The Diamonds need to become mean machine

Jun 17 2009 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

THEY were known as the ‘Beastie Boys’.

Airdrieonians’ class of 1995 feared no-one under Alex McDonald and readily accepted any challenge thrust in their direction.

It was a no-nonsense attitude that saw the club achieve far more than their talents should have enabled them to, with the cherry on the cake being their Scottish Cup Final date with Celtic at Hampden Park.

Kenny Black, now Airdrie United gaffer, was part of a hard-working team who played with passion, pride and a steely determination.

They also had a certain quality Diamonds midfielder Scott McLaughlin believes should be brought out of cold storage - nastiness.

The 25-year-old, who has signed on at New Broomfield for another year, says he and his team-mates need to develop a mean streak as they prepare for a shot at the second division championship.

McLaughlin isn’t suggesting Airdrie go out and become a bunch of hatchet men.

But he thinks adopting a more streetwise attitude will be essential if the Diamonds are to handle the rigours of life in Scottish football’s third tier.

He told the Advertiser: “We know it is not going to be easy next season but we should be looking to go to some of these places and win.

“These teams will be fired up and might see us as a bit of a scalp.

“I think we will need to be a bit more streetwise next season and maybe develop a little bit of nastiness in us.

“I am not saying we should go out and kick teams off the park, but we have to learn how to kill teams off.

“We definitely need to have a good start to the season and I don’t have a problem with what is expected of us. We have to win the title and nothing else will be good enough.”

McLaughlin’s decision to stay has given Diamonds fans a real boost and the ex-Livingston and Morton man felt he owed it to the club to snub approaches from elsewhere.

He added: “I had a long chat with the gaffer and I am delighted to be staying here.

“There were offers from teams in England and Ireland but I felt I owed it to the gaffer and the club to stay and help Airdrie back into the first division.

“I had been playing as a holding midfielder but when I came here, the gaffer gave me the freedom to get forward which is what I was looking for.

“There is a good feeling at this club, there are a lot of good people here and the fans are absolutely fantastic towards us.

“My dad, John, goes home and away and sits in among the Airdrie supporters who have been great with me and he says they are an honest bunch.”

The fixtures for the 2009-10 season are released today and McLaughlin feels the Diamonds can steal a march on their rivals by retaining most of last term’s squad.

He said: “It will be important for us to keep a lo t of the players who were here last season as that will give us a bit of continuity and that can only be good for us.”