Arbroath are halfway through the Championship season and sit pretty at the top of the table.
With 18 games gone, the Lichties have won nine, drawn seven and there have been just two defeats.
Survival was the main aim for this season – and it looks like they have surpassed that goal with another 18 games to go.
Courier Sport takes a look at how they’re faring in their half-season report card.
Star man
There are a few players who have played vital roles in Arbroath’s season so far: Joel Nouble, Scott Stewart, Chris Hamilton, Ricky Little, Derek Gaston.
But there can be only one star.
Michael McKenna has been key for the Lichties. He’s the top scorer in the league and is second in the Championship assist table.
Nouble to McKenna ⚽️🔥 pic.twitter.com/wTzvreBjnx
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) August 22, 2021
Those stats are impressive enough, but McKenna doesn’t just bring goals and creativity to the side; he is a battler, too.
The 30-year-old has recently been playing a deeper midfield role, meaning goals have been harder to come by. However, he’s not afraid of putting a shift in or getting stuck into tackles.
McKenna missed the Lichties’ Morton win and will likely sit out the Boxing Day clash with Dunfermline due to Covid. But he’s been a near ever-present part of the team.
He looks set to sign a new Gayfield deal and Arbroath will benefit from his services for another couple of years.
Standout moment
It is difficult to pin down one moment of the season so far – you could argue the whole campaign has been standout.
Highlights include coming from two down to beat Dunfemline 4-2 at Gayfield, with a stunning Bobby Linn strike the pick of the goals.
Take a bow, Sir Bobby Linn ☄️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/CiilSVSY6g
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) October 31, 2021
There was also the 1-0 away win at Kilmarnock which stamped the Lichties’ authority on the league, causing a major upset against the then title favourites. At the time, gaffer Dick Campbell said the win was in his top 10 results of all time.
But the standout moment of the season came recently.
They weren’t near their best, but even with half a team down due to Covid, Arbroath ground out a win against Morton to go top of the Championship.
It wasn’t pretty, but showed a title-winning trait in the Lichties: they are capable of winning games when not firing on all cylinders.
Signings
On the whole, Dick Campbell’s signings have proved their worth in the maroon jersey.
Seven players came into the team at the start of the season: Nicky Low, Liam Henderson, Callum Antell, Joel Nouble, Harrison Clark, Chris Hamilton and Anton Dowds, the latter four arrived on loan.
Nouble has been the most eye-catching of the signings, with the big Englishman’s ability on the ball and personality endearing him to the Arbroath fans.
He returns to parent club Livingston in January and will be a big miss to the team.
Anton Dowds started off quietly at Gayfield, but the Falkirk loanee is really starting to come into form, scoring crucial goals. Question marks also remain over his future, with the Bairns under new management.
Hamilton, on loan from Hearts, has been excellent in the middle of the park and Henderson has enjoyed a return to the side in recent weeks.
Nicky Low started the season off so well, but has been out since September with an ankle injury. He’s nearing a return to fitness and will be like a new signing when available.
The jury is still out on Arbroath’s other Livi loanee Harrison Clark, who hasn’t started for the club since November.
Goalkeeper Callum Antell has yet to make an appearance in the league.
Room for improvement?
With the side top of the league halfway through the season it’s hard to pick faults.
But one area they could sharpen up is converting their shots into goals.
Arbroath have made the most attempts of any team in the league. They are joint top goalscorers too, but they should have had more.
They like to play counter-attacking football and teams can’t cope with it. The recent win against Partick Thistle was a perfect example of this.
There were at least four occasions where they countered Thistle and had a glorious chance to score, but they didn’t take them. In the end, the game was won by two set-pieces.
The Lichties are league leaders on goal difference. If they managed to get more of their shots into the back of the net, they’d be ahead by a country mile.
Overall grade – A+
Dick Campbell continues to work miracles.
The story of the season so far is an incredible one – and fans will hope it continues.
They’ve beaten everyone around them, so there’s no reason they can’t keep it going.
Threats could come from rivals strengthening their squads in the January window.
But as things stand, they are brilliantly placed for a serious tilt at promotion – if not the title itself.
