Ian Murray has thanked the Airdrie board for backing him in his pursuit of Callum Smith final summer time.
And the Diamonds boss reckons the striker is much-improved in comparison with his first spell at New Broomfield in 2019/20.
Smith is on prime kind proper now with 5 objectives in his final 5 video games, together with back-to-back doubles in current wins over Alloa and Falkirk.
But it surely's not simply his goalscoring that has impressed Murray, as he reckons with the 22-year-old as returned to the membership from a season at Hamilton Accies within the Premiership final time period an all-round higher participant.
The transfer virtually did not come to fruition, nevertheless, and Murray is grateful to the Airdrie hierarchy for ensuring it did as they continue to be heading in the right direction for a play-off spot and inside touching distance of League One leaders Cove Rangers.
Murray mentioned: "Callum was one in every of our most underrated gamers when he was right here the primary time. I do know he went by a extremely lengthy spell with out scoring, however I by no means as soon as considered dropping him a few years in the past due to his work charge.
"He went away to a better degree and matured as an individual, matured as a footballer, and now he is making higher selections.
"It takes time to get there. Folks need gamers to come back in and be excellent, do the correct issues instantly.
"After all, you need that however I perceive that it takes guys a little bit of time to get expertise so after I had the chance to signal him once more, I jumped at it.
"I used to be champing on the bit for him in the summertime.
"We thought the deal was lifeless, then it was revitalised and I've to present due to the board for permitting it to occur as a result of we had been in all probability at our restrict by way of gamers at that time.
"However we discovered a wee bit further for Callum and it is paying off."
Smith is the membership's prime scorer having returned 13 objectives in 33 appearances, main strike accomplice Calum Gallagher by three.
The previous Dunfermline star spoke earlier this week about how a lot he's loving life on the Diamonds and now his consideration turns to conserving his scoring run going after they entertain promotion rivals Queen's Park.
Smith mentioned: "We have a number of laborious fixtures arising so we simply want to enter them assured and hopefully I can get extra objectives for the workforce.
"Each recreation on this league is tough. You have to deal with each recreation the identical, even ones in opposition to groups on the backside.
"Groups under us have taken factors off us this season so we have to go into every recreation the identical.
"Queen's Park shall be a tough recreation however we absolutely imagine in ourselves to go and win it."
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