Ian Campbell is adamant Arbroath’s success has been years in the making.
And the Lichties assistant manager reckons their festive contract spree will lay the foundations for many more seasons to come.
The Championship leaders secured the futures of seven key players on Christmas Day, most notably with talisman Michael McKenna signing on until the summer of 2024.
Scott Stewart, David Gold and Colin Hamilton also secured two-and-a-half year extensions.
Jason Thomson, Dylan Paterson and Luke Donnelly sealed deals until 2023.
And Campbell believes that consistency in the dressing room is crucial to Arbroath’s success — and also aids new arrivals at Gayfield.
“Those contracts are tremendous news and a really important point to make about what we are doing,” said Arbroath’s No.2.
“I see it at other clubs — and it’s none of my business — when they come to the end of the season and are trying to sign up players.
“We’ve been building a club for years.
“Educating them and bringing them on, to let them go? That doesn’t work for us.
Nucleus
“It’s great that the chairman [Mike Caird], directors and Dick [Campbell] can sign up all those players and give us something to build on for the next two or three years.
“It also helps the new players coming in because there is a nucleus. We’ve got a good idea what we are doing here and we want to bring the club on.”
Arbroath, who boast a three-point advantage at the summit of the Championship, take on Hamilton on Wednesday evening as they seek to extend their remarkable 11-game unbeaten run.
