Scott becomes a diamond
(Stuart Crowther)

SCOTT BANNERMAN will today take the field for Airdrie as the Lanarkshire club takes its first steps back from the precipice and resume their fight for survival on the pitch as well as off it.

The young midfielder was told by Hibs boss Alex McLeish last week that he could leave if he found a club, and although he found a place on the bench when Hibs faced Dunfermline last week, Bannerman knew he had no future at Easter Road.  Airdrie meanwhile will resume their first division survival campaign at home today to Falkirk, with a team of players who will meet for the first time only a few hours before the kick-off!

New Airdrie boss Ian McCall moved quickly yesterday to sign Bannerman among a crop of players, including former Hibee Eddie May and ex-St Johnstone goalkeeper Alan Ferguson.  Airdrie's troubles however are far from over, as the regime Bannerman will be playing for have only sealed a deal as 'preferred bidder' to the end of the current season, while Airdrie fans continue to back the bid of another former Hibee, Steve Archibald, to take over their club.

Ian Murray - was back in action at East End Park for Scotland U-21's (sns)

And yet another former Hibs man is in the news today, Barry Lavety vowing to fight his way back into football.  'Basher' has been undergoing a special course of fitness training in England and as well as losing over a stone in weight, the illness that threatened to end his career seems to have cleared up, leaving the former U-21 international striker vowing that he will prove everyone wrong and resurrect his career in Scotland.  Lavety feels let down by his first and last club, St Mirren, who refused to pay Hibernian and agreed £60,000 fee for the player, effectively turning their back on Lavety when the extent of his injuries became apparent.  Basher hopes to resume playing this Summer in Iceland before returning to Scotland next season.

Hibees Ian Murray and Tom McManus both came on as substitutes last night in the Under-21 international against Belgium at East End Park.  Unfortunately for the Hibs pair, they could do nothing to prevent the Scots going down 1-0.