A Reply From Airdrie

"A few weeks ago, Shane was kind enough to post an article which made reference to a conversation I had with him. Its time to come clean and admit that I am the Airdrie supporter who had vowed never to watch another "live" football match after the demise of my beloved team.

In light of recent events, you may be interested to know how an ordinary Airdrie supporter now views the world.

Jim Ballantyne, a long-time Airdrie supporter andrelatively successful businessman, formulated a plan to take a concept team known as Airdrie United into the 3rd division of Scottish football. Alas, his plan was thwarted by the superior knowledge of the Chairmen of the SFA member clubs, who with glorious wisdom and aforethought, decided instead that the mighty Gretna FC would be a more gracious addition to the lower reaches of Scottish football.

Who could argue with their decision? Gretna after all have an average gate of 100 supporters, play in the English Unibond league, and have even contested the FA cup. Home to Gretna is a ramshackle stadium that needs £50,000 of work just to bring it up to 3rd division standard. The now defunct Airdrieonians could only point to 2000 supporters, 124 years of history, and 2 Scottish cup final appearances in the 1990’s. Home was a brand new 10,000 all-seater stadium, with facilities unrivalled outside of the Premier League.

Not to be outdone, Mr. Ballantyne formulated another cunning plan, he would launch a bid for 2nd division Clydebank FC, who, like Airdrie, were beset with their own financial difficulties, and had been for around 4 years. Clydebanks administrator was happy to receive the bid on behalf of Airdrie United, and after a short but acrimonious battle, Jim Ballantyne returned senior league football to the town of Airdrie.

Come the new season, it will seem like we had never been away. Of course, we will be playing in Division 2, instead of Division 1. So it will feel as though we were relegated last season, instead of being league runners-up.

And heres a quiz question for the future, which Scottish team in 2002 defended a trophy they had never won? Airdrie United of course, as our first cup competition will be the Bells Challenge Cup, which Airdrieonians had won in the previous two years.

So how do I feel, as a lifelong Airdrie supporter? Ecstatic, angry, embarassed, guilty even?

Ecstatic, no doubt, as I have been given my football team back, albeit under a new guise.

Angry, of course, at the way the Chairmen of the other clubs dismissed a proud 124 year history.

Embarassed at the thought that after all those years the present day supporters of Airdrieonians couldn’t do enough to prevent our club being liquidated. I include myself among that number. How many of us could put our hands on our hearts and say we did all we could to save Airdrie? Damn few!

Guilty? Yes, guilty at my happiness that my own club has had to kill off another in order to be reborn. There’s something fundamentally wrong about that, no matter how much you dress it up. Supporters of Clydebank FC are now going through the very same emotions that Airdrie supporters have gone through over the last 3 months. The only difference for Clydebank is that there is no easy way back. Another famous name in Scottish football now lies dead in the water alongside the names of Airdrieonians FC and Third Lanark FC.

That gives me no pleasure at all, and I wonder if we will see it happen again shortly.

Take it from me Swans supporters, you dont want to have to go through these tribulations if there is any possible way of avoiding them. Support your team through good times and bad, attend whenever you possibly can, and by your efforts you will ensure that Swansea will always have a football team to be proud of. Your football team is as important to your community as my football team was, and will be again, to me.Never lose sight of that, and if ever you feel like giving up after a bad run of results, just remember how bad it would feel to no longer have the choice of supporting your favourites.

Good luck for the season that lies ahead."