Arbroath boss Dick Campbell insists no-one at the club is getting carried away despite the 4-1 midweek win over Championship side Ross County in the Betfred Cup.
The Red Lichties overcame the Staggies thanks to a Michael McKenna hat-trick and a stunning late Kane Hester strike.
Campbell’s men now face Premiership opposition in the shape of Derek McInnes’s Aberdeen in a glamour friendly at Gayfield tomorrow (2pm kick-off) with the manager insisting there is still plenty of work to be done both on and off the pitch.
Campbell said: “It was a fantastic result for us on Wednesday night against a good Ross County side who have just come down from the Premiership.
“The lads deserve enormous credit.
“We have been using these games to build up fitness before the league campaign starts next week but I had to be pleased with the performance and the win.
“The only disappointing thing for me is that we lost to Alloa in the Betfred conceding some horrendous goals but we have to be happy overall.”
Campbell added: “I was speaking to a former club director who said he thought this was the best Arbroath side he had seen in the last 25 years.
“It is always good to hear nice things like that but we will definitely not be getting carried away and there is still a lot of work to be done.
“I only have 17 signed players – including two goalies – and I am looking to bring in a couple more but those deals might not be done until the end of August with full-time clubs still keeping their options open and unwilling to let players leave on loan until then.”
One player who will definitely be staying at Arbroath is Hester.
Campbell said: “There are at least four clubs, senior and junior, who are interested in taking him on loan but he is going nowhere.
“He will play a part against Aberdeen on Sunday.
“Hopefully there will be a big crowd at Gayfield to see us take on Derek McInnes’s Premiership side.
“It would be great if the fans could turn out for this glamour friendly.”
