Arbroath manager Dick Campbell has revealed he watched his side’s “nerve-wracking” table-topping victory over Morton at home.
Campbell, his brother Ian and six first-team players were absent for the 2-1 win at Gayfield after a Covid outbreak at the club.
The Lichties still managed to field a strong starting 11 and managed to earn the three points, taking them to the summit of the Championship in time for Christmas.
Watching on TV
While Campbell is usually a commanding presence on the touchline he was left almost powerless as he watched on from home as coaches John Young and Rab Douglas took the reins.
Arbroath were not at their best but the temporary managers did the job and results elsewhere helped the side jump up two places from third.
But for Campbell, who still picked the team, it was not an easy afternoon on the sofa.
“It’s fantastic but watching on television was a wee bit nerve-wracking!”, he told Arbroath’s YouTube channel.
“I was sitting raging when I was watching that.
“I was watching it on Arbroath TV, if I had been there I’d have been tearing strips off them,” he joked.
Despite the scrappy performance, it was the significance of the three points that mattered.
“I’ve got Covid, but I’m not bothered about that. I’m just delighted for everybody connected to the club.”
Words of ‘encouragement’
Stand-in manager for the day Rab Douglas also revealed he spoke with Campbell before the game to give final instructions.
“There was [a call] before the game but I better not say exactly what it was! Along the lines of ‘You better win’,” Douglas joked.
“The gaffer’s the gaffer. He tells you the team and that’s it.
“That’s what he’s paid for. We’re there to support him.
“He’ll be sitting saying he won the three points himself, but we’ll give [John] Youngy some credit too.”
