Colin Hamilton beams with pride when he speaks about the magical journey he has been on with Arbroath since 2012.
Hammy initially joined the Gayfield side 11 years ago and left them after relegation to League Two in 2014.
In that time he has seen crowds grow from 387 hardy souls at home to Stranraer in 2013 to their highest attendance in 11 years – 5,563 against Dundee in April.
Ironically, but for two years spent at Brechin and Alloa between 2014 and 2016, he’d be Arbroath’s current longest-serving player.
That would have seen him bag a testimonial ahead of Bobby Linn and Ricky Little.
But it seems inevitable that Hamilton, David Gold and Tam O’Brien will all follow Linn and Little in celebrating testimonials at Arbroath.
“I’ve been here for ten years now over two spells,” said Hamilton, who was voted management team’s Player of the Year at Arbroath.
“I’m not the only one who has stuck it out.
“People come to Arbroath and want to stay. It’s never once crossed my mind to move again.
“Tam O’Brien signed a new five-year deal. When would you have thought a player would do that here?
“But because we have been here so long the fans have got to know us as players and as people.
“Half the team last year had been with Arbroath for more than five years.
Colin Hamilton: There’s no place like Arbroath
“And when you are happy, why change? I’m somewhere that I feel content. Arbroath is home.
“Last year was a difficult season but not once did I think I couldn’t do it any more.
“I hold this club in such high regard that I don’t see myself leaving it for anywhere else.”
The transformation at Arbroath during Hammy’s time has been stark.
The club came within minutes of reaching the Scottish Premiership last May and enjoyed record 1,500 season ticket sales last term.
And while they faced a relegated battle last season, Arbroath secured safety to make it five successive seasons in the Championship.
Hamilton added: “We’re now a benchmark club.
Season Tickets on sale now!
Renewals – https://t.co/umejZNelb6
New Season Tickets – https://t.co/tYeBGnfOzS pic.twitter.com/H18kbDO82u
— Arbroath FC (@ArbroathFC) May 10, 2023
“Arbroath is the best part-time club in Scotland. There are no doubts about that.
“I might be biased but our club is very difficult to beat on and off the park.
“On our day, we can pack out Gayfield. When I started here I never imagined we could get 4,000 home fans inside our ground but we can.
“I looked back at old highlight videos of my first spell here and there were 300 or 400 at some games.
“Last year we had a game against Dundee with over 5,500 at it.
“It was the first game with our new scoreboard but there were so many people in the ground you couldn’t even see it.
The Costa del Gayfield was looking glorious at the @ArbroathFC v @DundeeFC clash.
📷 @davidsdronepics pic.twitter.com/OO3TcKp87c
— 𝐄𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 (@ewansmithpr) April 9, 2023
“The club is incomparable and it’s fan backing that has got us through.
“They stuck with us and appreciate that we are much stronger when we fight together.
“I hope that all buy their season tickets again and we can enjoy the journey next year.”
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