Arbroath Football Club is a semi-professional Scottish football club based in the town of Arbroath, Angus. They currently play in the Scottish Championship. The club was founded in 1878 and plays home matches at Gayfield Park. They play in maroon strips and are nicknamed "The Red Lichties" due to the red light that used to guide fishing boats back from the North Sea to the Burgh's harbour. The Red Lichties share a long-standing and fierce rivalry with local neighbours Montrose, as well as with fellow local sides Forfar Athletic and Brechin City.
Contents
History
Record score
The Red Lichties most notable and lasting accomplishment is to hold the world record for the biggest victory in World senior football, set on 12 September 1885 when they beat Bon Accord 36–0 in a Scottish Cup match, with a further five to seven goals disallowed for offside. Jocky Petrie scored 13 goals in that game, a record for the most goals by a single player in a British senior match.
Recent history
The Red Lichties have had mixed success in recent years. In the 1996–97 season they hit the bottom of Scottish senior football as they finished last in the Third Division. However, the following season they were promoted back to the Second Division. They spent three years at this level before winning promotion to the First Division. They finished 7th in their first season in the First Division, 13 points clear of relegation troubles. However, in the 2002–03 season, the Red Lichties struggled badly, and finished bottom of the table, 20 points adrift of penultimate side Alloa Athletic. In the 2003–04 season, the Red Lichties narrowly avoided back-to-back relegations, as they escaped the drop on the last day of the season. In 2004–05, however, there was no escaping a 3–0 defeat at Dumbarton on 30 April 2005, which consigned the Red Lichties to the Third Division for the following season.
The club rose from the depths of the Third Division to the heights of the First Division, then fell back down to the basement league in the next few seasons. However, under manager John McGlashan, the Red Lichties competed at the top of Division 3, finishing 4th in their first season and second in the next, reaching both divisional play-offs in seasons 2005–06 and 2006–07, although failing to gain promotion. They finished fourth in Division 3 and disposed of Cowdenbeath 2–1 on aggregate thanks to a late extra time winner from Robbie Raeside in the semifinal. Stranraer were the opponents in the play-off final and the Red Lichties ran out 2–0 winners in the home tie first leg at Gayfield Park thanks to a Robbie Raeside header and a Barry Sellars strike. At Stranraer, the Red Lichties goal was pummelled for much of the match and they spent much of the second half down to 10 men after Craig Tully had been red-carded. Although one goal was conceded, a resolute defence saw the Red Lichties hold on for a 2–1 aggregate win and promotion.
The Red Lichties managed to consolidate their position in Division 2 in 2008–09. The season had started well but a narrow defeat in the Scottish League Cup at Gayfield Park on penalties to Scottish Premiership side Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC, triggered a sequence of losses and the club found themselves in the bottom half of the table. The performances were boosted by loan additions such as Steven Doris, Craig Forsyth, ex-Scotland international Colin Cameron and they got results when it mattered. Safety was all but assured with a narrow 1–0 win over Queens Park at Hampden Park, courtesy of a fine Robbie Ross strike and a 2–0 victory over Stranraer at Gayfield Park with goals from Ross and Forsyth. A 2–2 draw against Peterhead and a 0–0 draw against Raith Rovers in May was enough to seal 7th spot.
Stadium
The Red Lichties Gayfield Park is not the club's original ground, which was nearby and was known as Lesser Gayfield. The current ground is the closest to the sea in Britain, a traditional style ground exposed to the elements, where opposition fans mixing as they change ends at half time to stand behind the goal their side is attacking was observed until only a few years ago. There is terracing on three sides and enclosed stands on all four sides. On stormy winter days, waves beat on the walls surrounding the ground.
Rivalries
Arbroath's main rivalry is with Montrose. The first meeting of the sides was in 1888 and Arbroath ran out 6–2 winners. They also have lesser rivalries with fellow senior Angus clubs Brechin City and Forfar Athletic. In the 2018–2019 season, all four senior Angus teams competed in Scottish League One.
First-team squad
As of 21 August 2026
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Club officials
Coaching staff
Co-managers: David Gold and Colin Hamilton
First team coach: Colin Jack
Goalkeeping coach: Alan Combe
Club doctor: Callum Innes
Physiotherapist: Mark Dryden
Sports scientist: Lewis Grant
Executive
Chairman: Brian Cargill
Chief executive officer: Paul Reid
Secretary: Gary Callon
Directors: Jon Bruce, Scott Milne, Barclay Scott, Neil Smyth
Finance director: Robert Sim
Club ambassadors: Bobby Linn, Alan Soutar
Source:
Honours
League
Level 2 (Scottish Division Two, Scottish B Division, Scottish First Division, Scottish Championship): Runners-up: 1934–35, 1958–59, 1967–68, 1971–72, 2021–22
Level 3 (Scottish Division Three, Scottish C Division, Scottish Second Division, Scottish League One): Winners: 2018–19, 2024–25 Runners-up: 2000–01, 2011–12
Level 4 (Scottish Third Division, Scottish League Two): Winners 2010–11, 2016–17 Runners-up: 1997–98, 2006–07 Play-off winners 2007–08
National cup competitions
Scottish Cup Semi-finalists: 1946–47
Scottish League Cup Semi-finalists: 1959–60
Scottish Youth Cup Semi-finalists: 2001–02
Scottish Challenge Cup Semi-finalists: 2012–13
Scottish Qualifying Cup: Winners 1903 Runners-up: 1899, 1912
Minor
Reserve League Cup 2003, Combined Reserve League 1964, Northern League 1891–92, Forfarshire County League (joint) 1908–09, Dewar Shield 1937–38
Arbroath were the first winners of the Forfarshire Cup in 1883 and have won the trophy 17 times since then.
Winners in 1883–84, 1887–88, 1889–90, 1892–93, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1906–07, 1913–14, 1920–21, 1923–24, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1957–58, 1993–94, 1995–96
Club records
Biggest win: 36–0 vs Bon Accord, 12 September 1885, Scottish Cup (World record)
Biggest defeat: 1–9 vs Celtic, 25 August 1993, League Cup
Highest home attendance: 13,510 vs Rangers, 23 February 1952, Scottish Cup
Highest average home attendance: 4,780, 1959–60 season (17 games)
Most capped player: Ned Doig, 5 (2 whilst with Arbroath), Scotland
Most league appearances: 426, Tom Cargill, 1966–80
Most league goals in a season by a player: 45, David Easson, 1958–59