We are pleased to announce that Rhys McCabe has extended his contract with the club and will lead the Diamonds for a third season.

The player-manager celebrated two years in post yesterday, and we are delighted that he has chosen to continue his spell in the Excelsior hot-seat having enjoyed a series of successes in the role.

Continually lauded in the press as Scotland’s hottest young managerial talent, Rhys’s brand of football has gathered many admirers - and the results on the pitch have backed this up.

With an impressive 48% win rate from his 97 competitive matches in charge, Rhys led the club to promotion in his first season in charge, beating Hamilton Academical in a memorable play-off final to reach the Championship for the first time in a decade.

The club has gone from strength to strength since then, finishing a creditable fourth in the second tier last season before narrowly losing out in the Premiership Play-Off quarter-final.

There was another opportunity for the manager to bring silverware to the club last season, however, and McCabe duly delivered as the Diamonds saw off The New Saints to lift the SPFL Trust Trophy at the Falkirk Stadium in March.

It was the first trophy of the 31-year-old’s impressive playing career, and he has proven as influential on the park as off it during his time at the club.

With his oft-stated hunger for continual improvement, we are thrilled that Rhys will continue in the player-manager role, and look forward to another exciting season under his leadership.

Rhys told airdriefc.com: “I’m absolutely delighted to extend my stay with Airdrie.

“My time at the club has been amazing, and the growth and the steps we have taken have been a real positive.

“I’d like to thank the hierarchy at the club, the players and staff, and most importantly the supporters - for believing in me and getting behind me and my staff since the moment I came to the club.

“I’m delighted to continue on this exciting journey. Next season will be a fresh start again after the positivity of last year, but we don’t want to stop there!

“I look forward to seeing the supporters again very soon - I hope they all have a great break, and we’ll all be ready to go come pre-season.”

Further updates on the staff and playing squad will be provided in due course.