EXCELSIOR STADIUM
Home Of: Ardrieonians Ground Opened: 1998
Previous Ground: Broomfield Park
Other Uses: Pop Concerts
Venue #106
NEAREST TRAIN STATION
The closest railway station to the ground is Drumgelloch which is just over a mile away, whilst Airdrie station is around 1.5.miles away. Both stations are served by Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh.
As you come out of the main entrance at Airdrie station, turn left along Broomknoll Street, proceeding under the railway bridge. At the roundabout turn right and go along the A89. At the next roundabout turn left, still proceeding along the A89 and then at the next roundabout turn right onto Graham Street (still the A89). After around half a mile you will reach another roundabout which is the junction with the A73, turn right onto the A73 Carlisle Road and the ground is down this road on the left.
From Drumgelloch station, proceed up to the top of the station car park and exit in the top left corner. A minor road leads to Forrest Street. Turn left and go straight along Forrest Street until you reach another roundabout which is the junction with the A73. Turn left onto the A73 Carlisle Road and the ground is down this road on the left.
EXCELSIOR STADIUM The Excelsior Stadium is a smart looking all seated ground comprising four separate, single tiered, covered stands. The Jack Dalziel Stand (named after a former Airdrieonians Chairman) at one side of the pitch, is the largest of the four stands. Impressive looking, it has a row of executive boxes running across the back. The other three stands, North, East and South are of an equal height which gives the ground a balanced look. The corners of the ground are open apart from the tall floodlights. The Club plays on an artificial 3G pitch. Away fans are normally located in the East Stand at one side of the pitch. Dependant on away numbers, you may find only the portion of the West Stand allocated (this stand is shared with home supporters) or just the East Stand, or both. In the event that the Club were to draw one of the Old Firm sides, then the Club would give their maximum allocation of away seats (6,500), comprising all the stadium apart from the West Stand.
GROUND LAYOUT
A JACK DALZIEL STAND
B EAST STAND
C NORTH STAND
D SOUTH STAND
Today's Visitors RAITH ROVERS are currently second in the league one table 6 points adrift of leaders Ayr with a game in hand. It's been a two horse race in this division right from the start with Ayr slightly pulling clear from their rivals from Fife but it's safe to say that either one of these two teams could get the automatic promotion spot.
In the last 11 games here at the Excelsior Airdrieonians narrowly have the edge with 4 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats. The last game here before the 2-2 draw in December between these two was exactly 5 years ago yesterday, (23rd of March 2013), and the honours went the way of Rovers winning 2-1, Jamie Bain opening the scoring for the Diamonds in the 7th minute with the equaliser coming just before half time through Greg Spence, substitute Grant Anderson hit the winner for Rovers 12 minutes from time. It was a Scottish Championship game played in front of a crowd of 554.
Rovers a team in the same league as Airdrieonians but what a difference between the grounds. Cliftonhill is a tumble-down wreck of a ground which hasn't seen a lick of paint in a hundred years let alone anything else but the Excelsior Stadium is a fairly new build and a fine looking ground, pity that there's only the main stand open on match days for I bet it would look even more spectacular with a descent crowd inside it.
Airdrieonians came into this game looking for a victory but they really ought to take a look at their first half performance to see what the spectators saw which was a group of players that seemed as though they only met for the first time half a hour ago and the goalie was dragged from the crowd as a last thought. They were a shambles and made Raith look good from the start, after a few missed chances Rovers finally capitalised on Airdrie's lack of confidence with a strike from Lewis Vaughan in the 8th minute.
Twelve minutes later and it was 2-0 to Rovers a Willis Furtado cross was met by the head of Jason Thomson who looped the ball over Airdrie keeper William Muir to send Raith fans into raptures.
Don't know what what Barry Smith did to his team at half time must have sent a few rockets up their rectums as we hadn't even settled in our seats when Airdrie reduced the deficit, a cross from Ryan Conroy was headed home from just outside the six yard box by the Diamonds man of the match Scott Stewart and so all of a sudden out of nowhere there was a game on.
Today's Visitors RAITH ROVERS are currently second in the league one table 6 points adrift of leaders Ayr with a game in hand. It's been a two horse race in this division right from the start with Ayr slightly pulling clear from their rivals from Fife but it's safe to say that either one of these two teams could get the automatic promotion spot.
In the last 11 games here at the Excelsior Airdrieonians narrowly have the edge with 4 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats. The last game here before the 2-2 draw in December between these two was exactly 5 years ago yesterday, (23rd of March 2013), and the honours went the way of Rovers winning 2-1, Jamie Bain opening the scoring for the Diamonds in the 7th minute with the equaliser coming just before half time through Greg Spence, substitute Grant Anderson hit the winner for Rovers 12 minutes from time. It was a Scottish Championship game played in front of a crowd of 554.
AIRDRIEONIANS ... 1 RAITH ROVERS ... 2
Just last week I was up the road from here at Cliftonhill home of Albion
Airdrieonians came into this game looking for a victory but they really ought to take a look at their first half performance to see what the spectators saw which was a group of players that seemed as though they only met for the first time half a hour ago and the goalie was dragged from the crowd as a last thought. They were a shambles and made Raith look good from the start, after a few missed chances Rovers finally capitalised on Airdrie's lack of confidence with a strike from Lewis Vaughan in the 8th minute.
Twelve minutes later and it was 2-0 to Rovers a Willis Furtado cross was met by the head of Jason Thomson who looped the ball over Airdrie keeper William Muir to send Raith fans into raptures.
Although the scoreline stayed the same till half time Raith should have really buried the game in the first half, lots of chances went begging with Airdrieonians struggling to make any head way in the Rovers half of the pitch. For a team with the nickname "The Diamonds" nothing could be further from the truth for they had no shine, no cutting edge and more like a paste stone in a copper ring than a jewel in the crown.
Don't know what what Barry Smith did to his team at half time must have sent a few rockets up their rectums as we hadn't even settled in our seats when Airdrie reduced the deficit, a cross from Ryan Conroy was headed home from just outside the six yard box by the Diamonds man of the match Scott Stewart and so all of a sudden out of nowhere there was a game on.
Airdrieonians did well in the second half looked as though a different team had taken to the pitch but the damage was done in the first half, they huffed and puffed but couldn't seem to blow a hole in the Raith defence or back of net. Frustration got the better of them at the end when Luke Watt paid for his part in a string of bookings in the first half and got sent off for a second yellow card in the final minute of extra time.
Rovers held on for a victory to keep the pressure on leaders Ayr who won 4-0 at home to Queen's Park.
MATCH DETAILS
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