New bid to assume Airdrie control

Airdrie must find players to fulfill Falkirk game

A consortium of Fife businessmen is believed to be preparing a bid to take-over Airdrie Football club with a view to installing former Morton and Clydebank boss Ian McCall as team manager.

The latest move has emerged as the Scottish League gave the club's liquidators one last chance to find a new buyer for the Diamonds

Airdrie liquidator KPMG say they have not been contacted by the Fife consortium and maintain there is only one offer on the table, from former Livingston chairman Bill Hunter.

A renewed bid from Steve Archibald was rejected by the liquidator this afternoon.

Fulfilled

The latest group to join the fray meet tonight in Dunfermline to take their bid forward and have already asked Ian McCall to assemble a team for Tuesday's match with Falkirk.

That fixture must be fulfilled or the Diamonds face expulsion from the football league. This was made clear by the management committee after they agreed to postpone Saturday's match at Livingston.

Airdrie have been told such a request will not be granted again. That means the club's future must be secured by Tuesday, when they are due to play Falkirk, or they will be thrown out..

SFL secretary Peter Donald said: "This is the last occasion that the league management committee is prepared to grant such a request.

"Airdrie have a game with Falkirk on Tuesday and it would be our hope that they would be able to field a team at that time.

"Failure to do so would have serious repercussions. The club's league status would be in jeopardy."

Pulled the plug

Meanwhile this afternoon KPMG threw out the latest bid from Steve Archibald, claiming it was not even as good as the first one he had made.

Archibald took over the running of the club last summer but KPMG pulled the plug on his preferred bidder status last month amid claims he was behind on payments.

Archibald: latest bid rejected

KPMG explained why they had rejected the latest Archibald bid.

A spokesman said: "The various important issues which were advised to Mr Archibald on February 14 have not been resolved.

"The joint interim liquidators can advise that, when compared to his previously proposed offer, it represents a substantial reduction both in value and in its terms."

Former Livingston and Morton director Bill Hunter has also declared his interest but the KPMG spokesman said detailed proposals were still awaited.