Airdrieonians FC are today delighted to announce the promotion of Kevin McBride to First Team Coach.

Kevin moved on to the Diamonds’ coaching staff last season when injury curtailed him from playing and excelled in his role as Head Coach of the successful Under-20s side.

Now the 34-year-old former Celtic, Motherwell, Hibs, Falkirk and Dundee midfielder graduates from the Academy to top team duties as Head Coach Eddie Wolecki Black recovers from the major stroke he suffered during the 3-1 win at Cowdenbeath on March 5.

Eddie is set for a staged return to work throughout next season and Kevin said: “I’m thrilled to be given the chance to get the chance to work alongside Eddie and Donald Jennow for the Club’s return to full-time football.

“I have seen a lot in 17 years in full-time football, last season was my first campaign part-time, yet you couldn’t write a script for what happened to Eddie.

“It rocked the Club but he is battling back with such determination now. I see my job as building a bridge through pre-season and the months to come until he returns full-time.” 

Kevin will now oversee the start of pre-season training at our new training complex at Ravenscraig on Monday June 6 alongside fellow first team coach Donald who has given up his career in banking to also move full-time with the Club.

Donald said: “Eddie, Kevin and myself have already worked through and laid out the pre-season schedule for the players and it’s great that we now have the structure in place for Day One.

“Kevin’s got a vast knowledge of the Scottish football scene and the players within it and that will be invaluable to us.” 

The Diamonds face a hectic summer as they bid to secure current players and recruit new ones for the return to full-time football.

And chairman Tom Wotherspoon said: “The first thought uppermost in my mind at all times with this is Eddie’s recovery so he is home safe with his pregnant wife Emma with the baby due in the first week of June.

“We needed the right structure so he can be comfortable with a staged return at the correct time and pace.

“Going full-time on a strict budget means we will have a big emphasis on our Academy talent. Kevin has done a great job there in developing the players and we feel that can be mirrored now at first team level.”