AIRDRIE last night paid tribute to one of their most notable former

players, Paul Jonquin, who died earlier in the day of a brain tumour.

Jonquin, in his fifties, was the longest-serving player in the club's

history, joining them in October, 1961, and playing his final game in

April, 1979.

An fine defender, he played in 708 first-team games including a run of

196 consecutive matches between April 1967 and September, 1971, in the

days before substitutes.

He played during the period when Airdrie had success in the Texaco

Cup, a competition between teams from Scotland and England, and was

right-back in the Airdrie side which won the Spring Cup in 1976. He also

was a member of the Scottish Cup final team defeated by Celtic in 1975.