Airdrie goalie Roberston still feeling relegation hurt

Jul 8 2009 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

STEPHEN ROBERTSON is hurting from a gaping wound that will only be healed with a title victory.

The Airdrie United goalie might have enjoyed a decent season personally, but when you are part of a team that has suffered the ignominy of the drop at the hands of a part-time team, individual plaudits count for nothing.

When the Diamonds lost 3-2 on aggregate to Ayr United at the end of May in the play-off final, it meant second division football for Robbo and his team-mates next term.

The pain is still acute for the 32-year-old who kept 20 clean sheets last season and is currently preparing for a fifth successive campaign at New Broomfield having first signed in 2005.

He admits winning the championship as quickly as possible is the only way of making up for the disappointment of a second relegation in three years and knows there will be no room for excuses.

“Relegation is still gut-wrenching,” Robertson said. “I would have swapped my awards and winning the ALBA Challenge Cup for staying in the first division.

“It was harder being relegated last season than two years ago. We had it in our own hands against Ayr but couldn’t do the business.

“I still can’t put my finger on what went wrong but it is important we all get together and come back stronger next season.

“We don’t want to be competing in the play-offs again so we will need to bring some better players in to help us try and win the league.”

Robertson, who turned down a move to Republic of Ireland Eircom League side Dundalk in order to stay at Airdrie, is single-minded when it comes to next season’s ultimate goal.

He added: “All kidding aside, we should have this league won by March at the latest. We have to have a belief in our own ability.

“But being expected to win every week is a good pressure to be under as you will always be on your toes whereas last season we were everyone’s favourites to go down.

“We have players here who feel they are too good for the second division but now it is time to go out and prove that.”

Not only did Robbo win the Airdrie fans’ player of the year award, he also secured enough points to clinch the Advertiser player of the year gong, sponsored by the Gillespie Investment Group.

He said: “It is an honour to win this award. To be picking up points every week shows I must have been doing something right.

“But I’d rather be standing watching games like the punters than being heavily involved in them and hopefully that will be the case next season.”