Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
SOMETHING TO PROVE Ex-Diamond expects rough ride on return to Airdrie
MARK PIRIE
Former Airdrie defender Kieran MacDonald says he hopes to silence the boo boys on his return to New Broomfield with Raith.
The left-back made the summer switch to Kirkcaldy after three years with the Diamonds, eyeing up a chance with a “big club” after being put on the transfer list by Director of Football Stuart Millar.
The 26-year-old says it was the right time for him to leave the club, but admitted he expected to get stick from the home fans this Saturday.
MacDonald told the Advertiser he doesn’t enjoy playing on the plastic pitch at the Penny Cars Stadium but was still confident of leaving Lanarkshire with three points.
He said: “They are a big club and I wanted that chance to play for them after coming up against them.
“The most important thing for us is to be near the top of the table and getting ourselves out of this division.
“I just wanted to try something different and challenge myself a wee bit more. I enjoyed my time at Airdrie but I’m at the age where I just thought it would be the right time to try something new.
“There were a lot of managers in my time at Airdrie, and a lot of changes in players, even in my last season there. I still enjoyed my last season. I had a chat with Stuart Millar and the gaffer [Ian Murray], and we thought it was best for both that I could get something different to further my career and that is what happened.
“It will be different going back but I still know a few of the players and people behind the scenes and I would like to think that I would get an okay reception but I can’t see it.
“I’m looking forward to going back, but I don’t really like the pitch as much as other pitches I play on so that’s a bit of a downside.”
He went on: “Airdrie is always a difficult game, and when I played for Airdrie we always made it hard for people.
“At Raith we know we are a good team but we need to work on our away form.”