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Airdrie United F.C.

Airdrie United Football Club is a Scottish professional football team based in the town of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the First Division following Gretna's relegation to the Third Division.

The club was created in 2002.

The only trophy the new Airdrie have won in their short history came in the 2003/04 season when they were crowned champions of the Scottish Second Division. They reached the Challenge Cup final they same year but were edged out by Inverness Caledonian Thistle. This season remains the most successful the club have experienced.

The current manager is former Airdrieonians player Kenny Black, while the club captain is Paul Lovering.

History

The club was formed in 2002, following the bankruptcy of Airdrieonians. Airdrieonians had finished runners-up in the Scottish First Division in the 2001/02 season but went out of business with debts approaching £3 million. The collapse of "The Diamonds", as they were known due to their distinctive kits, created a vacancy in the Scottish Football League (in the Scottish Third Division) and local Airdrie man and Airdrieonians fan Jim Ballantyne attempted, with the help of others, to gain entry with a club called "Airdrie United" who were essentially to be a re-incarnation of Airdrieonians. Their application, however, was rejected as the then English Northern Premier League side Gretna were preferred by league members over the new Airdrie team. Ballantyne went on to complete a buy-out of the ailing Division Two side Clydebank and, with SFL approval, the club was relocated to Airdrie, the strips were transformed to resemble that of Airdrieonians and the name was changed to Airdrie United.

Airdrie United's first match took place at New Broomfield against Forfar Athletic with captain Stephen Docherty scoring the only goal of the game as the Diamonds won 1-0. This first season in existence saw the club take the form of promotion challengers and only narrowly fail to achieve this aim due to a late injury-time goal from Brechin City which saw them promoted ahead of the Diamonds. Airdrie shocked Premier League outfit Kilmarnock by knocking them out of that seasons C.I.S. Cup on penalties at Rugby Park

United's first, and so far only, trophy came in the 2003-04 season, only the club's second in existence, when they won the Second Division Championship and gained promotion to the First Division. Sandy Stewart's side had started poorly but went on a run that saw them unbeaten in the last 18 games of the season. The final game of this run and of the league campaign saw a crowd of over 5,000 at New Broomfield to watch Airdrie defeat Greenock Morton 2-0 and lift the League Championship trophy, the club having been confirmed champions the previous week following their 1-0 victory away to Alloa at Recreation Park. In the same season, Airdrie United reached the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup, but lost 2-0 to Inverness Caledonian Thistle at McDiarmid Park.

In Airdrie's first season in the Scottish First Division they finished 5th, following this with a 6th place finish in 2005–06 season. Manager, Sandy Stewart was sacked early in 2006–07, after over four years in charge, an was replaced by former Airdrieonians player and Airdrie United coach Kenny Black, his first management post. Under Black the Diamonds finished the season 9th in the league, consigning them to the Scottish First Division Play-Off position. After beating Brechin City in the semi-final, by an aggregate score of 6-1, Aidrie lost the final againast Stirling Albion 5–4 on aggregate, relegating the club for the first time in their short history.

Airdrie started 2007–08 poorly, whilst off the pitch a mystery consortium saved New Broomfield and promised to "safeguard it for the club. The Diamonds' form improved on the park and they finished second in the table behind Ross County, entering them into the promotion playoffs with Clyde, Raith Rovers, and Alloa Athletic. Airdrie beat Raith 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, before losing to their former groundsharing landlords Clyde 3-0 on aggregate, leaving Airdrie in the second division for the 2008-09 season. However, the enforced relegation of Gretna to the third division, following their being put into administration, caused a restructing of the leagues, with Airdrie being promoted by virtue of being the losing play-off finalists.

Stadium

Airdrie United play their home fixtures at New Broomfield, Airdrie, officially known as Excelsior Stadium through a sponsorship deal. The defunct Airdrieonians' previous home was sold to supermarket chain Safeway, who were given permission to build a new store on the site. This transaction has been accused of being the cause of financial ruination of Airdrieonians, as their old ground was demolished several years before the new ground was given planning permission. In the intervening years the club ground-shared Broadwood Stadium, in Cumbernauld, the home of Clyde.

Support

Airdrie United are known for having a small but passionate support which is appreciated by followers of other teams.

Colours

Airdrie United have inherited Airdrieonians' distinctive playing colours of a white top with a red diamond. The design gave rise to Airdrieonians' nickname, The Diamonds, which has also been adopted by Airdrie United.

Club Officials

Chairman: Jim Ballantyne
Directors: Ann Marie Ballantyne, John Ballantyne, Rose Ballantyne,
Honorary President: Ian McMillan
Manager: Kenny Black
Coach/Under 19s Manager: Jimmy Boyle

Current squad

As of 9 August 2008

Managers

Name	Reign	Achievements
Kenny Black	2006-	Scottish Second Division Promotion to Scottish First Division 2007-08
Sandy Stewart	2002 to 2006	Scottish Second Division Champions 2003/04
		Challenge Cup Runners-Up 2003/04

Honours & Records

Honours

Scottish Second Division: 2003/04

General Club Records

Record Type	Record	Additional Information
Most League Points in a Season	70	in Second Division 2002/03
'''Most League Goals by a Player in Season	19, Allan Russell	in Second Division 2007/08
Record Total League Appearances
Record Total League Goals	34, Stephen McKeown
Record Attendance	5,704	-v- Greenock Morton on 15/5/04 in Second Division at New Broomfield
Record Win	7-0	-v- Dundee on 11/03/05 in First Division
Record Loss	1-6	-v- Greenock Morton on 1/11/03 in Second Division

Performance

Scottish Football League

Year	League	Position	Additional Information
2007–08	Second Division	2nd	Promoted to First Division due to demise of Gretna FC
2006–07	First Division	9th	Relegated to Second Division after defeat in Play-Offs
2005–06	First Division	6th
2004–05	First Division	5th
2003–04	Second Division	1st	Promoted to First Division as Champions
2002–03	Second Division	3rd

Scottish Cup

Best performance - 4th Round 2005–06

Scottish League Cup

Best performance - 3rd Round 2002–03

Scottish Challenge Cup

Runners-up 2003–04

Statistics

Average Attendance

Year	Average	Highest
2007/08	981	1,645
2006/07	1,429	2,321
2005/06	1,426
2004/05	2,014	4,133
2003/04	1,861	5,704
2002/03	1,440	2,285

Top League Goalscorers

Year	Player	Goals Scored
2007/08	Allan Russell	19
2006/07	Gary Twigg	10
2005/06	Bryan Prunty	15
2004/05	Owen Coyle	14
2003/04	Owen Coyle & Alan Gow	12
2002/03	Jerome Vareille	18

Awards

Official Club Player of the Year

Year	Senior Player of the Year	Young Player of the Year
2007/08	Allan Russell	Kevin Watt
2006/07	Neil McGowan	Stephen McKenna
2005/06	Bryan Prunty	Steven McDougall
2004/05	Marvyn Wilson	Stephen McKenna
2003/04	David Dunn	Willie McLaren
2002/03	Jerome Vareille	Stephen McKeown

Hall of Fame

Year	Inductees
2006/07	Stephen Docherty, Paul Jack
2005/06	Alex MacDonald, Willie McCulloch, Jimmy Reid
2004/05	Brian McKeown, Lawrie Leslie
2003/04	Steve Cooper, Billy Wilson
2002/03	Antonio Calderon, Alan Lawrence, Jimmy Welch