Airdrieonians
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| Full name | Airdrieonians Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Diamonds |
| Founded | 2002 (As Airdrie United) |
| Ground |
Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire |
| Capacity | 10,101 |
| Chairman | Jim Ballantyne |
| Head Coach | Mark Wilson |
| League | Scottish League One |
| 2016–17 | Scottish League One, 3rd |
| Website | Club home page |
Airdrieonians Football Club are a Scottish professional football team based in Airdrie who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and play in the SPFL Scottish League One. They were formed in 2002 as Airdrie United Football Club following the liquidation of the original club. The club's official name was changed in 2013 with the approval of the SFA to the traditional name of Airdrieonians. As with the earlier team of the same name, this is often colloquially shortened to simply "Airdrie".
The club have won two trophies in their short history – the Scottish Second Division in 2003–04 and the Challenge Cup in 2008–09. Once described as "the luckiest team in the Scottish League", the club have benefited in league division placements (due to other club's misfortunes) on three occasions (2008, 2009 and 2012).
The club was formed in 2002 as Airdrie United, following the bankruptcy of the original 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). Accountant 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 reincarnation 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 United.
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