I'm Marked Man After Thistle Axe

Jan 20 2008

Airdrie V Kilmarnock Tues, 7.45pm

MARC SMYTH reckons he has the ability to play at a higher level and aims to use the Scottish Cup to prove it.

But the Airdrie United stopper wants to get rid of an unwanted bad-boy reputation he fears could be scaring managers off.

Irishman Smyth was booted out of Partick Thistle following a pre-season bust-up with team-mateAdamStrachan just weeks after he led the club into the First Division.

The 25-year-old was alleged to have thrown a glass at Strachan in retaliation to a string of personal insults and paid the price with hardline former Jags boss Dick Campbell axeing him.

Smyth insists he has no regrets over what happened but admits he would react differently if the same thing happened again.

With that episode now history Smyth wants to climb back up the football ladder starting by helping Airdrie shock Killlie in Tuesday's rearranged cup tie.

He said: "Ability-wise I don't doubt I could make the step up but my only concern is that mud sticks and it's hard to get rid of the bad-boy reputation. "You don't know what people have said to other managers after what happened at Thistle but those who have worked with me know I'm not a bad guy.

"I was skipper of Ayr United, Thistle and I've also been captain of Airdrie this season so managers rate and trust me enough.

"I don't want to dwell on what happened at Firhill, it was a mistake and I paid for it. It was a bit of a nothing incident but I think the gaffer needed to be seen to have done something and me being captain he chose me.

"He might regret that now because it wasn't so long after the incident that Strachan was put out too."

Airdrie gaffer Kenny Black would love to dump Killie - and set up a meeting with SPL champions Celtic in the next round.

And he admitted that would give him the chance of revenge after he was on Airdrie's losing side against the Hoops in the 1995 final.

Black said: "I was driving to England when the draw was made and when it came through on the radio I nearly crashed the car!

"I played in the final when we lost to Celtic and it would be good to get revenge.

"The Killie game will take a monumental effort but if we get through it will give everyone here a huge tie to look forward to."