Lichties aiming to bring form home

Home defeats still irk Arbroath boss after big wins on successive away days

Arbroath boss Dick Campbell is looking for some home comfort when his side face Alloa at Gayfield this afternoon.

The Red Lichties’ remarkable away form continued last week when they thumped Stranraer 6-2 at Stair Park.

That win followed hot on the heels of a 5-0 victory over Forfar at Station Park with Arbroath now sitting second top of the League 1 table.

However, Campbell is still irked by the fact his team have lost twice at home in the league already this season and he is demanding his players address that failing against the Wasps today.

He said: “We have won the last two games so I don’t see there being any changes at all against Alloa.

“We are looking good and doing well but we will not be getting in front of ourselves.

“The spirit in the team is high but the incredible thing for me is that we didn’t have Steven Doris and in the last two games while Gavin Swankie only came on as a late sub against Stranraer.

“But other lads like Ryan Mccord have stepped up with five goals in two games which is a magnificent return from him.

“Ryan is a quality player and we are using him in an advanced position at the moment which seems to suit him.

“Most importantly, we need to ensure we play the same way at home as we are doing on the road.

“We have lost two games at Gayfield this season and that annoys us.

“We know Alloa will be a tough proposition but we are determined to get back to winning ways on our home patch.”

The man with more comebacks that Frank Sinatra, 45-year-old goalie Rab Douglas, answered Campbell’s SOS call last week and came straight from a holiday in Turkey to sit on the bench against Stranraer.

And the manager revealed the keeper will be a sub again for today’s game.

Campbell added: “Ricky Gomes is still out so big Rab will be on the bench again.

“Josh Skelly and Steven Doris are also still injured but they should be back after the international break.”

● Stevie Florence was last week inducted into the Arbroath FC hall of fame

At 13 years of age Florence was told he would never walk again, but the Arbroath youngster showed tremendous courage and resilience to bounce back, eventually going on to make a remarkable 372 Scottish league and cup appearances for his home town club during an amazing 18-year spell at Gayfield between 1985 and 2003.

Florence then played for Forfar for three years then, after a short spell away from the game, joined junior side Arbroath Vics for whom he was still playing last season at the age of 45.

Last week he joined the late John Petrie, scorer of 13 goals in the Lichties’ world record 36-0 win over Bon Accord in 1885, and flying winger Eric Sellars who spent 11 successful seasons at the club between 1965 and 1976, in the hall of fame.

Florence can look back with pride on his long career but admits none of it might have happened after his horrendous accident.

He said: “I was badly hurt on a farm. I was run over by a tractor and broke my back and pelvis in three places.

“I was in hospital for a couple of months and was told I would never walk or play football again. But within six months I got myself jogging and running, and soon after that I was back playing football.

“Amazingly I had no other problems from that day onwards.”

Ryan Mccord: five goals in two games. Gareth Jennings.