The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond

[NorthernDiamond]

Nah it's an Aberdeen shirt. The shirt is from about 8 seasons ago I believe.

So promotion for his much beloved Aberdeen resort then?

[Chapelhall chap]

6 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

Nah it's an Aberdeen shirt. The shirt is from about 8 seasons ago I believe.

 

2 minutes ago, NorthernDiamond said:

6 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

Nah it's an Aberdeen shirt. The shirt is from about 8 seasons ago I believe.

So promotion for his much beloved Aberdeen resort then?

Thanks for the information and almost certainly promotion. Assuming he would play in goals as a Number 1lthough who knows nowadays with squad numbers!  It reminded me of "Escape to Victory" -which U.S. actor played in goals?

[Chapelhall chap]

20 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

Understand Airdrie's gripe with Bill Barr but the root cause of that whole episode was whatever nugget decided that you needed a 10,000 (TEN THOUSAND) seater stadium to have any chance of entry to the promised land of the SPL. Absolutely mind-blowing stupidity.

I agree with you that Bill Barr was not the root cause. It was the then SPL in it's reaction to the Taylor Report and maybe the desire of the "Big teams" to keep out clubs like yours and ours. Our board was also hopelessly optimistic.

[AyrTroopMajor]

7 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said:

I agree with you that Bill Barr was not the root cause. It was the then SPL in it's reaction to the Taylor Report and maybe the desire of the "Big teams" to keep out clubs like yours and ours. Our board was also hopelessly optimistic.

Absolutely, those at the top level during that period have a lot to answer for. It's sad to see crowds of only 700-800 turning up now at a 10,000 capacity stadium, you are still paying for those people's mistakes now in that respect. As an aside, when I heard about Bill Barr's death this morning, I looked back at news reports from that time and was reading about the day a section of Airdrie fans invaded the pitch at Somerset. The reports stated that the away following that day was around 800.

 

[AyrTroopMajor]

17 minutes ago, NorthernDiamond said:

21 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

Nah it's an Aberdeen shirt. The shirt is from about 8 seasons ago I believe.

So promotion for his much beloved Aberdeen resort then?

Probably more likely to be a desperate attempt by Aberdeen FC to acquire themselves a celebrity fan.

[Chapelhall chap]

6 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

 bsolutely, those at the top level during that period have a lot to answer for. It's sad to see crowds of only 700-800 turning up now at a 10,000 capacity stadium, you are still paying for those people's mistakes now in that respect. As an aside, when I heard about Bill Barr's death this morning, I looked back at news reports from that time and was reading about the day a section of Airdrie fans invaded the pitch at Somerset. The reports stated that the away following that day was around 800.

 

I was at that game indeed but was not a pitch invader. I still have the wee blue cancellation ticket as a memento of that unfortunate day. I quite believe the quoted attendance and those days are long gone, although we had a healthy away support on Saturday at Falkirk. ( No pitch invasions for the last minute winner!)  It always seems a pity that Barr Construction built so many stadia but none for Ayr, although I much prefer "old" stadia with safe standing to these sterile boxes.  Maybe the toilets could be improved but it is a great atmosphere when the ground is busy. 

[goodwin]

What has improved in the past few games

Dropped the 3 at the back (which got us annihilated at East Fife) for 4-3-3 that becomes 4-5-1 because of Carrick and Smith. Was that by design or what happened by necessity after Wederburn was subbed at Forfar?

2 defensive midfielders (McKay and Miller) enable full backs to get forward (especially McDonald) and Carrick and Smith become inside forwards with Gallagher.

Roberts as attacking midfielder and amazing energy. But it was McKay got into the box on Saturday. Which is another nice change; we're getting players forward

What can improve after Saturday

Thought Fordyce was easily beaten/bossed by Buchanan for the Bairns goal but Buchanan is excellent, so little shame there

[AyrTroopMajor]

3 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said:

I was at that game indeed but was not a pitch invader. I still have the wee blue cancellation ticket as a memento of that unfortunate day. I quite believe the quoted attendance and those days are long gone, although we had a healthy away support on Saturday at Falkirk. ( No pitch invasions for the last minute winner!)  It always seems a pity that Barr Construction built so many stadia but none for Ayr, although I much prefer "old" stadia with safe standing to these sterile boxes.  Maybe the toilets could be improved but it is a great atmosphere when the ground is busy. 

A lot of people say that it's a shame he never built one for us but to be honest, given that there is now no requirement for an all seater stadium to be allowed into the top division, I am glad he didn't. Somerset may be a toilet, but it is at least an atmospheric toilet.

[Chapelhall chap]

2 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

A lot of people say that it's a shame he never built one for us but to be honest, given that there is now no requirement for an all seater stadium to be allowed into the top division, I am glad he didn't. Somerset may be a toilet, but it is at least an atmospheric toilet.

I heard on Off the ball /Sportscene (?) that Ayr have not been in the "top" division for 40 years. What are your chances this year?  Keep the atmosphere yes .

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

What has improved in the past few games
Dropped the 3 at the back (which got us annihilated at East Fife) for 4-3-3 that becomes 4-5-1 because of Carrick and Smith. Was that by design or what happened by necessity after Wederburn was subbed at Forfar?
2 defensive midfielders (McKay and Miller) enable full backs to get forward (especially McDonald) and Carrick and Smith become inside forwards with Gallagher.
Roberts as attacking midfielder and amazing energy. But it was McKay got into the box on Saturday. Which is another nice change; we're getting players forward
What can improve after Saturday
Thought Fordyce was easily beaten/bossed by Buchanan for the Bairns goal but Buchanan is excellent, so little shame there

I can't imagine it being worth changing anything at the moment. There are players out of the first team just now who were maybe expected to be there at the start of the season (Eckersley, Wedderburn, Roy, Thomson) due to injuries and other reasons but the way things are just now they'll just have to wait for their chance. Obviously we can't start the same 11 for every game until May but when changes are needed it should be personnel only and the system should remain intact if possible (especially Gallagher as the central striker). In terms of January I don't think there's anything we desperately need other than McCann's loan extended (both due to his quality and Eckersley's injury problems) and possibly cover for right back where MacDonald is our only natural option. There's definitely quality in this squad - arguably the best goalie in the league, two excellent young full backs, a skipper that's looking more like a skipper than ever before in Crighton, a number 9 that's now regularly scoring and setting up goals, and real hard workers in Smith, Carrick, Millar, McKay, and Roberts. If the other teams keep dropping points there's no reason why we can't kick on and have a great season.

[AyrTroopMajor]

17 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said:

I heard on Off the ball /Sportscene (?) that Ayr have not been in the "top" division for 40 years. What are your chances this year?  Keep the atmosphere yes .

Nope, not since the 70s! We have a good team this year that play some incredible football at times, but a very small squad and unfortunately we are up against a Dundee United side that are willing to spend whatever it takes to get promoted. i would take a Promotion Playoff spot like last year but don't think we have enough to get over the line.

[Chapelhall chap]

3 minutes ago, AyrTroopMajor said:

Nope, not since the 70s! We have a good team this year that play some incredible football at times, but a very small squad and unfortunately we are up against a Dundee United side that are willing to spend whatever it takes to get promoted. i would take a Promotion Playoff spot like last year but don't think we have enough to get over the line.

If your predictions are as rotten as mine you never know! I have watched some of the Friday night games and money does work in most Leagues. 

[Spanish Armada]

See bill barrs will?Do we get left the money he actually owed airdrie?

[D'Jaffo]

See bill barrs will?Do we get left the money he actually owed airdrie?

Different Airdrie mate.

[stuartcraig]

Understand Airdrie's gripe with Bill Barr but the root cause of that whole episode was whatever nugget decided that you needed a 10,000 (TEN THOUSAND) seater stadium to have any chance of entry to the promised land of the SPL. Absolutely mind-blowing stupidity.

Barr was just another profiteer out to exploit Airdrie’s vulnerability but his contribution was as or more significant as any of the other actors involved (SPL, David Murray, the Airdrie board, the cooncil, Archibald, etc).

Ultimately, though, I always like to find a way of blaming the Old Firm.

The 10K seat rule was just a financial drawbridge designed to preserve the privilege of the “big teams”, in much the same way as the introduction of the premier league playoffs, redistribution of prize money to the benefit of the top leagues and other changes the the league have been.

Airdrie were just unlucky enough to have been in a position to take a punt when the 10K rule was introduced. Unfortunately the folk who took that gamble didn’t seem to have a clue how to make it work.

[Diamonds are Forever]

4 hours ago, goodwin said:

What has improved in the past few games

Dropped the 3 at the back (which got us annihilated at East Fife) for 4-3-3 that becomes 4-5-1 because of Carrick and Smith. Was that by design or what happened by necessity after Wederburn was subbed at Forfar?

2 defensive midfielders (McKay and Miller) enable full backs to get forward (especially McDonald) and Carrick and Smith become inside forwards with Gallagher.

Roberts as attacking midfielder and amazing energy. But it was McKay got into the box on Saturday. Which is another nice change; we're getting players forward

What can improve after Saturday

Thought Fordyce was easily beaten/bossed by Buchanan for the Bairns goal but Buchanan is excellent, so little shame there

 

Getting players forward is by far the biggest reason for the improvement. It sounds so simple but earlier in the season our strikers were so isolated and we were creating nothing. We have a system now that allows 5 or even 6 players to support attacks. With the 3-5-2 you'd be lucky if 3 players did.

If you look at the first goal on Saturday Gallagher puts the ball in, McKay is obviously in the box, as is McDonald for some reason, plus Carrick. Then Smith and Roberts are also supporting. At this level you don't need to be amazingly creative and need fancy number 10s to create, get bodies in the box and defences will make mistakes. As the winning goal showed you dont need to be very subtle about attacking approaches.

[Passionate]

1 hour ago, stuartcraig said:

 

Barr was just another profiteer out to exploit Airdrie’s vulnerability but his contribution was as or more significant as any of the other actors involved (SPL, David Murray, the Airdrie board, the cooncil, Archibald, etc).

Ultimately, though, I always like to find a way of blaming the Old Firm.

The 10K seat rule was just a financial drawbridge designed to preserve the privilege of the “big teams”, in much the same way as the introduction of the premier league playoffs, redistribution of prize money to the benefit of the top leagues and other changes the the league have been.

Airdrie were just unlucky enough to have been in a position to take a punt when the 10K rule was introduced. Unfortunately the folk who took that gamble didn’t seem to have a clue how to make it work.

 

Bear in mind we there a missed penalty and a poor second half against Hibs in the play off final away from joining the elite and IMO we wouldn't have suffered the heartbreak  of liquidation.

[Ye Olde Hamiltonian]

On 08/11/2019 at 13:03, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

McCann says in the match preview that he'd love to stay beyond January. Not sure how much we should read into that but we can always hope.

Since Accies currently have half a dozen guys who can play left back(McMann,Easton,Hunt  are the main three),it makes sense for all parties for him to help you guys into the Championship by staying till the end of the season.

 

Any  time I watched him in our all conquering youth side/under 20's and reserves he was a stand out so no surprise he is doing so well.

Our problem is we have only one right back which shows the lopsided nature of Rice's recruitment and if he could play there he would be getting recalled as currently six first picks out injured/suspended.

 

[stuartcraig]

14 minutes ago, Passionate said:

Bear in mind we there a missed penalty and a poor second half against Hibs in the play off final away from joining the elite and IMO we wouldn't have suffered the heartbreak  of liquidation.

Sometimes betting all of your money on red pays off.  On this occasion it didn't, and the board didn't have a contigency plan for funding the local road improvements required to complete the terms of our planning conditions, enabling the council to release the title deeds, and the club to simultaneously avoid a 1.6 million tax bill and be in a position to borrow against the stadium to get around issues with cashflow, such as the one which put the club into provisional admin.

[AFC1878]

Sometimes betting all of your money on red pays off.  On this occasion it didn't, and the board didn't have a contigency plan for funding the local road improvements required to complete the terms of our planning conditions, enabling the council to release the title deeds, and the club to simultaneously avoid a 1.6 million tax bill and be in a position to borrow against the stadium to get around issues with cashflow, such as the one which put the club into provisional admin.

 

You’re very knowledgable Stuart. I often wonder if we could have found a way to develop Broomfield or whether it really was too challenging logistically, and cost prohibitive. I’d imagine the pavilion being a listed building was an issue and apparently the terracing that backed onto the railway was subsiding. I seem to remember the council having an issue with the lack of parking as well.