Former Scotland international Steve Archibald is to make a £3m bid to save First Division football club Airdrie from financial ruin.

Provisional liquidators were called into the Lanarkshire club this week after mounting debts became too much to handle.

Problems came to a head when it was revealed that Rangers chairman David Murray had arrested the club's share of the gate receipts for Sunday's Scottish Cup tie at Dundee United.

Mr Murray applied for an interdict, on behalf of his company Carnegie, for a debt of around £30,000 owed by Airdrie.

Archibald, who in his heyday played for Aberdeen, Spurs and Barcelona, says that if his rescue bid is successful he will use his contacts in Europe and South America to find new players.

He added: "I see Airdrie as a sound business investment, but I also see it as the ideal opportunity to get the club moving on the football front.

"The Shyberry Stadium is the best outside the Premier and I want to see the team back in the top flight where they belong.

"If I had to put a figure on my investment, solely in terms of finance, it would be around the £3million mark."

"I want to see quality players at Airdrie - and I have a few lined up if my package is accepted."

Provisional liquidator, Blair Nimmo, who is head of KPMG Corporate Recovery in Scotland, said he was delighted Archibald had shown an interest.

"It is probably advisable that we sit down with him some time in the middle of next week and we will discuss what his intentions are," Mr Nimmo said on Friday

But if Archibald is serious about ploughing in cash, the constitution of the club has to be changed so that private investors can take a major role.

Up until now, no Airdrie shareholder has been allowed to own more than 10% of the shares.

An extraordinary general meeting is due to take place on Monday to instigate the change.

Airdrie - lying second bottom in the division - were at the centre of recent takeover speculation amid reports that Motherwell chairman John Boyle wanted to acquire the Diamonds and create a bigger Lanarkshire club.