup and were beaten byRangers. The winner of theScottish Cup would normally qualify for theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup, but because Rangers had already qualified for theUEFA Champions League through their league ranking in theScottish Premier Division, the place was passed to Airdrie as runners-up. Airdrie were eliminated in thefirst round bySparta Prague of Czechoslovakia in atwo-legged tie.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | First round |  Sparta Prague | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
