Cove Rangers v Airdrie: Diamonds must meet physical demands of rivals in opener, says John Rankin

Airdrie kick-off their League One campaign this afternoon11:49, 01 Aug 2026Airdrie boss John Rankin says his side must meet the 'physical demands' of rivals Cove Rangers if they are to kick-off the new League One season with a positive result.‌The Diamonds head to Aberdeen this afternoon to start a new reign under Rankin, who took over from Aaron Taylor-Sinclair over the summer, and they face a tricky away trip to face Paul Hartley's side.‌The Monklands men were relegated from the Championship last season and are looking to bounce straight back to the second tier. However, a major rebuilding job has been undertaken at New Broomfield with Rankin basically starting from scratch after a summer exodus.‌There have been 14 new arrivals, including player/assistant boss Declan Gallagher, so time w