Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Airdrie must not
MARK PIRIE
Airdrie Challenge Cup winner Marc Smyth reckons Bohemians will shock some fans with their quality this weekend.
The League of Ireland side travel to the Penny Cars Stadium for the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup clash.
Smyth scored the deciding penalty in the 2008 Challenge Cup final for the fourtime winners – known as the Alba Cup at that time – over Ross County to shoot his way into Diamonds history. However, it’s changed days for both the competition, which now includes clubs from across Britain, and 36-year-old Smyth, who is head of youth development at Northern Irish side Cliftonville.
He believes that the quality of football in Ireland will surprise a few Scots this weekend.
The ex-defender told the Advertiser: “The one thing I would say about the football in the Irish League is that it’s a good standard. You have teams like Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers who are playing at a good standard.
“So Bohemians are going to be playing in a strong league.
“For the Northern Irish teams as well, they have produced good players like Liam Boyce (Burton) and Gavin Whyte (Cardiff) so it’s a good standard.
“They maybe have that bit stronger league in Ireland just now, so I don’t think Airdrie will have an easy time of it.”
Having suffered relegation and enjoyed promotion during his time in the Diamonds, he admits his medal from that day at McDiarmid Park holds a special place in his cabinet.
The former Partick Thistle, Morton and Ayr man also talked up the work of former gaffer Kenny Black and the impact it had on his career.
The retired defender continued: “I’m at the point where I start to look back on my career, and that is a really fond memory. To score a cup winner in the final for a club I really liked, with fans I really liked, and good people at the club was great.
“You don’t get to play in too many cup finals never mind score the winner so I am proud of it. Being at Airdrie was a really, really great time for me
“I really enjoyed my time at the club and I think I’ve learned a lot from when I was at Airdrie under the likes of Kenny