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Airdrie's Greatest Right Midfielder - Alan Lawrence

11th March 2016

This week's poll determined the right midfield slot in Airdrie's Greatest XI, and with 53% of the overall vote, you have named ALAN LAWRENCE as the man awarded the number 7 shirt.

 

 

 

 

ALAN LAWRENCE
1989-1995 / 1996-1997
Alan started his career with Meadowbank Thistle in 1984 before joining Dundee in 1987. Airdrie Manager Gordon McQueen signed Lawrence in 1989 shortly after watching him score a hat trick against Airdrie whilst on loan back at Meadowbank Thistle. He made his debut on the 1st of April, scoring once against Queen of the South in a 3-0 victory.

The aptly nicknamed "Nipper" soon established himself in the first team, and the fans quickly took to him due to his ability and willingness to run at defences with great pace. In his second season with the club he formed an impressive frontline with Owen Coyle and Graham Harvey. It was this goalscoring trio which went a long way to the club gaining promotion in the following season, with Alan scoring 13 league goals and setting up many for his team mates.

The next two seasons saw Airdrie competing in the Premier League and Nipper was to be the thorn in many of the countries top defences, with top international defenders failing to cope with not only his pace but his quick thinking and inteligent playmaking. Lawrence scored a total of seven league goals in the 1991-92 season including one in each of the first three league games. After playing a further two seasons in the First Division, Lawrence secured a move back to the Premier League at Hearts.

Alan returned to Airdrieonians for one final season in 1996/97 with the club missing out on Promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs. After spells at Partick, Stenhousemuir, Cowdenbeath and Arbroath, Nipper would once again return to Airdrie in a coaching role. In total he made over 200 appearances for the Diamonds scoring 52 goals. During his time at the club he played in two Scottish Cup Finals, two League Cup Semi-Finals, won the B&Q Cup and represented the club in the European Cup Winners Cup and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2003.

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