Arbroath F.C.

Did You Know?

• The club won its first senior honours in its 133-year history by winning the 2010–11 Third Division title.
• In the 2021–22 season, Arbroath finished second in the Championship, having been 'minutes from immortality' after leading against Kilmarnock.

History

The club's most notable accomplishment is the world record for the biggest victory in world senior football, set on 12 September 1885 when they beat Bon Accord 36–0 in a Scottish Cup match, with a further five to seven goals disallowed for offside. Jocky Petrie scored 13 goals in that game, a record for the most goals by a single player in a British senior match. In the 1996–97 season the Red Lichties finished last in the Third Division, but were promoted back to the Second Division the following season.

They spent three years at that level before winning promotion to the First Division, finishing 7th in their first season there, 13 points clear of relegation. In the 2002–03 season they finished bottom of the table, 20 points adrift of penultimate side Alloa Athletic. The next season they narrowly avoided back-to-back relegations on the last day, but in 2004–05 a 3–0 defeat at Dumbarton on 30 April 2005 consigned them to the Third Division. Under manager John McGlashan, the club finished 4th in Division 3 in 2005–06 and 2nd in 2006–07, reaching both divisional play-offs but failing to gain promotion.

They finished fourth in Division 3 and defeated Cowdenbeath 2–1 on aggregate in the semifinal thanks to a late extra time winner from Robbie Raeside. In the play-off final, Stranraer were the opponents; the Red Lichties won the home leg 2–0 with goals from Robbie Raeside and Barry Sellars. At Stranraer, they spent much of the second half with ten men after Craig Tully was red-carded, but conceded only one goal and held on for a 2–1 aggregate win and promotion.

Stadium

Gayfield Park is not Arbroath's original home; that was the nearby Lesser Gayfield. This traditional ground is Britain's closest to the sea, leaving it exposed to the elements. Three sides have terracing, and all four sides have enclosed stands. On stormy winter days, waves crash against the walls surrounding the pitch.