A very illustrious group!

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Compare the defences Coyle, Clark, McCabe and Macdonald were up against to what "Giggsy" is up against!

Its like saying Rangers have surpassed the achievements of Man U and Real Madrid because they have won more league titles than either of they 2.

He's only in his first full season as a 'Professional footballer' like it or not he's done well for us.

Only time will tell if he will reach the heights of Bolton & Westham that Owen Coyle and Sandy Clark got to.

But that's not the problem he faces to make him an Airdrie legend, his bigger problem is that it's no longer fashionable to support the club, even amongst our own fans.

So 20 league goals and 7 cup goals, I think, means nothing.

Ffs! we are where we are, no fault of Ryans. only Airdrie fans could pick holes in something positive. The boys done good, get behind him or don't comment. No hes not coyle or McCabe, so what?

I don't hate him and I still support the club. I just do't like some of the hysteria about him. I think he plays as if he believes his own hype at times and he seriously needs to work on his basic technique.

Dave McCabe. On his day, the fastest thing known to mankind.
Now superseded by the neutrino.

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Spitzy
Dave McCabe. On his day, the fastest thing known to mankind.
Now superseded by the neutrino.

is his son playing for rangers?

watched McCabe quite a lot ,was very fast but no better player than Ryan.only my opinion.

The only advantage Dave had over Donnelly was speed. I have to say that I think the people who criticise Donnelly are out of order. To score that amount of goals at such a young age is good no matter what division. I don't know whether he'll make it but he deserves credit for this season.

I actually think his touch and awareness are pretty good, obviously as is his finishing. 20+ goals is an excellent return for someone in their first full pro season. Only thing that will maybe hinder him is he hasn't got that turn of pace.

If Dave McCade had the finishing of Donelly, or any of the others mentioned above he would have been sold for an awful lot of money because the amount of one on ones he missed and balls put into Fine Fare car park was incredilble.

Still loved him but touch was terrible.

<> Well done to Ryan - we would be well and truly knackered in this league this year without his goals. Mind you, Boyle & Lovering have chipped in too this season.

At least Boyle & Ballantyne had the foresight to recognise his talent and get him on a contract. When he (sadly) inevitably moves on at least we should get some £££ for him. And he has created an interest from bigger clubs so far. <>

I think time is clouding a lot of Airdrie fans judgement and they forget that as the divisions are bigger most of what makes up the 2nd division were in the 1st.

Take Owen Coyle's 20 in 90-91. I think Killie were the only team in the top half of the division he scored against. Most his goals came against Meadowbank, Forfar, Clyde, Brechin, Clydebank....etc.

If you look at the Airdrieonians results archive site you see its a similar story with McCabe & Clark. Most their goals came against the likes of Forfar, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Arbroath, Clydebank, Meadowbank, Berwick Rangers....etc.

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Tory Boy
I think time is clouding a lot of Airdrie fans judgement and they forget that as the divisions are bigger most of what makes up the 2nd division were in the 1st.
Take Owen Coyle's 20 in 90-91. I think Killie were the only team in the top half of the division he scored against. Most his goals came against Meadowbank, Forfar, Clyde, Brechin, Clydebank....etc.

If you look at the Airdrieonians results archive site you see its a similar story with McCabe & Clark. Most their goals came against the likes of Forfar, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Arbroath, Clydebank, Meadowbank, Berwick Rangers....etc.

But would you not say the standard of footballer/football was better then though?

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RatOot
Compare the defences Coyle, Clark, McCabe and Macdonald were up against to what "Giggsy" is up against!
Its like saying Rangers have surpassed the achievements of Man U and Real Madrid because they have won more league titles than either of they 2.

Compare who Coyle had supplying him and partnering him? Smith, Lawrence, Harvey etc. Sandy Clark will tell you himself Willie McGuire made a lot for him. Ryan had Willie Mc/ Phil/ Keast/ Holmes......need I say more??

I would also say that the modern day game is more defensive than it was 10/ 20 years ago so you could say its harder to score 20+ goals now. Just look at the sides in Scotland and tell me how many have 20+ strikers in their ranks.

Terrific achievement and if anyone saw his movement for the 2nd goal on Saturday then you'll know he has something a wee bit different. And did he not score a few against an top 6 SPL side??

Time will tell. I thought Gow and Alex Neil would have carved out better careers than they did, so I may be wrong. I ust don't see Donnelly going on to have half the career Coyle or Clark did.

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AirdrieLad1977

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Tory Boy
I think time is clouding a lot of Airdrie fans judgement and they forget that as the divisions are bigger most of what makes up the 2nd division were in the 1st.
Take Owen Coyle's 20 in 90-91. I think Killie were the only team in the top half of the division he scored against. Most his goals came against Meadowbank, Forfar, Clyde, Brechin, Clydebank....etc.

If you look at the Airdrieonians results archive site you see its a similar story with McCabe & Clark. Most their goals came against the likes of Forfar, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Arbroath, Clydebank, Meadowbank, Berwick Rangers....etc.

But would you not say the standard of footballer/football was better then though?

Absolutely not! And for proof, just watch "The Big Match Revisited" on ITV4 (?) where they show games from the 80's. The football's a heck of a lot slower and not nearly as technical as it is now. It was MUCH more enjoyable though!

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AirdrieLad1977

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Tory Boy
I think time is clouding a lot of Airdrie fans judgement and they forget that as the divisions are bigger most of what makes up the 2nd division were in the 1st.
Take Owen Coyle's 20 in 90-91. I think Killie were the only team in the top half of the division he scored against. Most his goals came against Meadowbank, Forfar, Clyde, Brechin, Clydebank....etc.

If you look at the Airdrieonians results archive site you see its a similar story with McCabe & Clark. Most their goals came against the likes of Forfar, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Arbroath, Clydebank, Meadowbank, Berwick Rangers....etc.

But would you not say the standard of footballer/football was better then though?

Not really. It was more exciting going to games as teams actually went out to win and but the standard wasn't as good.

Nobody know's if Ryan will or will not make it to a higher level but you can't take away from his achievement, especially when you consider how poor we've been for large parts of this season and deserves all the plaudits going his way.

In 1990/91 Coyle scored 17 goals in the first 7 games, and then broke his leg. He came back near the end of the season to add 3 more.

[quote Tory Boy][quote AirdrieLad1977][quote Tory Boy]I think time is clouding a lot of Airdrie fans judgement and they forget that as the divisions are bigger most of what makes up the 2nd division were in the 1st.

Take Owen Coyle's 20 in 90-91. I think Killie were the only team in the top half of the division he scored against. Most his goals came against Meadowbank, Forfar, Clyde, Brechin, Clydebank....etc.

If you look at the Airdrieonians results archive site you see its a similar story with McCabe & Clark. Most their goals came against the likes of Forfar, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion, Arbroath, Clydebank, Meadowbank, Berwick Rangers....etc.[/quote]

But would you not say the standard of footballer/football was better then though?[/quote]


Not really. It was more exciting going to games as teams actually went out to win and but the standard wasn't as good.

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I would disagree, I imagine the team of 90/91 would wipe the floor with the current airdrie team. How many Stevie Gray's/Evan Balfours etc would you say are in our current team?

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I would disagree, I imagine the team of 90/91 would wipe the floor with the current airdrie team. How many Stevie Gray's/Evan Balfours etc would you say are in our current team?

I don't think anyone would argue with that but in the last 30 years seasons 80 thru 82 and 91 thru 93 are the exceptions rather than the rules.

Maybe putting the current team up against the 1983 -84 team that had Johnny Flood as the top goal scorer with 11 goals who finished 10th in the old 1st division (a 14 team league) would be a fairer comparison.

I think in my lifetime there are maybe five squads of players who stand out:
1. The Busby/Jarvie + 1975 Cup Squad.
2. Jimmy Bone's squad of the eary nineties.
3. Alex Macdonald's team of 92 thro' to to '96
4. Steve Archibald's "Spanish" type team of 2002/3
5. The Owen Coyle led squad that established Airdrie United.
All different eras,training regimes ,part /full time.But all gave good entertainment and a wee bit of success.My favourite "football players" have been Jarvie,Goodwin,Mcguire,Willie Mcculloch,Tommy Walker,Flood, Fairlie,Innes McdonalD,Gray, Cooper,G. Harvey ,Coyle,Calderon,Fernandez,Sanjuan,Mclaren,Cardle,Mckay-Steven,and of the present team Bain,Mcdonald,and Stevenson.
I guess what I would say is you can't really say a team from one era would beat a team from another,given the different finances etc.

Can't believe the negativity on here. We have no money and so we have to put our hopes in the youth players. Last year we uncover Tony Watt, a 16 year old who managed to hold his own playing up front as a loan striker in the second and against Killie in the league cup was turning SPL defenders. £100K received.

This year a young guy appears has banged in all sorts of goals against everyone who we have played against (including Dundee United) and what do, snipe away at a very impressive achievement.

We should be very thankful for these players. If Ryan moves in the summer hopefully we will get the cash that we need to make the club viable for another couple of seasons.

Unless we manage to find someone daft enough to throw his money away on the club, following Airdrie going to have to be about sticking with a part time team made up of youngsters and those who we can afford to persuade to join us. This season has been very trying but we have hit a wee bit of form just in time to make it interesting. Massive game tomorrow. Get yourselves along to Ochilview and support the team.