Airdrie welcome Queen’s Park to the Albert Bartlett Stadium for the first match since last week’s managerial departure, but Lewis McGrattan insists the squad have only one focus – three points.

The Diamonds are without a manager since Rhys McCabe vacated the position a week ago, with assistant manager Aaron Taylor-Sinclair leading the team for Saturday’s match, assisted by coaches David Hutton and Bryan Prunty.

While McCabe’s departure was unexpected by many, midfielder McGrattan says it has to be a case of “business as usual” for Airdrie with the William Hill Championship fixture against the Spiders on the horizon.

“It was obviously disappointing to hear that Rhys was leaving, but he has his own reasons and whatever, and it’s happened.

“It’s part of football. All we can do is keep working hard and focus on the game ahead.

“We can’t worry about things like that, we just need to train well this week. We’ll be prepared by Sinky, Hutts and Prunty to go ahead this weekend and hopefully get a good result.”

In a typically young Airdrieonians team, McGrattan finds himself in the unusual position of being among the more experienced players at the grand old age of 24 – and the former Morton man is happy to offer his support to the younger squad members.

“It’s the first time a lot of the boys have seen this happen, so all you can do is let them know that everything’s going to be fine and that we’re there if anybody needs any help. We’ll all stick together and we’ll be fine.

“It’s done now and whatever happens happens, so all we can focus on is the training and the match on Saturday, and that’s what we’re doing.”

That brings the visit of Queen’s Park, who saw their own fair share of turmoil over the summer.

In the Spiders dug-out is former Diamonds captain Sean Crighton, who was appointed head coach in May after assisting caretaker manager Steven MacLean at the tail end of last season.

Having come through the youth system at Cappielow while Crighton was the head of Morton’s academy, McGrattan is looking forward to locking horns with his former mentor – but says there will be no love lost as he aims to help Airdrie to their first win of the league season.

“It’ll be a tough game, they’ve got a lot of new players. I know their manager Sean really well, so I’d imagine he’ll have them really well drilled.

“We know what to expect, but we’re looking for our win as well and hopefully we can do that.”

And despite a Premier Sports Cup exit and a managerial resignation, Lewis is happy with the early signs in what promises to be an interesting season at Airdrie.

“The end to the cup was really disappointing, but the first three games were really good. It was just that Alloa result that dampened everything.

“Obviously we had a really positive first game of the season against one of the favourites for the league, and then the Dunfermline game was disappointing.

“We’re not worrying about that, we’re in a good place and we’ll keep working hard.”

Aaron Taylor-Sinclair is in interim charge for Saturday’s match alongside David Hutton and Bryan Prunty. The Diamonds assistant manager is looking for a reaction from the squad after a disappointing loss at East End Park.

“It’s just about focusing on this game and bouncing back from the defeat at Dunfermline. We’ve had a lot of time to think about what we’ve done, positives and negatives, and sort that out for the game on Saturday.

“Sean and Jim have gone in there to try and put their own stamp on it, so in terms of their playing style it is slightly different from last season – but we just have to adapt to that and try to overcome it.”

Taylor-Sinclair is hopeful that midfielders Alex King and Gavin Gallagher will be fit to return to the squad after missing the Dunfermline match. Cammy Bruce and Aaron Reid continue to miss out – as does Lewis Strapp, though the defender is nearing a return to full training.

Referee Matthew MacDermid oversaw home draws with Morton (2-2 in December) and Livingston (3-3 in March) last season, as well as the 2-1 home play-off victory against Stenhousemuir in May,

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