Airdrieonians (Scotland)

The current Airdrieonians FC is a semi-professional football club from the North Lanarkshire town of Airdrie, who were formed in 2002 following the liquidation of the original club, which went under with debts of £3M. The new incarnation initially started back up as Airdrie United with the same supporters and wearing the same club colours.

Airdrieonians (1878)

The original Airdrieonians, more commonly known as Airdrie, were formed as Excelsior FC in 1878 before changing their title three years later. Broomfield Park in the town centre opened in 1892 before the club was admitted into the Scottish League as members of Division Two for the 1894-95 season.

The old pavilion at Broomfield Park

The team finished as runners-up in 1900-01 before being crowned as champions in 1902-03, going on to finish third in Division One in 1905-06, a position equalled in 1912-13 before the signing of Hughie Gallacher from Queen of the South in 1921 ignited a successful period. ‘The Waysiders’ finished as league runners-up in 1922-23 on the narrow pitch and close stands at Broomfield. 

The team lifted the Scottish Cup in 1923-24 after Hibernian were defeated 2-0 at Ibrox Park thanks to two goals from Willie Russell under manager Willie Orr. Airdrie finished Scottish League runners-up again before repeating the feat twice more in consecutive seasons in 1924-25 and 1925-26. 

Right back Jimmy Crapnell then began his career, which would see him accumulate nine Scotland caps during his time with the club. The team escaped relegation a couple of times in the 1930s before going down in 1935-36. Top-flight status was regained with a Second Division runners-up place in 1946-47 but dropped back down twelve months later.

Another Second Division second place followed in 1949-50 with the 'Diamonds’ managing to consolidate their place before suffering demotion in 1953-54. The team recovered to lift the Second Division title the following season to settle back in the First Division, remaining at that level until the end of the 1964-65 season when they were relegated.

Again, Airdrie recovered quickly to win promotion as runners-up in 1965-66 before the team put in a couple of mid-table finishes around general lower third positions until going down in bottom place in 1972-73. This came after Airdrie were runners-up to Derby County in the 1972 Texaco Cup.

This was a pre-season competition played initially between English sides before becoming a forerunner to the short-lived Anglo-Scottish Cup. The Division Two title was lifted in 1973-74 before reaching the 1974-75 Scottish Cup final, where Airdrie went down 3-1 to Celtic as Kevin McCann scored the consolation for Ian McMillan’s team. 

The team then went on to finish just outside the places for the new Premier Division in its 1975-76 debut season. Airdrieonians were placed in the second tier Division One before star striker Sandy Clark put away the goals to fire the side to runners-up in 1979-80. Airdrie lasted a couple of seasons in the Premier Division, dropping back down in 1981-82 as Clark was sold to West Ham United.

The side put in a series of finishes midway in the table before ending up as runners-up in 1989-90, when only the champions were promoted. However, second place was enough to go up in 1990-91 for the Diamonds under manager Jimmy Bone before he was replaced by Alex MacDonald. Andy Smith scored Airdrie’s goal in the 2-1 defeat to Rangers in the 1991-92 Scottish Cup final defeat with Sandy Stewart captaining the team. 

As Rangers had won the Premier Division title, it led to Airdrieonians qualifying for the European Cup-Winners Cup. The team went out in the first round to Sparta Praha before being relegated in the same season. Broomfield Park was sold to Safeway while the club went off to share with Clyde at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld.

In 1994-95, Airdrie won the Scottish Challenge Cup, defeating Dundee 3-2 after extra time with goals from Jimmy Boyle, Paul Harvey and Andy Smith. The club reached another Scottish Cup final in 1995-96, where the side went down 1-0 to Celtic. Airdrie made the 1996-97 play-offs, where they were denied promotion after an aggregate defeat to Hibernian. 

Brian McPhee topped the scoring the following season as the club moved into their new Excelsior Stadium back in Airdrie. In 2000, KPMG were installed as the club's liquidator as the club found itself in deep debt. Manager Steve Archibald entered a deal with the company after he signed players, after most of the previous squad had their contracts terminated.

Airdrie lifted the 2000-01 Challenge Cup on penalties against Livingston after a 2-2 draw with goals from Martin Prest and David McGuire. KPMG ended their deal with Archibald as they said he had failed on repayments. The club was kept alive in the hope of a sale while Ian McCall came in as manager to lead the side to retain the Challenge Cup, as goals from Owen Coyle and Mark Roberts saw off Alloa Athletic 2-1. 

Airdrie ended the 2000-01 season in second place in the First Division after looking a good bet for the title and promotion. Their final match was abandoned away to Ayr United, who were owned by Bill Barr, whose company had built the Excelsior Stadium and had become one of Airdrieonians' major creditors. Diamonds fans invaded the pitch and broke the crossbar of one of the goals.

Airdrie United

KPMG liquidated the club, at which point local man and Airdrie supporter Jim Ballantyne set up a new club, Airdrie United and applied to take up the Scottish League place left behind by the old club. However, the Scottish League had already accepted Gretna from the English Northern Premier League. 

Instead, Ballantyne bought out the name and a few assets left of Clydebank FC, who were struggling in the Second Division under administration, along with a lease of the Excelsior Stadium. He controversially moved the club lock, stock and barrel to North Lanarkshire, changing the name to Airdrie United. 

They adopted Airdrieonians' old colours to take up their old place in the Second Division as former skipper Sandy Steward was appointed as manager. United won the Second Division title in 2003-04 as Coyle and Alan Gow put away the goals, as Mr Ballantyne ensured that the club had to cut its cloth accordingly, meaning cut back backs and reverting to part-time football with a focus on youth.

Bryan Prunty scored regularly in 2005-06 before the side was relegated the following season, despite the goals of Gary Twigg, after Kenny Black had arrived as manager. Allan Russell and Stuart Noble scored the goals to take Airdrie to the play-offs in 2007-08, which saw victory over Raith Rovers before being promoted despite defeat to Clyde in the final.

The 2008-09 season ended in relegation play-offs as Peterhead were defeated, but Ayr United exacted revenge for the crossbar incident by winning the final, which should have demoted the Diamonds. Again, the club had a stroke of luck as Gretna went bust and Airdrie were reprieved. However, the 2009-10 season also ended in relegation play-offs as an aggregate defeat to Brechin City cost Black his job as the team went down to Division Two.

Jimmy Boyle came in as the new manager to take Airdrie to the 2011-12 play-offs, which saw a win against Ayr United before defeat in the final against Dumbarton. Yet again, the club gained through others' misfortune as Rangers’ administration saw both sides promoted.

However, the team finished bottom of the table in 2012-13 and were relegated back to the third tier, which was called League One following reorganisation in the Scottish game. The club changed their title to Airdrieonians in June 2013.

Airdrieonians

Gary Bollan replaced Boyle before Eddie Wolecki Black took over in December 2015, who was succeeded by Kevin McBride and then Mark Wilson, who took the side to the 2016-17 play-offs, which ended in semi-final defeat to Alloa Athletic. Willie Aitchison was appointed as manager in August 2017, lasting just a few weeks before being replaced by Stevie Findlay. 

The changes continued in the post with Ian Murray taking over as team boss in October 2018. The team missed out a couple of times on the play-offs before finishing third when the 2019-20 season was ended early owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the help of the goals of Dale Carrick and Calum Gallagher.

The playoffs were reached once more in 2020-21, which ended in a final defeat to Greenock Morton. Twelve months later, it was the turn of Queen's Park to end any dreams of promotion in the playoff final. Rhys McCabe was appointed as Airdrie boss in May 2022, for whom Calum McGregor banged in the goals.

Falkirk and Hamilton Academical were defeated in the playoffs for the team to win promotion to the Championship. Partick Thistle ended hopes of successive promotions in 2023-24, with the Diamonds securing their status the following season following a playoff win against Cove Rangers. 

Airdrieonians will play in the Scottish Championship in the 2025-26 season.

My visits

Wednesday 27th January 2010

My football trip to Glasgow was going well, having visited several venues as well as the Hamilton Academical against Kilmarnock game the previous evening and several fine pubs. I would be heading to Celtic v Hibernian later that evening.

In the meantime, I'd ventured west to Dumbarton before taking a train across town to North Lanarkshire, alighting from the train and leaving myself with thirty minutes from leaving Drumgelloch station to getting to New Broomfield and back. This task would have been made far easier if I had gone down the correct route. Google Maps can be very deceptive. 

The ground looked surrounded by open land. Indeed, it was, but the map didn’t show the high perimeter security fencing! I used my nous and the map and got my foot down. Within minutes, I was entering the huge car park which backed onto the impressive main Jack Dalziel Stand. I was gasping a little, but I later made myself the excuse that the stadium has the highest altitude in Scotland. Obviously nothing to do with my diet!

A kind gentleman inside the stand entrance allowed me to go straight down the tunnel and take my pictures. The Excelsior Stadium was a smart-looking all-seated ground comprising four separate, single-tiered, covered stands deserving of the top-flight football it had been designed for. The Jack Dalziel Stand, named after a former Airdrieonians Chairman, was on one side of the pitch.

It was the largest of the four stands, which had a row of boxes running across the back. The other three stands were of an equal height and had pretty much an identical layout. The corners of the ground were open. I managed to make the journey back a lot quicker than on the way there. I caught the next train with five minutes to spare, which, when I plan such a tight schedule, is quite comfortable.

Airdrieonians 3 Forfar Athletic 1 (Saturday 14th February 2015) SPFL League One (att: 839)

It was the second day of a long weekend with pals Karl Theobald, Carl Ellis, and Guy Watson. We’d been to the afternoon match between Albion Rovers and Clyde before Karl and Guy headed back into Glasgow to have an early kick-off to their Saturday night drinking.

Meanwhile, Carl and I caught the 201 bus towards Airdrie from outside Cliftonhill. The game had been designated a 5.30pm kick-off for live coverage on the BBC Alba channel. On the approach to the bus, a gent came back to talk to us on hearing unfamiliar accents. 

He was on the board of the Airdrieonians Supporters Trust and told us that Scarborough was his favourite place, while recounting the time our clubs had met in a pre-season tournament at York around the turn of the century. We also spoke with fondness of John MacDonald, who had represented both our clubs.

We had hoped to get a quick pint before kick off, but the bus route took its time through the housing estate’s narrow streets, and time was getting on. We were being introduced by our new friend to all his mates. The welcome was superb from everyone. I purchased a club magazine and a free teamsheet inside the club shop.

The match was designated as ‘Pay What You Can’. Carl gave £20, while I paid the usual £16, before buying the £3 programme. The concourse upstairs in the Jack Dalziel Stand was roomy and had everything we needed. 

A couple of weather-beaten regulars laughed and shook their heads that we were bothered enough to venture to the match. I think the comments they used to describe the Airdrie team were tongue-in-cheek. They recommended the pies, and they said it would be the highlight of our visit! The teams ran out without none of the shaking hands and anthem nonsense seen in most other countries. 

They ran straight to the centre circle to line up for a minute’s silence in memory of Forfar’s academy player Jack Syme, who had taken his own life a few days earlier. The game kicked off at a decent pace on the immaculate artificial surface. The atmosphere lacked a little as only one stand was open.

It was good to see many kids and families in attendance. We sat towards the back level with a penalty area amongst our new friends. A fine sweeping move after just five minutes led to an opener for The Diamonds as the low cut back cross from Jim Lister was swept home by Marc Fitzpatrick. Forfar had a chance to go second in the table with a positive result, while a win for Airdrie was vital to push for a playoff position.

The pivotal moment of the game came midway through the first half when Loons midfielder Gavin Malin was adjudged to have brought down Bryan Prunty in the box. Despite protests from the outraged visitors, referee Greg Aitken showed the red card to Malin. Prunty scored from the resulting penalty to net his hundredth career goal.

At the break, it was definitely time for a pie and a Bovril. The tip was right. It was lovely. The pair of cynics said they’d seen it all before and the match wasn’t over yet, while having a good laugh.

Forfar’s veteran keeper Rab Douglas took some fearful abuse when defending our end by a group of youths who were vocal enough to attract the attention of an officious-looking steward. They’d obviously met before as they turned their taunts towards him. Other stewards with a more laid-back attitude calmed things down.

Airdrie went three up on seventy-six minutes when Dundee United loanee Scott Fraser fired home another cross from Lister. The visitors scored a consolation through Michael Travis' goal with four minutes remaining. At full time, we said our goodbyes before joining the small queue waiting for the bus back into the town centre. 

Fortunately, it was only a five-minute ride. Carl had received a text from a pal he worked with who was in Airdrie. A planned pint together had been cancelled as he’d been in the pub all day. We decided against a beer and waited on the platform at the station. The pubs didn’t look to be the best. We got talking to an Everton fan with his bike who had also been to both afternoon games.

Our Saturday night consisted of plenty of beers back in Glasgow, including a very enjoyable gig from ska/reggae band Mitre 5 (surely footballers in the past?) in McSorley’s before trying out some of the plentiful top-shelf stock in Bow Still. It had been yet another magnificent day in and around one of my very favourite cities.