Arbroath (Scotland)

Arbroath FC is a football club from the Scottish town of the same name, located on the north east Angus coast and formed on July 1st 1878 following a meeting in the George Hotel on Commerce Street.

The club acquired the site of a former rubbish dump to develop the original Gayfield Park; later known as Lesser Gayfield as their home in 1880 before choosing maroon shirts as regular club colours a couple of years later.

The Scottish Cup tie in the 1885-86 season immortalised the club as it set a record when they defeated Aberdeen side Bon Accord 36-0 at Gayfield with eighteen year old Jocky Petrie helping himself to thirteen goals.

Referee Dave Stormont also chalked off seven goals! The Arbroath side was; Jim Milne Sr, Bill Collie, Tom Salmond, Hen Rennie, Jim Milne Jr, Dyken Bruce, Johnny Tackett, Jim Marshall, David Crawford, Daniel Neil and Petrie. The hapless Bon Accord goalie was Andrew Lornie.

In 1887 goalkeeper Ned Doig became the only Arbroath player to win a full Scotland cap before he became one of several other players to head south to join English and larger Scottish clubs in 1890.

Arbroath became members of the Northern League in 1891; becoming champions in 1892-93 before ‘The Red Lichties’ gained admission to the Scottish Alliance for the 1920-21 season and then Division Two of the Scottish League in 1921-22.

The first game at the new Gayfield Park took place against East Fife at the start of the 1925-26 campaign. A runners-up finish in 1934-35 secured promotion to Division One under long serving manager Bob McGlashan.

The same season saw the sale of George Mutch for £800 to Manchester United. The striker would go on to score the winner in an FA Cup final for Preston North End. The era saw the team finish consistently in mid table of the top flight. However, the club was placed in Division Two following World War Two.

A fine run in 1946-47 took Arbroath all the way to the Scottish Cup semi-finals where they succumbed 2-0 to Aberdeen at Dens Park under new boss Archie Anderson, before the former Aberdeen, Chelsea and Scotland player Alec Cheyne took over in 1949.

Former club captain Chris Anderson became team manager in 1957 before the goals of Dave Easson fired the side to promotion in 1958-59. However, their spell in the top tier lasted just twelve months, despite reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup, going down 3-0 to Third Lanark.

John Prentice was appointed as Arbroath manager in 1960 as Easson was sold before returning a couple of years later after Albert Henderson became manager. Future record appearance holder Tom Cargill made his debut in 1966.

Jimmy Jack and Dennis Bruce fired in the goals as the Lichties won promotion in 1967-68 but the climb once again proved too much, with Arbroath going straight back down.

A further promotion was clinched in 1971-72; with the team remaining in the First Division until the end of the 1974-75 season. The new Premier League was introduced, with Arbroath being placed in the revamped First Division.

After seventeen years at the helm, manager Henderson was sacked and replaced by Ian Stewart in 1980 as the team went down to Division Two; with George Fleming coming in as team supremo two years later. Arbroath finished bottom of the entire Scottish League in 1984-85.

Jimmy Bone arrived as the new manager before moving on to St Mirren a couple of years later and being replaced by John Young. Young was sacked after another bottom finish, to be succeeded for a short spells by Walter Borthwick and then Ian Gibson.

Mike Lawson didn’t last much longer before former Celtic and Scotland legend Danny McGrain arrived at Gayfield. Striker Paul Tosh was sold to Dundee for £120,000 before Arbroath reached the last eight of the Scottish Cup in 1992-93 before losing to Rangers.

Jocky Scott became manager in 1994 when McGrain fell ill, before leaving within a few months with George Mackie taking over. Further reconstruction of the Scottish League was installed for the 1995-96 campaign, with Arbroath joining the fourth level Third Division.

The season would see John Brogan take over as manager from Mackie. A poor set of results saw Tommy Campbell installed as boss within a year before he moved on to be replaced by Dave Baikie in 1996-97.

The former Tayport manager led Arbroath to promotion to the Second Division in 1997-98 before resigning in 2000 with John Brownlie his replacement. A runners-up spot in 2000-01 saw the Lichties reach the First Division.

After two seasons Arbroath went back down to the Second Division with Brownlie being replaced by Stevie Kirk. Harry Cairney had taken over by the time that another relegation was avoided, before the club went back down to the Third Division in 2004-05.

John McGlashan was at the helm in 2005-06 as the team reached the play-offs; going out in the semi-finals to Alloa Athletic. The following season Queen’s Park ended dreams of promotion at the same stage of the play-offs.

However, Arbroath were not to be denied in 2007-08 play-offs. Cowdenbeath and then Stranrear were defeated as the Lichties returned to the third tier. By 2009-10 Jim Weir was in charge of the team. Relegation back to the Third Division occurred following defeat to Forfar Athletic in the play-offs.

Paul Sheerin was appointed as player-manager at the end of the season. Gavin Swankie and Josh Falkingham starred as Arbroath were crowned as Third Division champions in 2010-11.

A runners-up finish the following season saw a play-off place; where the Lichties hopes of promotion were dashed by Dunfermline Athletic. Arbroath went on to take Celtic to a replay in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup in 2012-13.

Allan Moore took over from Sheerin, who took a coaching role at Aberdeen, for the 2014-15 season, before Todd Lumsden was put in charge in 2015-16. He was replaced by Dick Campbell.

The 2016-17 campaign saw Arbroath lift the title of the retitled fourth tier to become champions of Scottish League Two. In 2017-18 Arbroath reached the play offs of the before losing out to Dumbarton.

The goals of Bobby Linn helped the Gayfield side to the League One title in 2018-19 as they returned to the second tier Championship, finishing fifth in 2019-20 when the season ended early owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arbroath FC will play in the Scottish Championship in the 2020-21 season.


My visit

Arbroath 0 Falkirk 0 (Saturday 18^th January 2020) Scottish Cup Round Four (att: 1,733)

Arbroath’s seaside located Gayfield ground is a venue that I saw in pictures as a youngster and always wanted to go to. Several pals had been in the past and said it was a good day out. It was time to find out for myself on a Scottish Cup weekend trip.

I’d been to the borefest of Rangers v Stranraer the previous evening and also had a Tayside double header lined up. Dundee against Motherwell after Arbroath and then Dundee United versus Hibernian on Sunday afternoon.

I’d awoken after thawing out and a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours drinking in Glasgow. I grabbed a roll and coffee at Gregg’s before boarding the 9.08 service to Dundee from Queen’s Street for an enjoyable journey across country.

Arriving on time, I had had a quick decko inside the V&A museum on the waterfront before walking into town and spending a few quid in Primark on new thick socks and a pair of mittens having been caught out with the cold the previous evening.

Some Falkirk fans were on the train as we travelled on the coast towards our destination. It was a cold but bright day, with Carnoustie Golf Links looking an absolute picture. In less than half an hour we arrived into Arbroath.

Before exploring the town centre, I walked the other way and visited the Ogilvy Park home of Junior/non-league side Arbroath Victoria; which can be read about here. Returning to the bus station I then walked down the vibrant streets past Arbroath Abbey towards the harbour.

I could imagine a bustling town in the summer season with plenty of restaurants and fish and chip shops remaining closed on this winter’s day. It was certainly picturesque. I weaved my way round to sit outside The Bellrock to enjoy curry sauce and chips while reflecting on the several links to my visit.

I’d drank in The Bon Accord in Glasgow. Bon Accord from Aberdeen lost 36-0 in the Scottish Cup to Arbroath in 1885. The town was celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath; purported to be one of the most important documents in Scottish history drafted in 1320 by Bernard, Abbot of Arbroath.

There was a further connection. In the Bon Accord I was drinking Brockville Pale from the Tryst Brewery; named in tribute to Falkirk’s former ground. I thought it was interesting stuff anyway!

I’d been recommended the Tutties Neuk for my pre match refreshment by Prorege; a font of all Scottish football knowledge on the Non-League Matters forum. I took a liking to Tennants rather than my usual ale; with only Belhaven Best available on keg.

The pub got very busy; including trade from some rather inebriated visiting Bairns. One of the more sensible ones was impressed with my travels to the game and offered me the instruction to cheer for Falkirk and to "Love life and f**k Fife". It was a new one on me!

Over the road I paid £15 entry and then headed straight to the tea hut on the recommendation of my tipster. He was bang on about the culinary delights of the steak and black pudding pie, though the Bovril was weak having been made from a cube that refused to dissolve rather than granules.

A fellow Twitter pal Gordon Anderson had noticed my attendance and met up as we reminisced about cricket in Bangkok as well as local cricket and happy days in the hot Thai sun. That was certainly a stark contrast to the conditions on the Angus coast.

Gayfield had lots of terracing and cover on all four sides. The enclosure on the sea wall side offered a bit of shelter from the wind, though the camera gantry cut down on a clear view of all the pitch. The mittens had definitely been a useful purchase.

I struggled to keep my composure when I looked up and saw the club mascot. I did like the clever play on words of "Smokey Joe" and accepted that Arbroath smokies are part of the the town's proud heritage, but it just didn't look right. It certainly gave me and my Facebook friends a giggle. Fair play to Joe for giving me a wave!

Falkirk were cheered on by a decent following on a rare occasion that saw the Red Lichties in a higher division. Incidentally. Gordon told me the hosts nickname came from the red lanterns that guided the old fishing boats into the harbour when they were the towns primary form of employment.

Thomas O’Brien saw an early shot easily dealt with by former Arbroath keeper Robbie Mutch in the Falkirk net. Declan McManus responded by heading wide for the visitors. Mark Whatley nearly got in on goal before having a shot blocked for the hosts.

Arbroath continued to press with Michael McKenna firing narrowly over and fans favourite Bobby Linn looking menacing. Morgaro Gomis saw a couple of efforts go over the bar for Falkirk, but a goal looked unlikely in coming at the break.

After the interval it was Falkirk who looked the more likely to score. Derek Gaston made a good close range save to keep out McManus just before the hour mark. In the closing stages sub David McMillan could and should have probably won it for the Bairns but he headed over when well placed.

It hadn’t been a thriller for sure, but I was glad I’d made the effort. Gayfield lived up to all I’d hoped, and it was good to catch up with Gordon and have a yarn. The bracing sea air had certainly blown away any remaining cobwebs!

The train took me back to Dundee not long after full time before I took a cab up the hill to the Travelodge on Strathmore Avenue for a warm and walking down to the ground for my evening’s encounter.