Airdrieonians' hot property goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson has signed a two-year full-time contract extension that will keep him with the Club until May 2018.

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The 18-year-old Diamonds’ no.1 shot to prominence this season when he came in for the suspended Neil Parry and was awarded Man of the Match in the narrow 0-1 Scottish Cup defeat from Premiership Dundee United.

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Rohan was the subject of two transfer bids from the Tannadice club which were rejected and is now delighted to be part of Airdrieonians’ exciting new full-time future at our Ravenscraig training base.

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He told airdriefc.com: “I’m thrilled, full-time football is all I have ever wanted and to get it at Airdrieonians where I have been raised as a player makes it extra-special.

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“I feel I showed in the Dundee United match that I can handle playing at this level and when you get a taste of that you just want more.

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“The Club has a huge game at Ayr United on Saturday and we are all focussed on that but I’d be lying if I didn’t say my mind wanders to June 6 when we start full-time training at Ravenscraig.

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“I can’t wait to get started, this is a great football club and I love being here so to get the deal sorted out is great.”

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The Club’s bold move to full-time football was always going to mean difficulties for some players who have established jobs outside of the game being able to make the switch.

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That is the case with Players’ Player of the Year Neil Parry who at 30 has a career with the tax office and a young family.

Neil has been magnificent this season and a huge help in the development of Rohan who he rates very highly.

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He will move on from the Club this summer with the best wishes of everyone at the Diamonds having established himself in our eyes as League One’s top goalkeeper this season.

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Now Rohan has his target, work hard to emulate the class and consistency levels of the man he will take over from.

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And he said: “I was disappointed when I had to drop back out of the team when Neil came back from suspension earlier in the season but there were never any hard feelings.

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“I love watching the big man play and I have learned so much from him on the training field. He is an absolute gentleman.

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“Now I am just thrilled about the chance of full-time football. It’s great that the gaffer is battling back from his illness and we were all delighted that he was at the game to see us win 3-0 against Dunfermline on Saturday.

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“I know Eddie’s character and the standards he sets, he will drive me on when he comes back. My targets are to work as hard as I can under him to play as many first-team games as possible.”

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Rohan becomes the first Academy graduate from the current crop of future Diamonds to sign his full-time terms and he was keen to give a vote of thanks to everyone who has helped him on his journey.

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He said: “I owe Liam Baillie Snr for bringing me to Airdrie in the first place and fetching me back and forth from Bathgate so many times.

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“I have also had great guidance and a first-rate football education at this Club right from my Academy days under George Hammill.

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“Tony Bullock and Stevie Findlay carried that on and I will always owe a debt to Gary Bollan and his coaching team for the support they gave me.

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“The keepers’ coach then, Stuart Garden who is now at Dundee United, was a massive influence on me and I will always be thankful for the work he did with me.

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“Then this season I have had the current gaffer Eddie Wolecki Black who I know believes in me to build moves from the back and the goalie coach Lindsay Hamilton has been a great support.

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“Our Acting Head Coach Danny Lennon has taken over from Liam running me back and forth from training and I have had some terrific insights from him.

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“It’s great we got someone that lives in Bathgate!

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“Seriously, it’s now my job to repay their faith in me and that’s what I intend to do.”