Arbroath's remarkable journey through Scottish football's divisions is built on a foundation that defies modern professional norms. As the club prepares for a pivotal Championship play-off quarter-final second leg against Dunfermline Athletic, trailing 1-0, co-manager David Gold has laid out a vision for the future that honors that unique foundation. He believes the club could compete in the Scottish Premiership while retaining its core of part-time players, a stance that speaks volumes about the club's identity and financial pragmatism.
Gold, who shares managerial duties with Colin Hamilton, outlined a potential evolution rather than a revolution. He described a 'hybrid' model as the most sensible path forward should Arbroath achieve the monumental feat of back-to-back promotions. This model would see the existing part-time squad bolstered by a select number of additional full-time players and strategic loan signings. The philosophy is clear: progress without abandoning the people and principles that fueled the ascent.
"Financially, the club would be in the best place it has ever been I would imagine," Gold told BBC Scotland when discussing the implications of reaching the top flight. His approach is one of continuity and reward. "Continue to do what you're doing, try to attract better players maybe, reward the players who have got you to where you have got and just take it from there. I think that would be the best way to go about it."
This commitment is deeply personal. Gold pointed to captain Tam O'Brien as the embodiment of the club's ethos. O'Brien, a teammate of Gold's for nine years, is 34 and holds a fulfilling job outside of football. Gold argued passionately that a player who has given everything to the promotion cause deserves his shot at the Premiership, regardless of his employment status. "You couldn't just go, 'you're not fitting this model anymore – see you later'," Gold stated. "I don't think that would be right and I think it would be against what we are as a club. We are very much together."
The context of this play-off is a fairytale in itself. Arbroath, a club from the Angus town of just over 20,000 people, topped League 1 last season and has defied all expectations by finishing third in the Championship this term. Their current squad is a blend of part-time professionals and a small number of full-time loanees, a structure that has proven remarkably effective under the joint stewardship of Gold and Hamilton.
The pair know the club intimately. Just four years ago, they were players in the Arbroath squad managed by Dick Campbell that mounted a stunning title challenge in the Championship, dueling with Kilmarnock for the crown. That season captured the imagination of the Scottish football public. Now, as managers, they are engineering another potential giant-killing story, yet Gold feels this achievement is flying under the radar.
"We have gone totally under the radar," he lamented. "No-one has said a word about us. That year [2021-22] it was all over the news. I don't know what the difference is. The magnitude of that achievement is huge." The difference, perhaps, is the sheer improbability of sustaining such a challenge with a part-time model, making their current position all the more remarkable.
The immediate task, however, is overcoming Dunfermline. After a narrow 1-0 defeat at East End Park in the first leg, Arbroath host the return fixture at Gayfield Park on Friday evening. The winner of this tie will advance to a semi-final against Partick Thistle, with the ultimate prize a two-legged final against the side that finishes second bottom of the Premiership.
For Arbroath, promotion would represent more than just a new league; it would be a validation of a sustainable, community-centric model of football. It would mean a financial windfall that could secure the club's future for years. Yet, as Gold insists, it would not mean a change of heart. The part-time players who have carried the club this far would remain central to the plan, evolving alongside the club rather than being discarded for it. It is a vision that balances ambition with unwavering loyalty.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.
