FLDiamond
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Posts posted by FLDiamond
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3 hours ago, AJ77 said:
23 games he played for Saints last year, surely do a job at Championship level but 33 years old playing on our plastic park not so sure!
I think he’d be a great signing with a lot of our players not having played at this level he would be a great dressing room influence alongside Dycey and Rhys. Surely worth a 12 month contract and I’m not too bothered about his age as long as he’s fit enough
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4 hours ago, WL Diamond said:
If we stay up by whatever means that has to be viewed as a success. It seems like a strong league next season and I believe we’ve not finished higher than 9th in the Championship/First Division since 2006 so it will be tough. But difficult to gauge until we know what the squad’s going to look like
It will be impossible to really get a true expectation of league position until we have finalized our squad and the other Championship teams have completed theirs. Looking at the recent successes of QP and Arbroath then yes, it is possible that we can compete at the top end of the table and secure a playoff spot. But I’m realistic and will compare our team to others and make a judgement on this at the start of August, not in May. Looking at last season I believed we had the third strongest team in the division and that’s where we ended up. No doubt McCabe wants to play his style of football and with some key signings, who knows, we may end up being the surprise package. But this league is different… DU fans demanding an immediate return to the top flight, maybe the same for RC… QP wanting to build on their season, RR expecting more from Murray and a playoff spot minimum, A*r wanting to correct their playoff flop and make up for that next season. There are a lot of ambitious clubs and BOD putting pressure on management to deliver to give the team at least a chance of promotion through the playoffs. Again, I’ll need to see the team but if we finish mid-table playing our style of football I’ll be happy to use that as a building block for the following season.
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1 hour ago, airdrieman said:
More of the same next season please.
Super Cooper… Ahh… the memories. I’m sure we’ll come up with at least 4 or 5 away wins next season. Who will it be against?
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3 hours ago, WL Diamond said:
Would agree with the above, would definitely hang on to Watson as a squad player at least. Lewis McGregor is another one to keep especially if he can add an end product to his pace. We obviously need to strengthen the defence and midfield and wouldn’t be surprised if Telfer and ATS move on. The other one that concerns me is Gallagher - I really like him and wouldn’t want to lose him but he didn’t really get a sniff against Hamilton, can he be a first choice striker in the Championship?
I guess we’ll have to see how things play out with signings but could see Gal starting on a regular basis. Most defenses will not fancy playing against him and I’m sure over the course of the season he’ll earn us several points with some late equalizers/winners. But I do fancy a bigger striker who can bully defenses… someone like Robbie Muirhead at Morton who made a mess of our playoffs a couple of years back. Well over 6 feet and knows the Championship. Someone like that would be very useful
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4 hours ago, moses1924 said:
taking a break from listening to "pump it up" ive found the weird penny whistle of I Cant Help Falling in Love they used to play at Broadwood, turns out its by a band called Lick the Tins
Haven’t heard that version since our days in Cumbernauld! Damn… it all came flooding back and if anything could have brought me back down to earth with a thump after last weekends exploits - it was some Broadwood memories. Still, the song was pretty good
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1 hour ago, CumbyDiamond said:
Aye right enough that free kick to nobody our home game & similar pass to nobody in the 1-5 drubbing really made me think oh I wish he was still with us
I remember watching the highlights package on him when he first joined us and I was originally excited about him being a genuine prospect. But like others have said, he wasn’t really stand out in the team. Genuinely wish with the boy well but wouldn’t want him in our squad for next season, we have to set our sights way higher
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56 minutes ago, Mybitchunderprotest said:
Also factoring in the chances of occasional Friday night TV game and knowing our luck it would be matches away to Inverness and Ross County.
Not actually against this since there’s no way I’d make it up there for a Friday night… having the game on tv would work. But yeah, take your point. We’ll see what happens but looks like DU down for sure. Assuming they’ll be the club that will be going ‘all out’ to return to the Premiership. Would be a good first game, us v them
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We’re Tannadice bound next season I think…. Ross County and Plastic Whistle fighting for other space is my prediction. TBH, would rather go to Firhill than the Highland hills in the middle of December
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3 hours ago, Diamonds_Are_Forever said:
We have a new player agreed to sign for next year who funnily enough I seen down at the stadium last night
Get it told…. Stop teasin the troops
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23 minutes ago, ebobsboy said:
The lot! Seriously our initial release list has no real surprises bar maybe Burrell although I think he'll go back down south although McPake seemed to quote him so maybe end up there. The rest are all under contract or have year options. If you wanted the likes of Leon back or Morrison you'd need to pay a fee. There's not much else you'd want really. The loans ie Kennedy, Kucheryavi were our best players.
What’s your honest opinion of Leon and do you think he could do a job in the Championship? Don’t think there’s any chance he’ll be leaving you but interested to know
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1 minute ago, Kenny_m said:
He got a few run outs early in the season before getting benched and very rarely getting on. He's not even made the bench in the last 3 or 4 weeks.
If I was Rhys I’d be all over this. Not sure if A*r U*d would be back in for him but maybe our style of football and the team could convince him. Unless a newly promoted team to the top league, say P**tick Th***Le made it, they may be interested in him. Otherwise he could have the pick of 3/4 Championship teams. Didn’t he have a Dunfermline connection?
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2 hours ago, Kenny_m said:
I'll raise it.
Kerr McInroy, not even on the bench for Killie so doesn't look like McInnes fancies him but still another year on his contract. Loan a possibility if they stay up?
Oh my….. YES PLEASE!! If he’s not getting a regular run out with Killie then he may as well take that step down to Championship, even if it’s a loan. I think he’d be brilliant in this side, especially if we lose McGill or Smith
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4 hours ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:
Looks like Ian Murray is heading to Dundee so that might change the situation a bit. If he fancied any of our players for Raith would he think any of them capable of stepping up to Premiership level?
Looks like there is a few candidates ahead of Murray for the Dundee job… honestly doubt he’ll get to head to Dens. He’s definitely an up and coming manager but hasn’t set the things alight at Raith just yet. We’ll see
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1 minute ago, Diamonds are Forever said:
I thought Paterson was a better player and has a much higher ceiling than McCann. No idea of his availability though and I know he had a bad injury.
I liked Brody too…. But honestly, I’m not sure he’d be ready for Championship football. I’ve not followed him since he left last year but hoping he kicks on, seemed like a good lad
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2 hours ago, cb_diamond said:
Was thinking of this earlier and laughing about the fact that last season they were all over our thread telling us they'd take whichever players they'd want from us with impunity. I would love to do the same but genuinely think none of them would make our team bar maybe Leon as we need a left back
Leon was the first name that came to mind for me. Last season he was rarely in the team and was an out of favour option. This season much better but Falkirk got the Airdrie bug and shat the bed in the playoffs so no Championship football for him. I think he originally signed a 3 year deal with a year left, so not seeing him making any kind of move if Falkirk want to keep him for next seasons push. But I’d have him back in a minute. Fordyce, McCann, Ballantyne and another upgrade defender? Yes please. Face it, he went to Falkirk to make the next level which hasn’t happened - who knows if he’s getting impatient
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29 minutes ago, cb_diamond said:
I'm going to take a slightly blunter approach to others and say that Watson, ATS and Telfer are not good enough for the Championship and the top half of L1 is their ceiling.
I’m agreeing with this. Telfer did well in the playoffs but feel the Championship will definitely be a stretch for him. Watson is solid L1, think he could do a decent job for us next season but believe we can get a better quality player. Physically he’s what we need and wouldn’t be easily bullied so this one is tough but I’d say move him on. ATS, I think he is solid L1 and could easily be part of a successful team pushing for promotion or playoffs.
For Callum Smith, I’m pretty much letting this one play out and if he stays then great.
id take his brother in a minute, all day Saturday I had the fear when he got the ball. I say sign that man!
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22 minutes ago, mo83 said:
Now the dust has settled a little bit....Congratulations!
Easy the best team i seen at LP last campaign, so going by that fully deserve to go up.Enjoy!
P.S Can we get Cammy back please and thank you.
Thank you!!!
p.s NO
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https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/23537214.hamilton-club-war-heading-oblivion/?ref=ebls&nid=1221
Herald piece on the Accies, grim reading on the same weekend that another Lanarkshire club slipped out of the professional football leagues. And Clyde being relegated too…. Can’t there be any justice and Motherwell fold up or something?
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20 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:
I would take smith at the rovers can play out wide plus through the middle, and if that’s a big if we have made an offer I think he will join because he doesn’t have to travel far and we could offer more in terms of wages and bonuses and that’s what it ultimately comes down to
I’d keep Smith but of course if anyone wants to move on and not remain at Airdrie then so be it. I’m only interested in keeping players who want to be there. After a great season and some fantastic playoff games, I’m hoping a majority of the unsigned players will be on board. Championship is definitely their level so unless, like you said, there is the lure of bigger money then we should be able to keep most of them. But rumours have been going around about Smith departing so who knows. Hope he stays though
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3 hours ago, thediamonddude said:
*Ridiculously long post warning*
Now that the whisky haze is starting to lift (sort of), I’ll try and make sense of what was a bonkers day on Saturday.
I’ve been reading around and green dotting a number of takes from fellow Diamonds, all of which I agree with wholeheartedly and not too sure I can add much more, but here goes…
I went into the game with that same weird sense of optimism I’ve had in the previous three and, much like the Wednesday game, that had evaporated within 20 mins. It was basically a reversal of the first leg - I actually thought we started much better than on Wednesday and were the better team until Connor Smith’s goal. We had debated whether it was fair that Justin Deveney had lost his place but Charlie Telfer had earned it with his showing on Wednesday and was our best player in the first half.
Of course, the script very much played out like you’d expect an Airdrie playoff final to until about the 91st minute - we’d been comfortable, probing away at Hamilton’s defence, when our short corner routine leads to a goal for Accies - classic problems of our own making stuff. From then on it felt like we were ice skating up hill - save for Rhys’s free kick that hit the bar and a corner Smith did well to get a hand to. Then the sucker punch - that late Hamilton goal that I truly believed had killed us. I must have this innate thing in me now where when an Airdrie collapse is on the horizon, I just go into a trance-like state of hopeless acceptance, as I kid you not, I sat in complete silence just staring into space for the last 10 mins of the 90. Then Gabby McGill showed up.
Gal has, deservedly so, taken a great deal of the plaudits this season but I have to say that Gabby has been magnificent. Think it was 18 goals he finished on, not to mention his number of assists. The way he caught that re-bound was sweet as, and that snapped me out of the familiar malaise. I was obviously delighted when we went on to win, but that moment for me was probably the most relieved/excited/happy I’ve been watching Airdrie in a long time.
ET was probably a decent watch for a neutral but it was hellish for us - it felt like both teams were going blow for blow by this stage and, although we had our chances, I felt we dodged a couple of big bullets ourselves. You never want to verbalise it at the time but we’ve been where Hamilton were (a lot) and it did feel like they’d end up rueing some of those missed chances.
I hate penalties, I hate Airdrie in penalty shootouts and I did not feel confident. However, apparently we’d been saving them up all season, as our takers were excellent, to a man. Always feel modern shootouts are a nightmare as very few penalties are missed (not sure if it’s better takers or poorer keepers) and they seem to go on longer and hinge much more on one miss. Really feel for the Hamilton lad in that sense.
The moment we won, and everything since, as others have said, just seems too unreal. I genuinely don’t think the reality has kicked in for me, and probably won’t until our (Championship) campaign kicks off next season!
Others have said it but Rhys, Dycey, Prunts, Hutts, and every single one of the players/staff have my eternal gratitude - it hasn’t been a season of plain sailing (it was never going to be) but we’ve done it and done it our way, which was by playing exciting, attacking football. They’ve ended a 26-year playoff heartache for myself and so many other Airdrie fans, making them a historic Airdrie side.
I also think it’s important to acknowledge guys like Paul Hetherington, Scott Russell, and our wonderful board of directors and staff behind the scenes, as it isn’t said enough. They’re often criticised for their perceived standoffishness and lack of communication but they go about their business quietly and efficiently, as is their right and as it should be at a football club in my view. Since they took over, they loyally respected and backed Stevie Findlay and the Trust (despite the fact that turned out to be a mistake), acted when they saw that project wasn’t working, sensibly appointed Murray and stuck with him even when others wouldn’t have, and then they took a shot with Rhys and believed in him. For all of those reasons, I truly believe our club is in the best hands, run by people who want the best for Airdrieonians, the town, and the community - I think it’s a very exciting time to be a Diamond!
Damn, you pretty much summed up my feelings about yesterday, the team and the club overall. I’ll admit, I went ‘glass half empty’ after Hamiltons second. I should have known better, this team doesn’t give up. But honestly, it felt like ‘Again?? Really???’ I’ve been supporting the team since the late 80s, a dangerous time since we were on the verge of promotions, cup finals and Europe. Of course that isn’t the norm at most football clubs and even at a young age I knew that but soaked it all up. I have to say to anyone who missed all that amazing stuff and ‘the glory years’, yesterday was about as good a day as I’ve ever experienced supporting the club and I’ve been to them all (barring Sparta Prague away, my big regret
). Genuinely feel optimistic about next season while being realistic and the challenge ahead. I can only say to all my fellow Diamonds, back the team and get a season ticket if you can! Onwards and upwards, next season is going to be an exciting one
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1 hour ago, Mr November said:
Fordyce will start every week. He had a poor first half to the season by his standards but he was the best defender in League One the three years before that and he was getting back to his best in recent months. I think with a more mobile centre back beside him he’ll be fine in the Championship.
I have to agree with this. Fordyce was just about the best defender in L1, he will be better than 80% of other Championship defenders imo. He was an absolute rock for the run in, barely put a foot wrong. I’m sure Rhys will get the right CB for him to partner with. No issues there
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10 minutes ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:
That’s all that needs to be said. No point in going in to this, he did what he did. And now the club have washed their hands. Done.
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9 minutes ago, bairn88 said:
Well done your lot. By far the best team, in individual games, I’ve seen in the league in the past 2 seasons. Would’ve been a bit of an injustice if you hadn’t managed to get up.
Glad we won’t have to face you next year and gives me a glimmer of hope that we managed to finish off quite a few points ahead of you this year - maybe we’re not as far off as I feel we are from promotion.
Appreciate it… I think you may be more right than you know. Think your fans have high expectations and at times you’ve underperformed, especially last season. But think next season may be good for you guys. That’s where I’d have my money
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1 hour ago, Mr November said:
I’ll no doubt bore everyone with a big post in the coming days but a quick shout out to Gabby McGill. Once again he’s popped up with a huge goal. The first thing I did when I ran on the park was hug him as he was bawling his eyes out. Him and his family seem like fantastic people.
I know a couple of the players are staying on but I’m really hoping Gabby is with the team next season. Tbh, without promotion, we could have seen a few leave. Gabbys goal along with the huge balls on the penalty takers (Dyceys words!) means we’ve got a great chance to build on this squad
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The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond
in Scottish Championship General Chatter
Posted
Ryan Edwards released from DU today… a 6ft 5 centre back. He’s most probably returning to England but this would be a good signing with plenty of height. I imagine he’d be more than capable of shining in the Championship