Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
FULLY FOCUSED
Findlay won’t let imminent takeover distract Diamonds
Diamonds first-team coach Stephen Findlay vowed to keep his focus on the park as the Airdrie- minded consortium edge closer to a deal for the majority stake in the club.
Broomfield hero Bobby Watson and Sir Alex Ferguson’s brother Martin — who are the figureheads for the consortium — met with playing, coaching and medical staff at the Excelsior Stadium last week. Findlay has been granted permission by the current board and consortium to hold talks with players who are coming to the end of their loan deals and short-term contracts — and additionally look to strengthen the squad.
It also has been confirmed that club have axed their deal for Ravenscraig and will move training back to the Excelsior Stadium next month.
At board level, Gillian Ballantyne — director at the Diamonds and wife of chairman Jim — handed over club lottery duties to Excelsior Stadium manager Scott Hetherington. The stadium company are part of the rescue group.
It is also hoped that consortium member Stuart Shields, of BSB Structural, will officially join the board of directors this week.
The team of businessmen hope to complete the deal for Tom Wotherspoon’s shares by the end of the year.
Despite a host of changes, Findlay insists he is only looking at the trials coming up on the park — as they prepare to face league leaders Ayr this weekend.
“The meeting was just about people meeting the players and the players being able to put faces to the stuff behind the scenes,” he told the Advertiser. “I’ll just focus on the football stuff.
“The stuff off the park will take it’s course and I’ll just try to do my job.”
The Diamonds are now three
games unbeaten after a draw with Queen’s Park. Ex-youth coach Findlay hopes they can continue to shock people who wrote them off.
“I would hope it gives us a bit of momentum going into the festive period,” he continued.
“We’ve said over the last few weeks it’s about building momentum and getting these guys to believe in themselves.
“Hampden is a great place to come to — but it’s a tough place to come to.
“At this point, I’ll take any momentum going forward.
“We’ve got to be happy with the point, but not the performance.
“We looked a wee bit flat for periods of the game.
“It’s three undefeated and that’s what we have to try and get that across to the players.
“If we can keep that up we’ll be in a better position than people think.”