A mystery consortium has bought Airdrie United's Excelsior Stadium promising to safeguard it for the football club.

The Second Division outfit had been under threat of eviction after Airdrie Stadium Ltd transferred ownership to an offshore bank.

But ownership has now been bought by a group of "Airdrie-friendly" people.

And club chairman Jim Ballantyne said: "The future of the football club has now been protected in such a way that the club has no borrowings."

Airdrie United emerged from the ashes of Airdrieonians, which went into liquidation in 2002.

But the new club have been mere tenants in their stadium.

A full liquidation of the owners, Airdrie Stadium Ltd, would have put our tenancy in great jeopardy

And they took over the day-to-day running when the previous management company also went into liquidation.

"We were effectively running it on behalf of the owners, Airdrie Stadium Ltd, a company controlled from Jersey," Ballantyne explained on the club website.

"Unfortunately, however, Airdrie Stadium Ltd got into financial difficulties at the turn of the year, which resulted in control of ownership transferring to an offshore bank based in the Caribbean.

"This left the club in an exposed position as a full liquidation of the owners, Airdrie Stadium Ltd, would have put our tenancy in great jeopardy.

"As a result, we have been working extremely hard to rectify the position and we have been in detailed complicated legal negotiations for over six months to bring the ownership of the stadium back to Scotland.

"We are happy to confirm that this has now been achieved after we put together a consortium of 'Airdrie friendly' individuals to fund such a move.

"We have set up a separate company, Airdrie FC Stadium and Events Ltd, which will operate the stadium on a day-to-day basis and future profits from that company will be used to subsidise the football club operations.

"The individuals of the consortium wish to remain anonymous and this will be respected by all those involved in the club."

Airdrie stated their intent right from the off as they attacked their hosts with some excellent football. After two minutes Russell slid a through pass to Noble but the Alloa keeper Creer was out quick to gather. A minute later Russell set up Waddell with a chance and his 20-yard effort went wide. Noble and Russell had quickly developed a fine understanding and this continued in 5 minutes when Noble’s head flick on picked out Russell, though the Airdrie striker was muscled out. Wave after wave of Airdrie attack had the Diamonds on top though questioning whether they could grab a breakthrough.7 minutes gone, Lovering’s cross was just too strong for the inrushing Russell. 2 minutes later Noble looked to be running beyond the home defence and in the clear from a McDonald through ball only to be brought down by Buist who was booked. In 15 minutes good play from Darren Smith on the right saw him fouled twice in succession and from the free kick awarded Alloa were able to clear the danger despite the constant pressure being applied. It took the home side 17 minutes for their first attack of note when Agnew’s clipped pass was just too long for Brown inside the penalty area. 19 minutes gone, at last, the breakthrough. Russell picked out Noble inside the box, as he looked to control was barged in the back by Clark. McKeown hammered home from the spot. Airdrie’s interplay at this stage was a joy to watch. Some of their long crossfield passes were precise and always had the home side on the back foot. 3 minutes later Robertson, a spectator most of the match made an excellent save low to his left hand post from a Ferguson 25 yard shot, that looked a goal all the way. It was a crucial save to make. 25 minutes gone and it should have been two. Russell who seemed to link up in every move was picked out by McKeown’s perfect slide rule pass and as Russell homed in on goal hit touch was too strong as the ball ran away to the safety of keeper Creer’s arms. Airdrie’s dominance was of concern to Alloa boss Allan Maitland who made a change in 28 minutes with Mckie replacing Agnew. It failed to stem the tide. On the half hour Lovering’s cross put Noble in for a shot on goal but he put the ball past the far post.1 minute later later though he bagged his first competitive goal for the Diamonds. Russell picked his strike partner out with a peach of a pass, Noble controlled the ball and drilled a shot low past Creer into the net. Darren Smith joined his team-mates in attack as the one way traffic continued. A fine run down the right in 33 minutes ended with a near post cross that Creer gathered in. Once more Alloa looked to change the flow of the game bringing on Forrest for Clark in 35 minutes. Airdrie’s response was to score a third goal. McKeown won the ball on the edge of the area, kept upright when a challenge came just inside the box advanced to goal before delicately clipping the ball over Creer in off the post. Airdrie continued to create further in the closing stages of the first half as Noble fired into the side netting, Lovering blasted a free kick over the top. The full back sent the ball across the front of goal to find no takers and Noble made a fine run in on goal as the interval beckoned only for Creer to come rushing out to boot the ball to safety. Airdrie supporters gave their side a rousing reception as they left the field. The big question after the break was if the match would continue in the same vein.
3 minutes into the second period, McDonald to Russell who turns his man supremely, inside the box and fires high into the net. 3 minutes later Noble chases on to what seems like a lost cause and his pace worries Creer who makes a hash of the clearance. McDonald controls the ball and calmly lifts it over the keeper, one bounce and into the net for number. Still 40 minutes to play, at that stage. McDougall replaced Waddell in 52 minutes and on the hour shows some of what has been missing from his performances this se

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