List of Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) seasons
This is a list of Airdrieonians F.C. seasons in Scottish football, from their foundation in 1878 to their dissolution in 2002. It details the club's achievements in senior league and cup competitions and the top scorers for each season. The list of top scorers also chronicles how the club's scoring records have progressed throughout the club's history.
The original Airdrieonians were formed in 1878 as Excelsior F.C. The club soon became members of the Scottish Football Association and initially began competing in the Scottish Cup and Qualifying Cup, before joining the Scottish Football League in 1895.
The Diamonds won the Scottish Cup in 1923–24, beating Hibernian in the final, and were also runners-up three times, in 1974–75 (losing to Celtic), in 1991–92 (to Rangers) and in 1994–95 (again to Celtic).
They were never champions of the Scottish League but finished second four times in succession between 1923 and 1926 in what was their most successful period.[1] During the 1990s, in addition to the Scottish Cup final appearances (the first of which earned them a place in the 1992–93 European Cup Winners' Cup) they also reached the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup in the same seasons, but lost on penalties both times. Those were two of six occasions where Airdrie reached the penultimate stage of the League Cup, but they never made it to the showpiece match in that competition.
In 1994 the club moved from their Broomfield Park home after 102 years. They spent four seasons as tenants of Clyde at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld. The burden of the construction cost of their new all-seater ground (the Excelsior Stadium) was made worse with the deterioration of their supporter base due to lack of investment in the playing staff and the years playing away from their home town, which placed severe financial strain on the club.[2] Despite managing to remain in the second tier for nine successive seasons and win the lower-division Scottish Challenge Cup two years running,[3] they were dissolved in 2002 due to debt.[4]
Local businessmen subsequently took control of struggling Clydebank, renamed them Airdrie United and relocated the team to Airdrie for 2002–03, changing the playing colours to those of the original Airdrieonians but retaining the league place of Clydebank.[5] In 2013, the new club was allowed to call themselves Airdrieonians F.C. and use a close approximation of the historic entity's badge; however they are not a legal continuation of the 1878 club.[6]
Seasons[edit]
 |
- ^ First season playing home matches at Broomfield Park.
- ^ a b c d League goals only; top scorer in division.[7]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l The Scottish Cup was not held in the 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1917–18 or 1918–19 seasons due to World War I, or the 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1944–45 or 1945–46 seasons due to World War II.[8]
- ^ a b c d e f g The official Scottish Football League was suspended from 1939 to 1946 due to World War II. Unofficial competitions were held.
- ^ The first round tie against Stranraer was rearranged 33 times due to inclement weather during the winter of 1962–63 in the United Kingdom.[11]
- ^ The teams placed 11th–18th were relegated to the new First Division, below a new Premier Division and above a new Second Division.
- ^ Last season playing home matches at Broomfield Park.
- ^ The teams placed 8th–12th were relegated to the Second Division, with a new Third Division below.
- ^ a b c d Home matches played at Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld.
- ^ Lost in a promotion play-off.
- ^ First season playing home matches at Excelsior Stadium.
- ^ The Scottish Challenge Cup was not held in the 1998–99 season.
League performance summary[edit]
The Scottish Football League was founded in 1890 and, other than during seven years of hiatus during World War II,[a] the national top division has been played every season since.[b] The following is a summary of Airdrieonians' divisional status until their dissolution in 2002:
- 105 total eligible seasons
- 60 seasons in top level[c]
- 41 seasons in second level[d]
- 0 seasons in third level[e]
- 0 seasons in fourth level[f]
- 4 seasons not involved – before club was league member
- ^ The incomplete 1939–40 edition has not been counted in the totals.
- ^ The top tier became the Scottish Premier League in 1998, and all four divisions became the Scottish Professional Football League in 2013.
- ^ Has existed between 1890–1939, and since 1946.
- ^ Has existed between 1893–1915, 1921–1939 and since 1946.
- ^ Has existed between 1923–1926, 1946–1949, and since 1976.
- ^ Has existed since 1994.
References[edit]
- ^ "Airdrieonians". Historical football kits. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Airdrie closest yet to closure". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 February 2001. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Airdrie retain Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 October 2001. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "End of the line for Airdrie". The Scotsman. 2 May 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Airdrie buy Bankies". BBC. 9 July 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Airdrie United change name to Airdrieonians following Scottish FA approval". STV News. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Scotland - List of Topscorers". RSSSF. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Scottish Cup - Past Winners". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Victory Cup". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Summer Cup". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Ayr cup switch appeal is rejected". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
- ^ a b c "Drybrough Cup". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
Sources[edit]