Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Title hurt fears
Possible hangover for Airdrie as Raith crowned
Airdrie favourite Jérôme Vareille reckons there could be a title bid hangover for the Diamonds after Raith were confirmed as League One champions.
Last week New Broomfield chiefs released a statement claiming they “do not accept the league has been won”, after their Kirkcaldy rivals were crowned as the SPFL’s crisis plan to cancel the remaining fixtures passed.
However, the club stated it accepts “a pragmatic conclusion had to be arrived at due to the unprecedented circumstances” with several contracts ending in June.
It means that Airdrie and Falkirk were beaten to glory by less than 0.2 points per game.
Having helped to claim the Diamonds’ last league title with the Second Division win back in 2004, Vareille admits he would have been gutted if he was in the current dressing room.
While the retired forward backs the governing bodies call to axe the remaining fixtures, he believes it could have a lasting impact.
The 45-year-old said: “When you are five points and two games off the top of the league and it just suddenly stops like that and you lose it; I’d be very disappointed.
“There was no real right decision and I don’t think any football is going to be played for a while, and if they did try to bring this league back it would be behind closed doors after the summer I imagine.
“You can’t please everyone, but as a player trying to keep fit wouldn’t have worked and you couldn’t have worked on any technical points. At this stage of the season you would need that. They made the right decision.
“The hardest part for the players next season will be thinking ‘ we could have won League One’, but you have to try and move forward.
“On a positive side Airdrie might think we are only five points off and why can’t we go and do it next year?”
Hearts supremo Ann Budge and Les Gray of Hamilton Accies are now spearheading the SPFL reconstruction group with Airdrie director Paul Hetherington a part of the 15-member initiative from all levels of the Scottish game.
Vareille says the Diamonds have what it takes to compete at a higher level in whatever form it takes if they find “consistency.”
He added: “When we were playing we would win one, draw one, but we went on a run where we felt like we could beat everyone.”