Airdrieonians 23/24 Championship Thread♦️

[HIT THE CHANNEL]

Morning folks, I am following up for those brilliant folk who sent emails to local representatives (for those that did not, it is not too late - please see template below!). May I please ask that you send the below fellow up email? It is great to see Falkirk-based reps stepping up and that this email campaign has proven effective in getting on the agenda of senior Ministers. But we need more momentum and we really need reps from other areas to do likewise! Thanks!

 

Follow up email template:

 

Good morning,

 I am writing to follow up on my email from Tuesday. I would like to draw your attention to the positive support from Falkirk-based representatives. I please request that you write similar letters to the Minister and Mr Doncaster, the SPFL CEO, and share these letter publicly to demonstrate your support.

 

Letters to Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport and Doncaster from Cllrs and MSPs here:

- Cllr Euan Stainbank https://twitter.com/Euan4FKSouth/status/1795844057912270971

- Cllr James Bundy  https://twitter.com/jamesbundy/status/1795770713036754959

- Two MSPs, Michael Matheson and Michelle Thompson have wrote to the Minister too, but they haven't made their letters public.

 

As you can see, the representatives have naturally focused on the Falkirk region. I would please ask similar letters could be sent on in the interests of constituents of Kirkcaldy and Fife. I would also stress that the vote on banning artificial pitches is likely to occur imminently, as such I would please request that action is expedited on this case.

 Many and sincere thanks,

 Your name

 

 

 

On 28/05/2024 at 11:16, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

Hi folks, I am following up on the idea that I floated in various threads to write to local representatives to try and prevent the ban on artificial pitches in Scottish Premiership. 

If you read the Consultation paper, it is crystal clear that the ban is unfair and regressive - the recommendations for ensuring quality artificial pitches are sound.

Numbers and momentum is everything, so please, please do email (if you have 5 minutes for reading nonsense on P&B you have 2 mins to send two emails!). I recommend sending two emails, one to your MSP and one to your councillor/council lead.

I have created a draft email to copy and paste. I have also included instructions for who to email for rovers fans in Kirkcaldy (perhaps some kind soul could do similar for their own team in Airdrie/Falkirk/Dumfries/Hamilton/Cove respectively. I have left the Rovers version below as a template). I also have included how to find who to email. Thanks folks!

 

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: RE: Potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership

 

Dear NAME OF MSP/COUNCILLOR,

 

Purpose of writing

I am writing to raise concerns about the potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership. There is a proposed vote taking place in the coming weeks. This vote will only be open to current Premiership clubs with the vote being for a blanket ban of artificial surfaces from season 2026/27.

 

Facts of the case

I would like to draw your attention to this joint statement provided by several clubs who presently have artificial surfaces (Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Queen of the South and Hamilton Academical), and especially to the detailed position paper which sets out a series of arguments and recommendations to allow artificial surfaces to continue to be used. The joint statement is here: https://www.raithrovers.net/artificial-pitch-statement; the consultation paper is here (created by the four aforementioned clubs alongside Airdrieonians and Cove Rangers): https://online.publuu.com/516411/1157872

 

Key points: Artificial surfaces are permitted at the very pinnacle of the game, being used in Champions League fixtures. There is therefore no good argument for banning them with regards to quality. Banning artificial surfaces would have a deleterious effect on sporting integrity and, most importantly, have a devastating impact on various clubs’ capacity to act as a sustainable community hub, providing a basis for boys, girls and women’s football to thrive.

 

Request

I would like to request:

a) Public support of the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

b) That this issue is raised with appropriate senior ministers with the request to support the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

c) Raising the issue directly with the SPFL, the Scottish football governing body, to advocate that the consultation paper’s recommendations be accepted and a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

 

Yours Sincerely,

YOUR FULL NAME:

YOUR HOME ADDRESS:

 

 

Find your MSP here: https://www.parliament.scot/msps; find your local councillor here: https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors

For Rovers fans in Kirkcaldy I recommend contacting a) David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy here: David.Torrance.msp@parliament.scot and b) Cllr. David Ross, who is leader of Fife Council and represents Kirkcaldy North, here: cllr.david.ross@fife.gov.uk For Rovers fans, here is the link to Fife councillors:  https://www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/about-your-council2/politicians-and-committees/your-local-councillors/councillor;

 

[AJ77]

4 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

The phenomenon!

The streets won't forget his Dunfermline away performance.

[Rhys McCabe Hype Train]

Contracts due to expire today, surely to goodness we get some form of communication at some point over the next few hours.

[Kenny_m]

53 minutes ago, Rhys McCabe Hype Train said:

Contracts due to expire today, surely to goodness we get some form of communication at some point over the next few hours.

Obviously the club know, and have known for a considerable time the frees and who are contracted for next season which could have been released at anytime. I appreciate contract extensions and new signings might be from tomorrow but agree we need a statement asap as we don't want a repeat of the Gal situation where another club are announcing signing one of players before we've said there moving on which they're perfectly entitled to do tomorrow. 

[KD1711]

Dylan Corr just signed up with Consilium, our style of play would definitely suit him. 

[Kenny_m]

19 minutes ago, KD1711 said:

Dylan Corr just signed up with Consilium, our style of play would definitely suit him. 

It's a formality then as he's out of contract today!

[FFC 1876]

You lot should be turfing Celtic B out, if plastic pitches aren't good enough for the premiership their b teams shouldn't be playing on them either.

[AJ77]

Just now, FFC 1876 said:

You lot should be turfing Celtic B out, if plastic pitches aren't good enough for the premiership their b teams shouldn't be playing on them either.

Don't disagree but if there giving us a good sum of money yearly then hard to turn down. 

[Mr November]

Aberdeen away on a Tuesday night…
 

GROUP A

Saturday July 13
Dumbarton v East Kilbride (3.00pm)
Queen of the South v Aberdeen (Premier Sports, 5.15pm)

Tuesday July 16
Airdrieonians v East Kilbride (7.45pm)
Queen of the South v Dumbarton (7.45pm)

Saturday July 20`
Dumbarton v Airdrieonians (3.00pm)
East Kilbride v Aberdeen (3.00pm)

Tuesday July 23 
Aberdeen v Airdrieonians (Premier Sports, 7.45pm)
East Kilbride v Queen of the South (7.45pm)

Saturday July 27
Aberdeen v Dumbarton (3.00pm)
Airdrieonians v Queen of the South (3.00pm)

[A Diamond For Me]

This could be quite a serious blow to our business model.  How many teams play at New Broomfield now?  The first team, Celtic B, Celtic women, Glasgow University, presumably our reserves as well.  We saw what a tattie field Firhill was when Queen's Park were there, and that was just one team.  We'll have to pay for somewhere else for all our teams to train as well, if we get a grass pitch in.

Between extra expenses and loss of revenue, getting promoted could be seriously costly for a club like Airdrie. 

[moses1924]

1 hour ago, A Diamond For Me said:

This could be quite a serious blow to our business model.  How many teams play at New Broomfield now?  The first team, Celtic B, Celtic women, Glasgow University, presumably our reserves as well.  We saw what a tattie field Firhill was when Queen's Park were there, and that was just one team.  We'll have to pay for somewhere else for all our teams to train as well, if we get a grass pitch in.

Between extra expenses and loss of revenue, getting promoted could be seriously costly for a club like Airdrie. 

I would think this one we would deal if we were going up, rather than do anything on the off chance something which hasn't happened for 32 years was to come about. Presumably a grass pitch could be laid over a summer or we could ground share for the first month of a season if we go up, the plastic pitch must make the Stadium Company a decent ammount of money.

[Kenny_m]

1 hour ago, A Diamond For Me said:

This could be quite a serious blow to our business model.  How many teams play at New Broomfield now?  The first team, Celtic B, Celtic women, Glasgow University, presumably our reserves as well.  We saw what a tattie field Firhill was when Queen's Park were there, and that was just one team.  We'll have to pay for somewhere else for all our teams to train as well, if we get a grass pitch in.

Between extra expenses and loss of revenue, getting promoted could be seriously costly for a club like Airdrie. 

I wonder if our owner will stand down from SPFL board after this.

SPL killed our club before with the ridiculous 10,0000 seated stadium rule and now this.

[Passionate]

On 30/05/2024 at 16:14, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

With respect, I'm not sure what that has to do with the original point. You said the club wasn't offering 2+ year deals, I'm certain they'd be handing out 2 year deals to our best players if they wanted them, but for reasons explained above I don't think those players generally will. 

Hopefully hear good news soon

[Passionate]

11 minutes ago, moses1924 said:

I would think this one we would deal if we were going up, rather than do anything on the off chance something which hasn't happened for 32 years was to come about. Presumably a grass pitch could be laid over a summer or we could ground share for the first month of a season if we go up, the plastic pitch must make the Stadium Company a decent ammount of money.

All clubs will just have to wait and not rush into anything,  it's a media driven farce...   Dinosaurs not wanting to move with the times,  once United got promoted and Livi dropped out this was always going to happen...

 

Airdrie will have no plans to go grass unless they win the championship,  which is very unlikely...  

[Chapelhall chap]

Clearly Dundee's mud bath provoked this move by the big guys and it could impact on how our business model has been progressing.

Our plastic based pitch does appear to be well regarded and I have no great data on how the industry behind it ,has improved, but it seems as usual a self centered decision from the Premier clubs. I don't think they showed who voted for it but in realpolitik, the power forces usually win. 

Should we ever be close to going up we'd be given one year on the plastic? So just  do it and get the parachute payment on return to Championship or invest for Premier riches? 

[Rhys McCabe Hype Train]

3 hours ago, Kenny_m said:

I wonder if our owner will stand down from SPFL board after this.

No, he won’t.

[Diamonds02]

25 minutes ago, Rhys McCabe Hype Train said:

No, he won’t.

Tbf not sure why he would, it was the clubs’ decision 

[edinburghhonestman]

1 hour ago, Chapelhall chap said:

Our plastic based pitch does appear to be well regarded and I have no great data on how the industry behind it ,has improved, but it seems as usual a self centered decision from the Premier clubs.

The problem is that some of the plastic pitches in the top division have been awful - Killie and Livi's are barely good enough for Boy's Brigade games. Yours is good, as is East Fife's. I've often thought Ayr play better on a good plastic pitch than we do on grass. A better route would have been minimum standards on pitch and maintenance and an annual inspection to keep standards up 

[Diamonds02]

12 minutes ago, edinburghhonestman said:

The problem is that some of the plastic pitches in the top division have been awful - Killie and Livi's are barely good enough for Boy's Brigade games. Yours is good, as is East Fife's. I've often thought Ayr play better on a good plastic pitch than we do on grass. A better route would have been minimum standards on pitch and maintenance and an annual inspection to keep standards up 

That would require common sense unfortunately

[David Fernández]

I see that Rhys Armstrong who plays for Spartans has started following Airdrie on Twitter, don't know too much about him but it would be interesting to see if he would be able to make the step up.

Edited May 31 by David Fernández