Finishing in 7th position, Arbroath can rightly claim to be the best part-time team in Scotland. After a dreadful start with only 1 win in 10 matches (W1 D2 L7) a solid mid-season and a strong finish saw them avoid the relegation play-offs.
Arbroath were always awkward and difficult to beat – especially at home. Goalkeeper Gaston and the defence of Thomson, Little, O’Brien and Hamilton were almost ever-present throughout the season.
While Arbroath possessed a mean defence, they were hampered by a toothless attack. They failed to score in 10 of their 27 fixtures. Jack Hamilton arrived on loan in January and finished as top scorer with 8 goals.
A loss of form with 1 point from 4 matches saw them drop into relegation trouble, but wins over relegation rivals Alloa and Ayr, combined with a draw on the final day with Morton, meant that Arbroath were safe for another season.
Arbroath met their ambitions by finishing above the bottom 2 places. With a more potent attack they could have gained more points and finished in mid-table.
Arbroath will be hoping for the same again next season. Veteran manager Dick Campbell seems certain to be retained along with most of the squad.
