Passionate Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 12 hours ago, Davi3j said: When I started going Davy Mcabe was our top scorer there's been plenty of good ones, including CG, but I always thought Stevie Cooper was a bit special. MacCabe was my favourite as a boy, John Flood was a good partner he scored plenty as well ... What about Kenny MacDonald. Was he under rated.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 It can feel glib to consider a footballer as a 'hero' when you're an adult. And I often baulk when folk consider modern or current players as 'legends'. But I think either of those labels are more than deserved for Gal. Top goalscorer post-2002 by a fair margin but, even beyond the sheer numbers, Gal has been a critical part of our success and transformation on and off the park over the last 5 years. Others have said it but it feels like we've been on an upward trajectory ever since he scored that last minute winner v Falkirk. Still get a buzz in my stomach thinking about that goal, the scenes afterwards and how it almost literally lifted the place. It seemed to give us a belief that we could, finally, compete at the top end of League 1 and get out if it. And (I think) we'd already had the overhead kick v Clyde and lob v Bohemians before that point. Wasn't just Airdrie as a club who went on an upward trajectory during Gal's time though. He did too. He'll maybe always 'run funny' but his growth culminated in him becoming the best part-time striker, if not player, in Scotland. 23 goals, including a hat-trick and that goal v Kelty, but his overall hold-up play was outstanding last season and was evidently a key component in us scoring 99 goals and finally getting out of League 1. Being part of that team alone is enough to make him a hero. I'm not surprised he's away but that doesn't make me any less gutted. I don't think his numbers are that bad this season. 9 goals and 5(?) assists, with the scope for more, isn't terrible and could arguably make him worthy of a place in a Championship squad. He hasn't really been at the required level though ever since the Queen's Park game and Todorov getting going. And it does not really make sense to have our training days beholden to the needs of one player. But all the same, it's a sad day. Delighted that he's going into the Hall of Fame. A more than deserved accolade and acknowledgement of all he's contributed to the club. And I'm pleased for him that he's got a decent move to a level he will still excel at. I just hope he gets more celebratory moment on the park. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 12 minutes ago, thediamonddude said: Yep, for me Prunts, Russell, Coyle, Vareille, Brian McPhee, and Alan Gow all need to be up there for strikers in the ‘modern era’. We shouldn't really be giving a Falkirk wee guy the time of day (on here or Twitter FWIW) but 2002 onwards I think Coyle, Gow and Gal are the top 3 if you're rating them in terms of ability and importance. Ryan and Russell were possibly better players than Gal but they only played for us for a season so their importance isn't comparable. Prunty would be up there too but I think he'd rank behind the aforementioned 3. Gal and Prunty are the club's top scorers 2002 onwards with 71 and 43 respectively. Probably broadly similar appearance numbers? Although worth mentioning that Gal played in far more successful Airdrie teams than Prunty did. As an aside Prunty was the last Airdrie player to finish top scorer of the 2nd tier with 15 in 05/06 (alongside Jason Scotland). 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoalForAirdrie Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 Genuinely can’t believe that Gallagher signed for us 5 years ago this summer. Time has just flown in since the season that was cut short when the lockdown started! I was away for the weekend when he scored that last minute winner against Falkirk, but I can remember going absolutely bananas in the hotel room. As someone previously mentioned, that win really felt like the turning point for the club as we’d never won any big games like that for years previously! We had been so used to being a mid table League 1 club. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 3 hours ago, Diamond1924 said: I think in recent history the only other standouts are Ryan Donnelly and Tony Watt? Donnelly was more of a half a season wonder but everything he touched went in the back of the net for a while Jim lister had his own song 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ77 Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 18 minutes ago, Jack Reed said: Jim lister had his own song Du du du du 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mybitchunderprotest Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 17 hours ago, Rio 2 said: You must be quite young1 Good player, but nowhere near the best striker we have had. There is a difference between citing him as a "favourite ever player" and best striker. I've seen some excellent strikers at the club since the late 70's and while Gal is nowhere near as clinical as someone like Coyle the fact that he came to the club when we had been struggling in League 1 and was an integral part of the turnaround in the clubs fortunes goes some way to cementing his place as a bit of a hero. I dare say that at any time during his 5 seasons with us he could easily have got more money elsewhere but chose not to. His achievements last season in the promotion winning team will ensure that he's fondly remembered and as a (step) parent of a young laddie who absolutely idolises the man it's been great to see how willing he is to spend time with the young supporters. He always comes across as being a thoroughly decent guy to boot. He is 100% deserving of whatever the club do to commemorate his achievements with us and will undoubtedly be one of the relatively few players that I will actually look to see doing well at his next club. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aufc Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 17 hours ago, Rennieball said: Who's been better in your 22 year history? 22 years old and further up the leagues than you. Least you have a big support though 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 1 hour ago, AJ77 said: Du du du du Just surprised nobody mentioned him ,song or no song , 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys McCabe Hype Train Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 (edited) Touting Watt, Donnelly etc as comparable to Gallagher is verging on laughable, I’m afraid. Donnelly went on trial at Wigan after six months where everything he kicked went in the net, and was never the same again. Watt was in the team for 16 appearances and got a move to Celtic. Nowhere near comparable. Lister and the likes of Keighan Parker get the “cult hero” status, with the former having a great partnership with Prunty that season. Andy Ryan scored a decent amount of goals but again moved on pretty much as soon as he could. Gallagher stuck with the club when we were a bumbling League One outfit and his goals over the last three campaigns fired us to the playoffs, albeit perhaps he wasn’t as prolific as he was last term. So in terms of longevity and contribution he shouldn’t be even mentioned in the same breath as some of the names touted thus far. Edited April 18 by Rhys McCabe Hype Train 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 3 hours ago, Jack Reed said: Jim lister had his own song 2 hours ago, Jack Reed said: Just surprised nobody mentioned him ,song or no song , Loved Jim Lister. A shame he never played in a better Airdrie team. I can’t remember the exact sequence of seasons but we can’t have been that far off being able to pick a forward line from Lister, Prunty, Cadden, Ryan and Iain Russell. Guess we have Wotherspoon, Iain King and EWB to thank for that one. Speaking of which, surprised Kevin Schmidt hasn’t been mentioned yet. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelhall chap Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 I'll skip all the highly praised recent( 22 years) and I'll put forward Davy Marshall and Drew Jarvis and Drew Busby - D..D..D.. from a Da. Da. Da. Owen Coyle remains my favourite of course 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb_diamond Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 Owen Coyle, Dave McCabe, Fash. In that order 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny_m Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 If he hadn't been so fond of the "wreck the hoose juice" it could have so easily been Wullie McLaren. Such a talented footballer! When your years advance there are so many too choose from but particular favourites of mine over the years include Jarvie, Goodwin, Big Johnny, McGuire, March, Nipper, Marvin Wilson, Lovering, Allan Russell & Fordyce. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ77 Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 1 hour ago, airdrieman said: Speaking of which, surprised Kevin Schmidt hasn’t been mentioned yet. Or Jack Mckay 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 33 minutes ago, Kenny_m said: If he hadn't been so fond of the "wreck the hoose juice" it could have so easily been Wullie McLaren. Such a talented footballer! When your years advance there are so many too choose from but particular favourites of mine over the years include Jarvie, Goodwin, Big Johnny, McGuire, March, Nipper, Marvin Wilson, Lovering, Allan Russell & Fordyce. Add Sammy conn and Stevie Cooper and they are certainly are a few of my favorites, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoalForAirdrie Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 33 minutes ago, AJ77 said: Or Jack Mckay Always forget that he returned to us. Especially when he scored that dramatic equaliser against Cove in the playoffs. Did he not score against Thistle too that season? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr November Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 3 minutes ago, GoalForAirdrie said: Always forget that he returned to us. Especially when he scored that dramatic equaliser against Cove in the playoffs. Did he not score against Thistle too that season? He did, from a Paul McKay long throw. We’ve came a long way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio 2 Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 5 hours ago, Mybitchunderprotest said: There is a difference between citing him as a "favourite ever player" and best striker. I've seen some excellent strikers at the club since the late 70's and while Gal is nowhere near as clinical as someone like Coyle the fact that he came to the club when we had been struggling in League 1 and was an integral part of the turnaround in the clubs fortunes goes some way to cementing his place as a bit of a hero. I dare say that at any time during his 5 seasons with us he could easily have got more money elsewhere but chose not to. His achievements last season in the promotion winning team will ensure that he's fondly remembered and as a (step) parent of a young laddie who absolutely idolises the man it's been great to see how willing he is to spend time with the young supporters. He always comes across as being a thoroughly decent guy to boot. He is 100% deserving of whatever the club do to commemorate his achievements with us and will undoubtedly be one of the relatively few players that I will actually look to see doing well at his next club. Well, that was quite a long winded retort. Callum Gallagher, good player, all round nice guy and deserving of hall of fame recognition. I've been around much longer than the 22 years on this talking shop, and have witnessed some excellent strikers playing in the diamond and have my own ideas of each ones contribution to the history of the club. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Reed Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 11 hours ago, Rio 2 said: Well, that was quite a long winded retort. Callum Gallagher, good player, all round nice guy and deserving of hall of fame recognition. I've been around much longer than the 22 years on this talking shop, and have witnessed some excellent strikers playing in the diamond and have my own ideas of each ones contribution to the history of the club Definitely to many when you look back ,Paul jonquin,Brian McEwan,Innes McDonald',,,Billy Wilson ,Willie McGuire ,Roddy McKenzie Davy McWilliams,,could go on all listing players that were my favs, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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