Arbroath boss Dick Campbell retains manager of the month award

Lichties boss named top manager again ahead of meeting with former side

Dick Campbell is aiming to pile on the misery for old club Forfar tomorrow to maintain Arbroath’s play-off ambitions as he celebrates two years in charge at Gayfield.

Campbell was axed by the Loons after seven-and-a-half seasons as boss in December 2016 – and he has hardly stopped beating them since.

Arbroath pipped their local rivals to the Ladbrokes League Two title last season, winning twice and drawing once against Forfar.

The Lichties have won all three meetings this season.

And Campbell, who has won the Ladbrokes League One manager of the month for the second month running, said: “I have loved every one of them!”

Unusually, the veteran boss made it back-to-back awards despite serving a five-match touchline ban which he will complete tomorrow.

And he has reaffirmed that he will not go back to the dugout. Ironically, he is free to go to the technical area against Ayr next week – and it was at Somerset Park in January that he landed in trouble with the beaks for confronting ref Mike Roncone.

Campbell said: “I’m not going back. I might go there for the last 10 or 15 minutes of games but I will be sitting in the stand.

“That said, the stand at Gayfield is only about a yard behind the dugout anyway.

“It’s very pleasing to win the award for a second month running and it shows how well the boys have done.

“My brother Ian, John Young and John Ritchie have to take the credit too and we’re in a good situation despite Tuesday’s disappointing defeat at Alloa. “That’s me been here two years now. “When I took over the club was second bottom of League Two and now we’re challenging for promotion to the Championship.

“So I think that tells its own story and I have to say we have a very good team.

“A few of them let themselves down in the 5-3 loss at Alloa – and I didn’t see a result like that coming.

“But we scored three goals away from home which was a positive and we can take that into the Forfar game.

“We’re still above Alloa in the table and we aim to stay in that position to consolidate our play-off place.”

My brother Ian, John Young and John Ritchie have to take the credit too. DICK CAMPBELL

Picture: SNS Group. Dick Campbell with his latest Ladbrokes League 1 manager of the month award.

Assistant Ian Campbell.