Fears for Airdrie after lock-out

Steve Archibald addresses the media outside the ground

The future of Airdrieonians Football Club has been left hanging in the balance after their prospective saviour, Steve Archibald, was locked out of the stadium following a dispute over the cost of running the club.

Archibald, who has been effectively managing and financing the First Division outfit since the start of the season, arrived at the ground on Thursday morning to find that the gates were shut and the locks had been changed.

The former Aberdeen, Barcelona, Scotland and Tottenham Hotspur striker has been negotiating a takeover of the club, who went into provisional liquidation in February with debts believed to be around £750,000.

However, on Thursday, he said that his spell in charge looked to be over, with provisional liquidators claiming that he had failed to make a number of payments, although Archibald himself suggested that it was down to his refusal to pay an extra £15,000 being demanded as a deposit against any damage that might be done to the premises during his tenure.

Not paid

In a faxed statement, KPMG insisted that Archibald had been locked out because he had not signed an interim management agreement due to be agreed on Friday, he had not paid a weekly sum of £7500 required towards the running costs, and had not paid the £40,000 deposit.

Archibald said: "They require £40,000 and I'm saying it should be £25,000 - not because I want to say £25,000, but we have got a budget here."

As the day developed, a group of fans went in person to KPMG's offices in Glasgow at five o'clock to settle the oustanding issue of the £15,000. However, the monies owed by Archibald are yet to be paid, and the supporters were given no assurances that their cash would help secure the short-term future of their favourites. Saturday's game at Alloa is also in doubt as Archibald has still to resign 26 of his 30-man playing squad whose monthly contracts have just expired.

In amazing scenes that had an element of stage management about it at the Shyberry Excelsior Stadium, which Archibald wanted to rename New Broomfield, he was met with security staff sent in by KPMG.

Archibald was allowed into the building to collect his belongings, but concerned players and fans were turned away.

Hidden agenda

" I think it could well be over now, because I am not prepared to budge on the extra £15,000 a month," he said.

KPMG claim that they had already reduced this security deposit from £100,000 to £40,000.

Steve Archibald leaves with his personal belongings

Archibald has been the preferred bidder for the club since July, when he said that he expected to be in full control within five weeks once his bid for Airdrie satisfied the shareholders and creditors.

However, although he and director of football Don Mackay have been in charge of the team pending final agreement, negotiations with KPMG have failed to find a resolution and Archibald privately believes that there is a hidden agenda behind the stance of the corporate recovery firm.

It leaves Airdrie facing the prospect of becoming the first Scottish League football club to have gone out of business for 33 years, Third Lanark being the last.

Unsustainable costs

Six weeks before the start of the season, KPMG ordered the club to release 27 players citing "unsustainable costs" and losses running at £10,000 per week as the reason.

Archibald began to re-build the club by utilising his contacts in Spain and players such as former Real Zaragoza stopper Miguel Alfonso, ex-Atletico Madrid defender Mariano Aguilar and right-back Silva, who used to play for Sporting Gijon, arrived at the club.

The Diamonds made an inauspicious start to the First Division campaign until recently, when they moved off the bottom of the table.

Archibald has, however, helped guide the team to the final of the Bell's Challenge Cup, which is to be staged on 19th November against Livingston.