DiamondDownSouth

Don't agree at all. I'm not doubting Martin's ability or his competitiveness, but I don't think his cheating and diving would fit with McCabe's ethos. One of my favourite moments from the play-offs was when it looked like Dycey was going to lamp him.

This is a great signing for us as I think we need someone like Todorov, even if he doesn't obviously fit our style of play from last season. I think this is a statement of intent from Rhys McCabe and the club that we mean business.

Is that what the floodlights normally look like? It looks like most of them are missing...

What's wrong with the lights?

I would definitely have preferred to have kept Smith, but I guess he thought it was his time (oh, and he's probably earning considerably more too). I don't blame Murray, in fact when he went to Raith last summer the only player he took was Easton, so at least we got promotion before he swooped in. I will always remember Smith's goal in the first leg of the final against Hamilton, which we ultimately needed to take the tie into extra time and penalties. I thank him and wish him all the best.

Friday, 30th June

I think there was more than one factor to consider and believe that McCabe started the game with Telfer in place of Devenny to provide senior, experienced cover down the left flank in front of Euan Deveney. I thought Devenny was immense when he came on and his penalty in the shoot-out showed real character.

As the dust settles on our victory over Falkirk, and before our play-off final against the Accies, just sharing some thoughts. I'll try to minimise restating what other posters have already said. Firstly, that was two games of near perfect football. The first half of the first leg was one of the best, if not the best, I have seen Airdrie play (I'm old and have been a fan since 1971). The key here was the (supposed) quality of the opposition and the importance of the game and we blew them apart. The first leg second half we showed great resilience after losing two goals and the sending off and you could see it in the players that when Allan was red carded they looked like they wanted to and could score again, which of course they did. Yesterday was an absolute master class of protecting the four goal lead from the first leg. Falkirk were absolutely dreadful, but credit has to go to Airdrie for giving them so few options to hurt us. My second point, which is completely uncontroversial, is what an amazing job McCabe has done. In his first year as a manager, at 30 years of age and still playing to have got us to the play-offs and then play like is absolutely remarkable. The thing for me, as picked up by others, is how Rhys has evolved through learning from setbacks earlier in the season (Dunfermline, Edinburgh etc). Finally, I think the club should be given a lot of credit too, and not just for putting their faith in Rhys. If there is unhappiness behind the scenes it usually manifests on the pitch and that is clearly not the case with Airdrie at the moment. I know PH isn't always popular because of his (lack of) communication, but that's not really a problem when things are going well. I also think Ian Murray planted the seeds over his five years here in getting the players to play as a unit, which Rhys has built on and improved. Also, Murray brought McCabe to the club and I suspect suggested that he should be given a shot as the manager. Anyway, on to Wednesday to see what that brings. It's going to be an interesting test aganst a team we have played in a while...

Given our track record in the play-offs - namely usually win in the semis, never win in the final - I would rather play Falkirk in the semis.

Back to the subject of strips, I noticed both goalies in yesterday's FA Cup semi between Brighton & Man U were wearing all yellow. Certainly not contradicitng anything anyone has posted, just surprised to see it.

Having watched the highlights last night (I originally watched the game on DTV on Monday) it's impossible to tell if the first penalty was a foul or not because of the position of the camera. However for me, the Edinburgh player bought the second one by diving into Watson's leg. It took me 2over two days to watch the highlights because Monday was so painful and maybe we do need to add more cynicism to our game but I don't like to see it. I also hate when players cup their hands round their ears or put their fingers to their lips aimed at opposition fans - it is a clear "f**k you" gesture that should be yellow carded. And no, I still haven't got over losing that game from 2-0 up and cruising...

I assume that, having given Salim 90 minutes at Alloa, the manager does not believe him to be good enough to play for Airdrie at this time, hence he has been sent on loan to Stranraer to play regularly and improve his sharpness. Come January if McCabe believes that Salim is good enough to add to our team, then he can rejoin the squad and it will have been a win all round; if not, the loan can be extended. The loan can be cut short if we suffer too many injuries to our strikers between now and January, and we don't necessarily have any funds to bring in a replacement as I think it's normal for parent clubs to pay at least some of a loan player's wages.

Having only watched it on DTV, McGill brilliantly created Gunn's goal. As he approahed the goalie McGill took the ball wide to pull him away from the goal before slipping the ball to Gunn.

It's inside the UK if you live in England, like I do, that's the problem (and I assume also Wales?), due to the FA's blackout.

Have QP approached Ian Murray?

Of course it was, I do recall it now, thanks. I don't think Jim Ballantine was a fan of the black socks, but I'm sure that in my case I like them because it's what Airdrie were wearng in the early 70s when I started to follow the Diamonds.

Good shout Airdrieman, but who are we playing against in this picture? My favourite Airdrie kit is diamond top with white shorts & black socks (with red & white at the tops). Does anyone know if we have had that combo since 2002? I don't think we have.

Falkirk have scored 4 less than us and conceded the same, so a 2-0 win for them (or any score with Falkirk winning by 2 goals) would leave Airdrie in third place due to more goals scored. So to leapfrog us the Bairns need to win by 3.

4-0 and we are above the Bairns - temporarily at least...

Thistle 3-0 up against Falkirk now - one more without reply and they will push Falkirk below us on goals scored!

Thanks for posting the link to the photo Mr N - I'm struck by how long ago that feels from seeing the pic! I wasn't there but wasn't that also the game in which we had a goal ruled out where the ball hit the bar and crossed the line?

For older diamonds like myself, some sad news about another Airdrie legend: https://www.facebook.com/valeoflevenfc/ Condolences to the family of the great Column McKinley.

The Spring Cup final was the same season as the fog game (75/76), but was the following May. I always seem to remember Clydebank being a bit of a bogey team for us, so it was particularly sweet to become the first, and as it turned out only, winners of the Spring Cup that night. I even still have the Glasgow Herald match report somewhere in my loft!

I think I've found the game I was talking about. There is a web-site with historic Scottish football results (londonhearts.com) and on 18th Oct 1975 it has Partick Thistle 0 Airdrieonians 1. That was first season following reconstruction.