Fans give new boss rough ride

Ian McCall hopes to sign players to play on Saturday

Ian McCall has been warned that he could be left with egg on his face as manager of the consortium poised to buy Airdrieonians Football Club.

An egg thrown by an irate fan just missed the former Bradford City, Dunfermline Athletic and Rangers player when he addressed a volatile meeting of 600 supporters at Airdrie Town Hall on Thursday evening.

Fans called for McCall and the Fife consortium led by Jim Innes to walk away as they would prefer Steve Archibald to take over once more.

Les Jones of Diamonds Direct Action told BBC Scotland that they had been unimpressed by the quality of players promised by prospective manager McCall.

No support

A management deal similar to that granted to Archibald earlier in the season was agreed shortly after the fans meeting had broken up.

Interim liquidators KPMG have agreed in principle to sell the club to the consortium, who have been represented by Glasgow accountants French and Duncan.

Steve Archibald appears to have left for good

That would appear to have ended the hopes of former Barcelona and Scotland star Archibald, who had put forward an improved bid of his own.

But the fans who attended the meeting say they want nothing to do with the Innes consortium.

Jones said: ''We told Ian McCall in no uncertain terms that there's no support for him or Innes.

''In footballing terms, the players McCall is talking about signing are nowhere near as good as the ones Steve Archibald brought to the club.

''In business terms, there's no way the fans can accept what we've been told their plans are.''

BBC Scotland understands that these proposals would involve the stadium being leased from the building firm owned by Airdrie's major creditor, Ayr United chairman Bill Barr, for a period of five years.

After that period, the club's owners might try to buy the stadium.

Firmly behind Archibald

''There's no way Airdrie supporters would accept the involvement of Bill Barr in the club in any way, shape or form," said Jones.

"They still stand firmly behind Steve Archibald's bid.''

Archibald had managed the club from the start of the season until last month, when KPMG withdrew from the agreement saying that they did not believe he had the money to buy the club.

Former Clydebank and Morton manager McCall will now start the process of signing players in time for Saturday's match against Falkirk.