The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Feelgood factor has been key to Arbroath’s fine start to season – Campbell
Arbroath aiming to put the wind up Pars at Gayfield
Arbroath’s impressive start to the season shouldn’t have come as a surprise, Dick Campbell has insisted.
And the rest of the Championship should get used to hard games against the recently promoted Gayfield men.
Campbell believes his team’s pre-season form showed that the feelgood factor would be extended after the previous campaign’s title success.
And the early results and performances have backed him up.
“We should have beaten Queen of the South in our first game,” said Campbell.
“And we were unlucky to lose in
Inverness.
“Then last weekend it was only a 1-0 win at Alloa but we were well on top.
“We beat Hibs, Hearts and a young Celtic team in pre-season, and deserved to.
“We haven’t got into this position by luck. We deserve to be where we are and the first league win will give the players even more confidence.
“The full-time teams can’t just expect to beat ourselves and Alloa.”
Arbroath are already ahead of today’s opponents Dunfermline and it’s another big game to relish.
“There could be a couple of thousand in the ground, which would be brilliant,” said Campbell.
“These are the games you want to play after getting promoted.
“Dunfermline are a good side but my attitude won’t change now. I’ll not worry about the other team. I won’t be making many changes, if any.”
Gavin Swankie and Scott Stewart are still out but new loan signing from Aberdeen Miko Virtanen is available.
Meanwhile, Kyle Turner witnessed the Arbroath goalkeeper concede a corner from his own goal-kick at Gayfield last season – and has urged Dunfermline to brace themselves for an on-field storm this afternoon.
Turner was in the Stranraer team when referee Craig Napier decided to abandon their clash with Arbroath after just 12 minutes because of gusting winds back in February.
When a clearance from Red Lichties goalie Darren Jamieson was blown back towards him and out for a Stranraer corner, it was clear the game could not go on.
With lighter winds of only around 20mph expected for Turner’s return with Dunfermline this afternoon, conditions will be a whole lot better at the exposed Angus ground.
But the 21-year-old, son of former Morton, St Johnstone and St Mirren midfielder Tommy Turner, reckons the Pars will still have to batten down the hatches against their part-time hosts.
He said: “I know what it’s like going up there. It’s a tough place to go and it always has been.
“The pitch is always good, but you just never know with the weather conditions what you’re going to get.
“It’s always a battle, but I’ve done pretty well up there. We put them out of the Scottish Cup with Stranraer.
“But I know how hard it is going to Gayfield and we need to be ready for a battle because it is always going to be a battle when you go up there.
“I played the day the game was abandoned. There was only 12 minutes gone and the ref called it off.
“So, I know the weather conditions can play a big part up there. You saw that last season with the wind. It was a no-contest, really.
“I think we’re going up there at a good time of the year and hopefully we can get the ball down and play and get the three points.”