Airdrie hit by transfer embargo over unpaid fee

Airdrie have been banned from signing new players by the Scottish League. The struggling First Division side, left with only one director after four quit recently, haven't been able to stump up the full transfer fee for Stirling Albion star Eddie Forrest, who signed in the summer.

A transfer tribunal ordered Airdrie to pay #30,000 for the player, but so far they have only been able to stump up #7,500. The League have fined the crisis-hit outfit and have put a transfer embargo on them until the remainder of the fee is paid.

It means that under-pressure manager Gary Mackay cannot buy players in his bid to stave off relegation. The League have also told the club they will not be allowed to take players on loan, either.

The club is in dire financial straits and an egm has been called for Thursday.

Airdrie will try to implement a clause in the constitution to allow investors to buy more than 100 shares. The club face ruin if they cannot get a major backer and there is the real possibility of liquidation if there is not a significant cash injection.

o St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour last night hit out at the Scottish League after next weekend's clash with Clydebank was postponed until March.

The postponement came about because Morton and their lodgers, Clydebank, were both scheduled to play at Cappielow on the same day.

Saints had assumed that their game would be put back to the Sunday, but those plans were scuppered when Clydebank were allowed to re-arrange their postponed fixture with Raith Rovers for the following Tuesday.

"Somebody at the League has made a real mess of things," said Gilmour. "The same clash happened in the first quarter of the season and our game was put back to the Sunday. Why they haven't done the same I don't know because we weren't even consulted. It's just stupidity."

Gilmour added: "We've offered Clydebank Friday night this week or even Thursday and I think they're quite keen. It's just a matter of convincing the League."

Meanwhile, St Mirren's plans to bring Love Street up to SPL standards should be rubber-stamped by main funders, sportscotland tomorrow. Gilmour said: "They have to approve our choice of contractor but I don't envisage any problems."

o Rangers' under-18s demolished Manchester United 6-1 in their second group match in the City of Glasgow Under-18 Five-a-Side Tournament in the Kelvin Hall yesterday. Rangers goalkeeper Mark Brown, who made his first-team debut earlier this season, was rarely tested, with United's promising Bojan Djordjic scoring their only goal. Stephen Dobbie got two for Rangers, with Billy Gibson, Kirk Willoughby, Morris Ross and Gary Dewar also on target.

St Mirren came back from 3-2 down at half-time to beat Queen's Park 5-3, while Stephen Crainey was Celtic's top scorer with one in their 2-1 win over Partick Thistle and two in the 4-1 defeat of Clyde. Scotland under-18 cap Gary Caldwell got two for Newcastle in their 6-2 win over Partick Thistle.

RESULTS: City of Glasgow Under-18 Five-a-Side, Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Group 1: Rangers 6 Queen's Park 0, Manchester United 6 St. Mirren 0, Rangers 6 Manchester United 1, St Mirren 5 Queen's Park 3. Group 2: Celtic 2 Partick Thistle 1, Newcastle 8 Clyde 3, Celtic 4 Clyde 1, Newcastle United 6 Partick Thistle 2.

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