In 2018, it felt like there was an Angus derby every week as Arbroath, Brechin, Forfar and Montrose faced each other in League One.
It was the first time in 25 years the Angus sides were in the same league and each team had 12 derbies.
Three years on, none of the Angus sides are in the same league.
Arbroath are in the Championship, Montrose and Forfar are in League One and Two. Brechin City have dropped into the Highland League.
Much has changed and an mini-Angus league seems a million miles away from happening again soon. Or is it?
Here Courier Sport assesses what lies ahead for the Angus sides as they kick-off their seasons.
Ambitious Arbroath
Arbroath are in the midst of a golden Gayfield era and enjoying record season ticket sales ahead of their third successive year in the Championship.
Manager Dick Campbell has taken them from second bottom in League Two to two titles. They are the highest placed part-time team in Scotland.
Recently in Courier Sports Saturday’s Fitba Day serialisation, Campbell outlined his burning ambition to take Arbroath to the Scottish Premiership.
He has made astute summer purchases – most notably the permanent signing of former Dundee and Arbroath star Nicky Low.
Liam Henderson has also impressed since arriving from Edinburgh City, while young Livingston loan star Harrison Clark has shown promise.
Arbroath have reached the last 16 of the Betfred Cup with three wins from four and a narrow loss at Dundee United.
They are likely to upset a few full-time teams again this term.
To do so, they need a goalscorer to fill the void left by the return of Jack Hamilton to parent club Livingston.
With one of the best defences in the league, Arbroath will comfortably stay up again – if they find a goalscorer.
Predicted finish: 7th
Motivated Montrose
Fans may not like to admit it but there are real similarities between Montrose and Arbroath.
Off the park, both clubs have fantastic links to supporters and the local community.
Montrose Community Trust is widely recognised as one of the most successful in Europe. That has become the bedrock of the club’s success on the park.
On it Montrose, like Arbroath, are incredibly well drilled by Stewart Petrie.
Stability and loyalty are two key facets of a side that has revolutionised since facing the spectre of relegation to the Highland League in 2015.
Petrie’s men won the League Two title in 2018 and the core of that team is still at Montrose.
Terry Masson is enjoying his testmonial season and Paul Watson and Graham Webster not far behind.
Former Arbroath captain Mark Whatley has been added to the Montrose midfield.
The return of Blair Lyons on loan from Partick Thistle will also bolster the Links Park side’s attacking threat.
The heartbreak of an extra-time defeat to Morton in the Championship play-off semi-final last year will be a key driver this term.
Montrose will be looking to go a stage further but will face big-spending Cove Rangers, Queen’s Park and Falkirk.
Predicted finish: 3rd, play-offs
Fighting Forfar
Forfar narrowly lost out to Raith Rovers in the Championship play-off semi-finals two years ago but had a disaster last year.
Serious injuries to key players such as Michael Travis and Darren Whyte sent Loons on a downward spiral.
Stuart Malcolm resigned as boss in April with Gary Irvine having the thankless task of trying to keep Forfar in League One.
Forfar won two out of their last three games. It wasn’t enough to keep them up but signalled that better times could be ahead.
Irvine has completely revamped his squad in the summer and they missed out on the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup on goal difference.
Free-scoring Matthew Aitken has returned. Impressive loan signings Sam Fisher, Luke Strachan and Mark Gallagher have arrived from Dundee and Aberdeen.
Forfar have fallen under the radar of the bookmakers but can upset the odds and break Kelty Hearts.
Predicted finish: 1st
Battling Brechin
As records go, Brechin’s has been pretty shambolic in recent years.
From the highs of reaching the Championship in 2017 to the extreme lows of successive relegations to League One and League Two.
Brechin won just 14 out of 117 games. That saw them spiral into the Highland League with defeat to Kelty Hearts in the pyramid play-offs..
However, much has changed in just two months.
Kevin Mackie has been appointed as the Angus club’s new chairman. He has created an ambitious two-year plan to help restore Brechin’s SPFL status.
City have made several ambitious appointments and signings.
They have convinced former Dundee United and Scotland manager Craig Levein to become director of football and installed Hearts star Andy Kirk as boss.
Highly-experienced former Raith Rovers skipper Iain Davidson has joined Brechin. Promising St Johnstone pair Jack Wills and Max Kucheriavyi have moved to City on loan.
David Cox has also been talked out of retirement by Levein and Kirk.
And experienced former Montrose and Ross County striker Garry Wood will be aiming to continue his impressive Highland record of 83 goals in 178 games for Formartine United.
It will be a journey into the unknown for Brechin City. They have to win both the Highland League and the pyramid play-offs but can, at least, reach that final hurdle.
Prediction: 1st, pyramid play-offs
