There is a chance Sandy will have some new faces in place for the visit of Stranraer as the deadline for signings is only a fortnight away and there are by my reckoning four players still to arrive. We know the young goalie Cherry and veteran Paul Harvey have been on trial, and it's strongly rumoured that former Oxford, Stranraer, Clydebank and Albion Rovers defender Neil McGowan will be joining from his current team in Iceland, as well as a decent striker whose identity I don't know and would be guessing to identify at this stage, so things can and will improve soon. If there are no signings in time for the Stranraer visit I'd be expecting Paul Armstrong to play a key role with presumably Sandy coming back into the team. I fully expected Sandy to take a back seat on Tuesday, whether he was injured or not, just to have a more distant view of the strengths and weaknesses of the team. I'm looking for Armstrong to come into a holding role in midfield for this one. If not maybe Harvey will be handed a chance to prove himself worthy of a contract. Darren Miller is another possibility but I'd expect Sandy to stick to experience.

Stranraer have pulled off a bit of a surprise already by signing John Hillcoat, the goalie Jerome injured at Paisley last season, to replace last weeks fall guy and former Airdrie keeper, Willie McCulloch. Read the Stranraer report on Hillcoat's signing. McCulloch copped the flak for their defeat at Cowdenbeath last week and looks set to be dropped for his would be 'homecoming' game.

All in all it hasn't been too bad a start for the new club. Results have been a bit mixed, but considering the circumstances they've been heartening and the displays encouraging. It will be a difficult season but we've got a potentially excellent manager and some decent players at the club. Armstrong, Wilson, McGuire and McVey look good enough to be in a better league than this, and there are a few others I'm sure can play at a higher level. I'm sure if Sandy had a similar budget to that 'enjoyed' by Ian McCall last season we'd be walking this league. I haven't watched Airdrie outside either the Premier of Division One and don't want to see us linger too long. As long a we fans stay positive and don't fall away we'll rise out of this league soon enough. Give Sandy your backing on Saturday and hopefully results will turn for the better again.

Finally a word of congratulations to big Les on his appointment to the Commercial Dept. He put in a power of work and emotion into the fight for the past two years and fully deserves his rewards. Good luck big man!