The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond

[Mr November]

Very well deserved. You could make arguments for Smith, McCabe and maybe even Currie getting in but it’s hard to argue too much with the team picked. 

[Chapelhall chap]

Was really difficult in all the categories. After swithering I went for Easton, Smith, and Watson's volley. I know I had gone for Adam and after seeing that League team, I feel ok at seeing him there. 

On the line up for Saturday I now think we need to protect key players for possibly 4 games. So Fordyce/McCabe/Easton/Smith and maybe Gal. I would even be tempted to rest Paterson but if the players are confident and want to play, then what would I do!

It would be great to keep the unbeaten run going, and Peterhead will be wanting to do the same. It's a scoring draw with Jordan Allan getting at least one. On the play off prospects I am happier than last season but it's going to be tough . To finish so far ahead and fail in the opening ties, would be sore .

[Rossm25]

Mccabe for POTY for me , if you had said to me he would be playing CB for 90 percent of the season I would have laughed at you ! 

 

Scott Mcgill for young player purely because we asked a lot from him to play left back for 3 or 4 months. He's also bagged some cracking goals. 

 

Watsons goal against montrose for Goal of the season cause its just absolutely filthy 

[Rhys McCabe Hype Train]

Easton, Smith & McCabe’s against Motherwell - purely because he deserves an award this season and, well, it was against them. 

[Aufc]

Just watched the goal of the season contenders. Every single one either has Easton setting it up or scoring a ridiculous volley. What a player.

[Mr November]

47 minutes ago, Dylan Easton Fanclub said:

Easton, Smith & McCabe’s against Motherwell - purely because he deserves an award this season and, well, it was against them. 

I went for McCabe's free kick too. There's better team goals in there but there wasn't a goal I enjoyed more than that one and it was a great goal too. We've come to somewhat expect good goals since then but that one was completely unexpected. In a normal season we'd still be going on about that game but things have been so good since then it's barely been mentioned. A brilliant night. 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Mr November

[airdrieman]

PotY - McCabe. He's strolled it this season whether in midfield or at centre-half. I think Easton will, deservedly, win it, but McCabe is also so fundamentally important to this team and how we play, recycling and retaining the ball, setting up our attacks and organising the team. I'm not sure we'd be anywhere near as good as we are without McCabe in the side. As said though, I think Easton will win it and you could also make arguments for Fordyce, Frizell and Smith and I don't think anyone would complain. 

YPotY - Scott McGill. My personal interpretation of Young Player of the Year is always to vote for a player who's broken into the team that season or who is making their first appearances in first team football. Of those players then I don't think anyone has made a bigger or better impression than Scott McGill (Paterson hasn't played enough IMO) and Callum Smith is too long-tenured. McGill's played practically every position on the park and done a solid-impressive job in all of them. Good defensively, breaks the lines well, decent enough on the ball and has scored 5 goals (almost all of them crackers) which is very good for someone who's played full-back or a more deeper role in midfield for the majority of the season. And he scored against Motherwell on his debut. 

Goal of the Season - McCabe v Motherwell. It has to be doesn't it? Has everything you want in a goal - brilliant technique and finish, the element of surprise, its importance to the game and derby victory, the scenes after it went in and the emotion and meaning behind it - taking the lead and ultimately comfortably beating Motherwell after not playing them in years. All of the contenders are outstanding goals, but I'll forget them in time. McCabe's free-kick v Motherwell (and McGill's goal) will stay with me forever. 

[Diamond1924]

Just watched last seasons play off semi final highlights against cove.

Didn’t even realise that Dean Ritchie played that game. No disrespect to him obviously but if that was our midfield then, then we have a great chance this year. 

[GoalForAirdrie]

8 minutes ago, Diamond1924 said:

Just watched last seasons play off semi final highlights against cove.

Didn’t even realise that Dean Ritchie played that game. No disrespect to him obviously but if that was our midfield then, then we have a great chance this year. 

I’m sure he got subbed on after Paton went off injured. And then got subbed off at half time.

I don’t think I could handle another emotional rollercoaster like that 2nd leg again this year in the playoffs

[Diamond1924]

5 minutes ago, GoalForAirdrie said:

I’m sure he got subbed on after Paton went off injured. And then got subbed off at half time.

I don’t think I could handle another emotional rollercoaster like that 2nd leg again this year in the playoffs

So he did! He was miles off it.

Hopefully have it done and dusted this time next week 

[airdrieman]

1 hour ago, Diamond1924 said:

Just watched last seasons play off semi final highlights against cove.

Didn’t even realise that Dean Ritchie played that game. No disrespect to him obviously but if that was our midfield then, then we have a great chance this year. 

I remember he got rinsed so bad by Fraser Fyvie after coming on as a sub that he he was huckled off and Murray played Ewan O’Reilly at centre mid in both legs of the final. Ewan O’Reilly. Centre mid. In a play-off final. Ewan O’Reilly. 
 

Think our midfields a little stronger this time around

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

Only just dawned on me that while the player of the year awards only including players currently at the club because they’ll be presented after Saturday’s game probably isn’t robbing McInroy of a chance at POTY since he wouldn’t win that based on half a season’s performances, but it may well be robbing him of a goal of the season award for his screamer against Alloa. Definitely among the best from this season imo.

[Chinatoon Bairn]

Someone in our thread mentioning that Murray to us is rumoured to be done, which I doubt to be honest, but any of you lot heard anything?

[thediamonddude]

3 minutes ago, Chinatoon Bairn said:

Someone in our thread mentioning that Murray to us is rumoured to be done, which I doubt to be honest, but any of you lot heard anything?

Posted this on the Falkirk thread as well…

Not sure where the idea that Ian Murray is a done deal is coming from - given the kind of individual he seems to be, I’d imagine he’d have flat out told Falkirk he wouldn’t discuss anything until after the playoffs. 

Not saying they won’t have sounded him out, but that doesn’t mean he’s spoken to them about the role in any detail.

As things stand, he’s got a very good chance of managing a group of his own players, that he’s put together himself and has fostered a great spirit in over years, in the Championship. And, even if we don’t make it through the playoffs, whose to say the board won’t throw everything at it to keep the squad together? 

Ludicrous to suggest this is anywhere near ‘done’.

I’m not saying it won’t happen, because you can never say never in football, but I’d genuinely be stunned if it did and certainly not before the playoffs have taken place.

[Chinatoon Bairn]

Just now, thediamonddude said:

Posted this on the Falkirk thread as well…

 

Not sure where the idea that Ian Murray is a done deal is coming from - given the kind of individual he seems to be, I’d imagine he’d have flat out told Falkirk he wouldn’t discuss anything until after the playoffs. 

Not saying they won’t have sounded him out, but that doesn’t mean he’s spoken to them about the role in any detail.

As things stand, he’s got a very good chance of managing a group of his own players, that he’s put together himself and has fostered a great spirit in over years, in the Championship. And, even if we don’t make it through the playoffs, whose to say the board won’t throw everything at it to keep the squad together? 

Ludicrous to suggest this is anywhere near ‘done’.

I’m not saying it won’t happen, because you can never say never in football, but I’d genuinely be stunned if it did and certainly not before the playoffs have taken place.

Aye just had a read of your post there, cheers though. 

Would strike me as really odd timing regardless of knowing Murray as a person or not. Agree with most of your reasons for him not coming as well.

[thediamonddude]

4 minutes ago, Chinatoon Bairn said:

Aye just had a read of your post there, cheers though. 

Would strike me as really odd timing regardless of knowing Murray as a person or not. Agree with most of your reasons for him not coming as well.

Cheers mate.

Time will tell I guess, but like I say, I’d reckon Falkirk will need to wait at least a couple of weeks yet if they do want to speak with him properly.

I think what’s happened here is that there have been comments on the Falkirk thread about rating Murray or wanting to go for him and then rumours from the club suggesting they are looking at a candidate that still has commitments.

Now that could mean they are looking at Murray, but it could also relate to Hughes, Rice or another manager entirely.

[Diamonds are Forever]

If we don't get promoted I'd fully expect Murray to move. Despite the gap this season, by Saturday tea-time the league table is reset and after the play-offs most of our team will be out of contract. There is no doubt that Falkirk will pay far more and have a much higher budget than us. I fully take the point that they have a lot of deadwood on the books that needs shipped out, but the club, and I'm sure the more realistic fans, now realise that he'd need time to sort it. Partick, Raith, Arbroath and even Ayr for a season have all shown in recent years that if you get some upward momentum out of League 1 it's perfectly possible to then be challenging in the promotion play-offs in following seasons. Obviously we all hope he can do that with us this season, but if not I think Falkirk will seem a better bet for Murray.

Clearly, if we get promoted and he was to move then he's an idiot. It just emphasises how important it is that we get promotion this year.

[Kenny_m]

I'm not sure about this Murray to Falkirk talk. Loads of if's and maybe's.

Doe's anyone know Murray's current contract situation.?

If Falkirk have spoken to him, then poor show by them at a crucial stage for us.

If he spoke to them, then poor show by him.

Irrelevant that us getting promoted or not has any bearing on him going to Falkirk. As always, money talks and Falkirk could probably top our offer even if we do go up.

If we don't get promoted, why would Falkirk want a manager that has failed to take a "biggish" club out of this league for 4 seasons. Remember there was a sizeable proportion of Airdrie fans who wouldn't have batted an eyelid if he'd been bagged last summer

 

[FLDiamond]

15 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

I'm not sure about this Murray to Falkirk talk. Loads of if's and maybe's.

Doe's anyone know Murray's current contract situation.?

If Falkirk have spoken to him, then poor show by them at a crucial stage for us.

If he spoke to them, then poor show by him.

Irrelevant that us getting promoted or not has any bearing on him going to Falkirk. As always, money talks and Falkirk could probably top our offer even if we do go up.

If we don't get promoted, why would Falkirk want a manager that has failed to take a "biggish" club out of this league for 4 seasons. Remember there was a sizeable proportion of Airdrie fans who wouldn't have batted an eyelid if he'd been bagged last summer

 

Still maintain what I said a few days ago on P&B regarding this….

 

if we don’t get promoted, Murray will be off.   If it’s to Falkirk, he’ll take a good chunk of our squad with him.  If we get promoted, he’ll stay.  No way he’ll head back down a league to Falkirk for a bit more money.  He needs to prove himself at a higher level.  
 

only way he stays with us in L1 next year is if the board can get the cash to keep Murray and a vast majority of this squad together for next season.  Minimal changes would be needed, hit the ground running in August.  
 

personally, I think we’ll be a Championship team next season… with Murray leading the charge 

[AJ77]

By reading the match preview this morning IM saying he's not going to risk anything for the playoffs so could be a completely different team than what we're used to. Sensible decision.