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FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE.


By Stomp Admin
January 31 2016

Euphoria is a sadly alien emotion for the modern Airdrie fan. Since winning the league it has not revisited the Excelsior, leaving instead despair and apathy to whistle around the near empty, draughty stands. Ironically, one of the last times the club was gripped by a sense of euphoria was at East End Park, during the Roy of the Rovers inspired 4-3 cup win over a team at that time playing in the Premier League. We were very much underdogs that day, as we were the other Friday when a hardy band of fans braved Gertrude to watch us go head to head against the run away league leaders. Two hours later we left, soaked and hoarse, having witnessed a backs to the wall victory that catapulted the diamonds right back into the play-off mix. But, more importantly, our chairman had announced on television that the club will be going full time next year, regardless of the outcome of this campaign.

On the couple of occasions I’ve met Tom Wotherspoon, and at his pre- season Q&A, I’ve found him refreshingly unpretentious and have never had any call to question his integrity or motivation. He has shared a consistent vision with us fans which, while some continue to question its viability, cannot be something any true fan would balk at. 
A community club, working in the town as a force for good. A team playing attractive football at a higher level, fuelled by a conveyor belt of talent from a successful youth academy. What’s not to like?
But let’s not kid ourselves that our chairman is a naive, well meaning, Samaritan. He is a successful businessman, who has earned his fortune fighting against the headwind of the deepest recession in memory. People like Wotherspoon have focus and take decisions, however unpalatable they may be to some, to support what they want to do.
Calls for the chairman to put his hands in his pockets to shore up Bollan’s waning interest reminded me of something he said to a bunch of fans while stood on the terraces watching a pitiful defeat: “You can’t keep making the same mistakes and hope for a different outcome.” Spending money on journeymen eking out another season before they hang up the boots is unlikely to ever be his style. He has, however, now committed to taking Airdrie on a different journey - one no other club in Scotland is embarking on.
We need to remain patient, a trait most football fans are not blessed with. While there will be some quick wins, as there will be debacles, the course set will not alter.
After the Dunfermline game I drove back over the Forth Bridge, buffeted by hurricane force winds. As I watched the horizontal sleet there was no sense of forboding. I glanced to my right at the brave, ambitious new structure emerging for the icy waters and instead I felt euphoric.

"The above is an editorial for the next edition of Only the Lonely."

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FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE.
Discussion started by The Stomp (IP Logged), 31/01/2016 22:32
The Stomp
The Stomp
31/01/2016 22:32
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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cowboy
cowboy
01/02/2016 21:09
sums up my feelings too. We seem to be a club moving in the right direction with an owner who has clear values about how a club like ours should be organised in the current era of football. good luck to him and I'm on board

airdrieonians
airdrieonians
01/02/2016 22:01
as good as it can be in the circumstances, although i am not quite in a fever as yet.
a decent vibe and some good words..... now hopefully some positive action.

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