Relichtie

   

Memorable matches No. 22

   Promotion 2001

The season 2001/02 promised much for Arbroath, as the previous season the club had finished 4th in the league, and with 3 teams promoted due to league reorganisation, had just missed out on a "shottie" in the 1st Division. It was not long delayed though.

The season started well with a draw in the opening match ay Gayfield against Partick Thistle, followed by victory over Brechin in the 1st round of the CIS cup.

The next few weeks saw a run of indifferent form culminating in a 3-4 home defeat against Forfar. The supporters were then shocked when Dave Baikie, the man who had masterminded our rise from the depths of the 3rd Division, had a disagreement with the committee over the signing of a player and offered his resignation, which was accepted.

Many Arbroath fans, me included, protested vociferously about the committee's wisdom in allowing Mr Baikie to walk away, but the men in charge, despite an EGM called to discuss the decision and representations by the players, refused to reverse their decision, and quickly appointed John Brownlie as manager, much to the chagrin of many supporters.

John Brownlie

Mr Brownlie set to his task, and with the help of "meet the fans" sessions in Tutties Neuk, gradually won the majority of supporters over.

On the field the clubs results were average, with 3 wins, 5 draws, and 2 defeats in the next 10 games.  Then the Scottish Cup draw paired Arbroath with Montrose, the match to be played at Links Park. On December 9th 2000, the match was "won" 1-0 with a Jim Mercer "goal". After the match it was discovered that the lichties had played two players who were subject to bans due to suspensions carried over from the previous season's competition, and after deliberation, the SFA ordered the match to be replayed, and fined Arbroath. The match was replayed, and resulted in a 0-0 draw, which meant a replay at Gayfield, which Arbroath lost 1-2, and the last thing on the fans mind at this time was promotion.

However Arbroath continued to keep up with the leaders in the league, and by March, after a five game winning run, which began with an excellent 4-2 home win over Clydebank with on loan striker Colin "Coco" McDonald netting a fine hat trick. John Brownlie made an inspired signing, when he brought back Colin McKinnon from Stenhousemuir, and he was instantly rewarded when the utility player scored on his debut at home in a 2-1 win over Stranraer. A 2-0 win over Queens Park was followed by a brilliant 5-2 win over Q.O.S., in which Kevin Heenan was outstanding, tormenting the Queens defence with a superb display of wing play. Away visits to Ochilview, and Stair Park followed and both matches were won 1-0, with George Rowe scoring the goal in both cases. His strike in the last few minutes from a free kick against Stenhousemuir was particularly  memorable. Arbroath were in second place, but with five matches away from home from the seven remaining. 

A 1-1 draw at home, with a Steve Mallan goal, to a poor Stirling Albion side saw another 2 points thrown away, and only one more game at home to play.

The omens weren't good when Arbroath lost the first two of the away matches, at Palmerston, a dull game, which looked more likely to end goalless, was lost when a late strike won the match for the home side. On a bleak Tuesday night at Berwick, our closest rivals in the race for second won the match again 1-0, but this time it was a superb 25 yard strike which won the match. Trooping out from Shielfield we were taunted by the home supporters about the" wheels coming off" our promotion challenge, and it was a gloomy trip home.

Berwick had closed the gap, and with a visit to champions Partick Thistle next, it looked very tight indeed, but a goal from Colin McKinnon just after half time gained a precious three points, and we were very happy on the way home this time. A midweek trip to Forfar saw another point, with a Mallan strike, gained in a rough match in which Rowe was red carded, but big Jim Thomson then had an outstanding match.

So it came down to Saturday 29th  April, when Berwick were visitors to Gayfield in a match which would see Arbroath promoted if they won. A crowd of over 2000,mostly Lichties ( where are they now ?), with a large contingent of Borderers on a nice sunny day were there to witness the event. After a goalless first half, which was fairly even, Arbroath struck midway through the second, when a bouncing  ball arrived at the feet of Cusick, and he took his time and made sure, before shooting into the net. When Jim Mercer scored with a header to put the home side 2-0 up,

Jim Mercer headed second goal against Berwick

 it was party time, and an invasion of the park at the end to celebrate the second promotion in four years, who would have believed this.

Arbroath - Hinchcliffe, McAuley, Cusick, McKinnon, Thomson, Crawford, Heenan, Mercer, Mallan, J. McGlashan, Steele. subs C. McGlashan, Brownlie, Maughan.

Berwick Rangers - McCulloch, Forrest, McNicol, Ritchie, A. Neill, Ronald, Whelan, M. Neil, Wood, Gray, Smith. subs Findlay, Duthie, Elliot. 

 

 

 

 

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