Beginnings

After war broke out and Scottish League football was suspended, clubs, to cut down on travel formed themselves into regional East and West divisions for the remainder of the 39/40 season. This did no favours to Arbroath, as they finished bottom in May 1940.

Scottish League - North and East
		P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	Falkirk	29	20	4	5	106	47	45
2	Hearts	29	18	7	4	104	66	40
3	Dunfermline Ath	29	19	8	2	80	55	40
4	Aberdeen	29	16	9	4	86	50	36
5	St Johnstone	29	13	8	8	84	69	34
6	Dundee	29	11	10	8	70	62	30
7	Hibernian	29	11	11	7	82	65	29
8	Dundee Utd	29	12	15	2	68	77	26
9	East Fife	29	11	15	3	80	91	25
10	Raith Rovers	29	10	16	3	69	85	23
11	Kings Park	29	9	16	4	62	88	22
12	St Bernards	29	8	16	5	44	77	21
13	Stenhousemuir	29	7	19	3	52	98	17
14	Arbroath	29	6	18	5	44	91	17

Cowdenbeath resigned from the league in February after playing each team once.

Arbroath also competed in the Wartime Cup of 1940, which was played on a home and away basis.

Arbroath, however did win the Forfarshire Cup in a replay at Gayfield winning 1-0 v Dundee (aet) after a 1-1 drawn match, also played at Gayfield.

At a special meeting of members in May 1940, it was decided that Arbroath F.C. would take no further part in league football during war time. As many players would have to serve with the forces, it was probably the best decision for the club.

It would be October 1942 before Gayfield would stage a senior match, and this would be a challenge between an RAF XI and a Combined Services XI.