Breuken Crossbaurs
Feb 11, 2020 21:46:59 GMT
Post by CC on Feb 11, 2020 21:46:59 GMT
Here's one from the archives. It's Ayr United v Airdrieonians at Somerset Park, 27 April 2002.
This was the last game, or rather half game, ever played by the original Airdrieonians FC. The club was about to go bust because of unpaid debts, including to Bill Barr, owner of the company that built their new Excelsior Stadium. Mr Barr was also chairman of Ayr, which is why Airdrie followers turned their anger on him although there were many people to blame for the club's demise and all Bill Barr was after was a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. The match was abandoned, Airdrieonians were dissolved on 1 May and we all know what happened next regarding Gretna, Clydebank and Airdrie United.
Airdrieonians and Gretna's histories have a couple of things in common. Not only did they both go bankrupt after the death of an eccentric benefactor but they were also two of the Scottish clubs that have played in European competition without winning. In 1993 the Diamonds lost in the Cup Final to Rangers but entered the Cup Winners' Cup because Rangers had also won the League. They were not disgraced; meeting Sparta Prague and losing 3-1 on aggregate. Gretna also qualified after losing the Cup Final, were placed in the UEFA Cup in 2006 but were not allowed to play their home leg at Raydale Park. They met Derry City at Motherwell instead and suffered a 5-1 hammering, a 2-2 draw in the second leg putting Derry into the next round by an aggregate score of 7-3.
Airdrie's fans demolished the Somerset Park goals in anger. Here's some Hibbies doing the same thing at Hampden in 2016, but in celebration.
This was the last game, or rather half game, ever played by the original Airdrieonians FC. The club was about to go bust because of unpaid debts, including to Bill Barr, owner of the company that built their new Excelsior Stadium. Mr Barr was also chairman of Ayr, which is why Airdrie followers turned their anger on him although there were many people to blame for the club's demise and all Bill Barr was after was a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. The match was abandoned, Airdrieonians were dissolved on 1 May and we all know what happened next regarding Gretna, Clydebank and Airdrie United.
Airdrieonians and Gretna's histories have a couple of things in common. Not only did they both go bankrupt after the death of an eccentric benefactor but they were also two of the Scottish clubs that have played in European competition without winning. In 1993 the Diamonds lost in the Cup Final to Rangers but entered the Cup Winners' Cup because Rangers had also won the League. They were not disgraced; meeting Sparta Prague and losing 3-1 on aggregate. Gretna also qualified after losing the Cup Final, were placed in the UEFA Cup in 2006 but were not allowed to play their home leg at Raydale Park. They met Derry City at Motherwell instead and suffered a 5-1 hammering, a 2-2 draw in the second leg putting Derry into the next round by an aggregate score of 7-3.
Airdrie's fans demolished the Somerset Park goals in anger. Here's some Hibbies doing the same thing at Hampden in 2016, but in celebration.