Season 2024/25 gets underway on Tuesday evening, and Dylan MacDonald is excited for a Diamonds debut against the side he left just a couple of months ago.

East Kilbride are the opponents in Airdrie’s Premier Sports Cup Group A opener at the Albert Bartlett Stadium, and the Lowland League Champions travel across Lanarkshire with two points on the board already, having beaten Dumbarton on penalties following Saturday’s 1-1 draw.

Defender MacDonald made the move from K-Park to Airdrie in June, and after his first pre-season as a Diamonds player, he’s looking forward to the hustle-bustle of the impending season.

“It’ll be good to get back playing. We’ve not been playing a lot, we’ve only had a couple of games.

“Once it starts getting back into competitive action it’s games week in and week out. I’m buzzing to get back!”

MacDonald’s signing came the day after the Premier Sports Cup draw was made, and the 20-year-old is looking forward to a quick reunion with his former team-mates and manager Mick Kennedy – and he knows what to expect from the Kilby.

“It’ll be good to see a few old faces, including the manager himself, and to play against them.

“Obviously I’d been there for two years – they’ll try to go for us. They’ll hunt us down, that’s what they did when I was there anyway.

“They’ll try to score at every opportunity they can, and counter us.”

Airdrie notched up a 100% record in last year’s group stage, with wins over Dumbarton, Dundee, Inverness CT and Bonnyrigg Rose making the Diamonds the only side in the country to emerge with a perfect points haul.

Dylan sees no reason not to aim for similar results this time round.

“We go and do the same again. Try to win it.

“Everyone’s the same, just buzzing to get going now. The game on Tuesday gets it underway, and hopefully we can win the group comfortably!”

Manager Rhys McCabe expects to have a clean bill of health for the opening tie, with the hard work of pre-season paying off.

“In terms of fitness, the lads are looking sharper and sharper each session, so we’re really looking forward to the competitive games starting, and our first game against East Kilbride.

“They’ll be a good solid test. I watched a few games last year because Dylan had been there, and they try to play a style very similar to ourselves.

“They like to play the ball on the ground, and I know Mick has instilled that in them with his coaching staff. It should be an entertaining game, and it’s one that we’re looking forward to.”

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