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Airdrieonians

Excelsior Stadium

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Capacity: 10,171 (all seated)
Club Nickname: Diamonds
Year Opened: 1998
Pitch Size: 115 x 75 yards
Address: Craigneuk Avenue, Airdrie, ML6 8QZ
Phone: 07710 230775
Pitch Type: Artificial 3G
Undersoil Heating: No
Home Kit: White, Red & Black
Last Update: December 13, 2025

The modern ground is certainly an excellent one and the facilities available are not bad. However, the atmosphere generated within the ground can be quite lacking at times. For most games the ground is only a quarter full and just a couple of stands (and for some games only one stand) are open. It would be great to return to this ground to see a game in front of a full house, as that would then do it justice.

Away fans are normally located in the East Stand at one side of the pitch. Dependant on away numbers, you may find only the portion of the West Stand allocated (this stand is shared with home supporters) or just the East Stand, or both. In the event that the Club were to draw one of the Old Firm sides, then the Club would give their maximum allocation of away seats (6,500), comprising all the stadium apart from the West Stand.

There is a supporters bar at the ground, within the Jack Dalziel Stand. Otherwise as John McCleod informs me; ‘the nearest pub is the Albert Bar on Clark Street, which is a good ten minutes walk away from the Excelsior Stadium’.

By Car

Leave the M8 at Junction 6, the Newhouse Junction and take the A73 towards Cumbernauld. After two miles turn right into Petersburn Road (B8058) and you will see the ground over on the left. There is a fair sized car park at the ground, which costs £2. Away fans have their own entrance to the car park, which is signposted on approaching the ground. Chris Cobb adds ‘allow extra time for your journey as the access roads around Airdrie do tend to get quite clogged up’.

By Train

The closest railway station to the ground is Drumgelloch which is just over a mile away, whilst Airdrie station is a around 1.5.miles away. Both stations are served by Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh.

As you come out of the main entrance at Airdrie station, turn left along Broomknoll Street, proceeding under the railway bridge. At the roundabout turn right and go along the A89. At the next roundabout turn left, still proceeding along the A89 and then at the next roundabout turn right onto Graham Street (still the A89). After around half a mile you will reach another roundabout which is the junction with the A73, turn right onto the A73 Carlisle Road and the ground is down this road on the left.

From Drumgelloch station, proceed up to the top of the station car park and exit in the top left corner. A minor road leads to Forrest Street. Turn left and go straight along Forrest Street until you reach another roundabout which is the junction with the A73. Turn left onto the A73 Carlisle Road and the ground is down this road on the left.

Adults £17
Over 65’s £9
Under 16’s £4

Official Programme £2.

The Excelsior Stadium was first opened in 1998 by the original Airdrieonians FC, who were returning to Airdrie four years after departing from their previous ground, Broomfield Park.

The stadium was named Excelsior in honour of Airdrieonians FC originally being named Excelsior FC in 1878.

Following the liquidation of the original Airdrieonians FC in 2002, the Excelsior Stadium swiftly became home to the new Airdrie United FC – who were subsequently permitted to revive the Airdrieonians name.

Record Attendance

For an Airdrieonians Match:
9,044 v Glasgow Rangers League One, 23rd August 2013

For The Stadium:
St Mirren v Hamilton Academical
9,612, Challenge Cup Final, 5th November 2005

Average Attendance
2018-2019: 764 (League One)
2018-2019: 643 (League One)
2017-2018: 768 (League One)

Airdrieonians’ rivals are largely due to their geographical location, with matches contested against any of Albion Rovers, Hamilton Academical, Motherwell, East Kilbride, Cumbernauld Colts and Caledonian Braves being seen as a Lanarkshire derby.

Official Web Sites:
www.airdriefc.com
Excelsior Stadium

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, then please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.

Ground Layout

Ground Layout of Airdrieonians

Reviews

Avatar of Andy Carruthers (Falkirk) Andy Carruthers (Falkirk)

Airdrie v Falkirk
Scottish League One
Saturday 28th December 2019, 3pm
Andy Carruthers (Falkirk)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Excelsior Stadium?
 
I have never been to Airdrie. I've always liked the strip for some strange reason plus it always good to follow the Bairns away from home.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
An easy trip up the M6 from Wigan. We should have driven straight to the ground really as there were plenty of parking spaces but ended up getting a taxi from our hotel.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
We stayed at the Mondo Hotel in Airdrie so we had a few shandies before our taxi came. 
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of the away end then other sides of the Excelsior Stadium?
 
I was quite impressed to be honest. A great set up, with a 4G pitch and all-seated stands all around the ground. Sadly the home support only gets around 700 at a push or just shy of that. As always the Falkirk fans filled the away end which was facing the Main Stand. Behind the stands behind the goal were empty, which is sad really considering Airdrie have a chance to go up this season.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
To be honest I enjoyed the game. It ended 1-1 but we had near misses incidents by both teams. It could have gone either way and a draw was probably a fair result in the end. It was a top of the league table clash so I suppose it was always going to be a close affair.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
We ended up in the supporters lounge. It was very pleasant and had a few rum and cokes to warm up before getting a lift back to the hotel.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
A great away day. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. A great club and I enjoyed a great reception by all at Airdrie. Sadly we didn't come away with all three points but onwards and upwards.
Avatar of Tony Smith (Neutral) Tony Smith (Neutral)

Airdrieonians v East Fife
Scottish League 1
Saturday 17th November 2018, 3pm
Tony Smith (Doing the 134 + 24)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Excelsior Stadium?
 
This trip was arranged hurriedly when international call-ups belatedly ruled out my original fixture. The earliest possible Sunday rail return time gave it priority over remaining teams/grounds in my ‘42’ quest. I have actually visited this stadium before in Sept 2000 when it still had grass and 2,022 attended. Then, it was still virtually new but with the occupiers shortly to implode financially. A sort of franchise of Clydebank subsequently created Airdrie United who latterly have formally re-adopted the Airdrie/Airdrieonians identity. 
 
The reopening of an Edinburgh to Glasgow railway via Bathgate simplified my journey plans but the demise of an 18:30 Edinburgh southbound train no longer allowed me to do the trip in one day.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
The ground was a 15 minute walk from my Bed & Breakfast with a downhill view of the (Main) West Stand now adorned with huge PENNY CARS and CROSSFIT AIRDRIE signage. An adjacent yard rammed full of barrels reminded me I was thirsty and hungry, but the turnstiles were closed.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
I went into the Club Shop/Ticket Office in search of a programme (32 pages £2). Having replied to the query “where are you from?” a friendly chat culminated with me exiting with eight other unsolicited complementary Airdrieonians publications. Perusing these much later determined an unchanging programme size and that there is a very active fund-raising Supporters Trust. I was greatly amused by the descriptions of towns of their opponents by Alan Porteus in the three copies of their fanzine OTL. Such irreverence would however not perhaps be appropriate here, for my own review of them! 
 
I was told the gates would not open until perhaps 2:30pm so I first entered the Presidents Suite for a pint of Tennents (£3:40). Framed shirts of Maradona, Pele, Giggs etc adorned the walls but only myself and a few away fans watched the historic 90’s Airdrieonians DVD playing on a tv screen. Cup final and European competition featured plus I think Justin Fashanu. By coincidence, the similarly sad demise of Hughie Gallacher perhaps their greatest ever player was profiled in one of the programmes given me. My plastic bag containing these was checked before entering the stadium (£16). All of them!
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Excelsior Stadium?
 
After climbing the stairs the spacious concourse featured a stall for worthy local cause the Moira Anderson Foundation and there were signs about ’kit aid’. I bought a Diamond steak mince pie (£2:10) rather than other offerings including Pot Noodles (£2). It was hot/okay but wish I’d seen the piece of paper advertising Potato & Leek pasties for £1:70 first. The toilets were reasonably clean but clearly ageing but my biggest shock was yet to come. Only the West Stand was in use and just blocks T & V in the East Stand were potentially available when presumably catering for larger crowds/segregation. Every other seat lay protected under black sheeting thus also aiding auto-return of stray balls. I hope this was not the case when Elton John played the stadium in 2017 as the club need any possible income stream.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
Just prior to the teams entering the dulcet tones of Roy Orbison rang out with OTL (Only the Lonely) and the title of the as yet unread fanzines became clear. With a crowd of just 818, I certainly had plenty of choice of where to sit! I didn’t notice if the away fans were grouped together or if the Executive Boxes had good patronage. Neither team wore named shirts although visitors East Fife had squad numbering. Their all black kit contrasting with all white excepting the ‘red-neck-diamond’. The latter at two nil down to the better team were given a torrid time by some critics near me but a corner and penalty restored parity after an hour. An immediate away substitution and the other two shortly after falling behind on 72 mins proved ineffective and the home side ran out 4-2 winners. Only at this stage did I notice any appreciable noise from the fans although a bust of tannoy music signals each home goal. 
 
The result was much to the disbelief but a relief of many sat near me plus debate in the toilets afterwards. The weather was distinctly chilly and I had fancied the soup (£1:50) at half time but there was none so I had a PG tips cuppa (£1:70) instead and returned to see there were majorettes/cheerleaders on the pitch.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
There is no defined pathway across the car parking but egress was safe enough apart from a broken bottle on a pavement beyond the pedestrian crossing over the nearby main road.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
On Sunday morning I bought a newspaper from Morrisons located on the site of the club’s original Broomfield ground Although entirely different circumstance apply, I am pleased to see neither current stadium nor team have yet suffered the fate of say Darlington and Rushden & Diamonds. Indeed, as once used for the stadium, the club original name Excelsior apparently means “onwards and upwards”. I sincerely hope so as the stalwarts I saw in the Club shop etc deserve better. It would be remiss of me not to add that even Wetherspoons have abandoned the town.
Avatar of John Boynton (Neutral) John Boynton (Neutral)

Airdrieonians v East Fife
Scottish League 1
Saturday 17th November 2018, 3pm
John Boynton (Neutral)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Excelsior Stadium?
 
The international weekend is a good opportunity to visit a new ground and as there were no reviews on this website for Airdrie it seemed like an ideal opportunity to visit.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
I travelled by train from Northumberland via Edinburgh which was pretty straightforward. Airdrie is less than an hour from Edinburgh. As I had time to kill I used Airdrie station rather than the one closest to the ground. This allowed me to spend time in the town centre and then walk the half hour or so to the ground later. There was a fair bit of parking around the stadium and from my experience, it looked like most fans drove to the game rather than walked.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
I wandered around town to see what it was like. It was a nice enough if functional town centre. Unfortunately like most towns now the High Street looked as though it had seen better days. I had a walk out of the west end of town which was very pleasant and led to a couple of nice small parks where I sat for a while in the sunshine to plan the rest of my day. Back in town, I went to the Cellar Bar for a pint and a bag of crisps. It was small but a good pleasant choice. When I went up to the ground everyone was really friendly and happy to chat; from the guy in the club shop, to the lady security guard to the fans sat beside me.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Excelsior Stadium?
 
This is a very nice stadium. Not old and traditional but with a bit more character than very modern grounds. It is way too big for the size of crowd they currently get so consequently three sides were closed for this fixture.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
The game itself was not always full of quality but was packed with excitement as Airdrie came from 2-0 down to win 4-2. The atmosphere did make me smile. In the first half the only noise from the crowd was single random comments shouted out from various parts of the stand. Initially, these were berating the home team and letting them know how useless they were when they were 2-0 down. Strangely though by the time the score got to 4-2 the atmosphere had completely changed and the home fans had actually been moved so much that as one they started singing the teams name loud and proud. Sing when you're winning definitely came to mind! The facilities were pretty good. The Scotch pies were good. Two pies and a warming coffee came to just over £5. Compare that to £4 for just a cup of coke at Wembley and you can see you're getting value for money here. A shout out to the gents toilets in the stand as well as they are bigger and much more spacious than many grounds I've been to. A little hot water on a freezing cold day would not have gone amiss however!
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
Getting away was fine. It was a little slow for cars but as a pedestrian, it was a quiet, lonely walk back to the town centre for me.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
It was a great day. Airdrie is a nice trip. All the people I met were lovely. The choice of train stations is good and if you have time to kill then Airdrie station seems the best choice. The weather was sunny but very cold and ideal for a trip away to watch football in Scotland. The Excelsior Stadium is very decent and so was the match. Overall I'd recommend anyone to make the visit and hopefully, have as great a day as I did.