Arbroath ended 2022 with a heavy home defeat as they crashed to a 4-1 loss to Queen’s Park.
Lichties remain in second bottom and face a Championship survival battle with Hamilton and Cove Rangers.
Courier Sport was at Gayfield to witness the Queen’s Park loss and here are four talking points from that game:
Gayfield must become Arbroath fortress again
Arbroath have enjoyed incredible home form during Dick Campbell’s time with the Angus side.
Gayfield is often picked out by opposition managers as ‘a very hard place to go to.’
That’s with good reason.
Last year, Arbroath lost just ONE league game at home as they came within two points of reaching the Scottish Premiership.
A lot is made of the wind at Gayfield but to suggest the weather at European football’s closest ground to a major sea.
But to put their previous formidable home form purely down to wind is an insult to the quality of the sides Dick Campbell has produced.
Arbroath’s trademark home form has deserted them this term with five defeats in ten games.
Incredibly, prior to this term, it took them 41 home matches to lose five times at Gayfield.
Arbroath have no luck of draw
Despite their back-to-back home hammerings to Dunfermline and Queen’s Park, Arbroath have started to pick up points.
Prior to Friday, they had drawn four out of five games. In fact, they’ve had eight stalemates in 19 games this term.
The killer draw came in November’s 1-1 draw with Cove Rangers where former Lichtie Blair Yule levelled in injury time.
Turning some of those draws into wins could significantly ease their Championship struggles.
Defiant Dick Campbell
He may be hurting right now but Dick Campbell has proved time and time again that he is a born winner.
It’s almost 36 years since his coaching career started at Cowdenbeath and he seems in no mood to pack it in yet.
And neither should he.
Campbell has not become a poor manager overnight.
You don’t take Arbroath from the clutches of a pyramid play-off to two titles and the brink of the Scottish Premiership if you can’t coach.
Campbell pulled no punches after the 5-1 home loss to Dunfermline and his side responded with a draw at Raith Rovers.
After the defeat on Friday, Dick Campbell admitted ‘the buck stops with me.’
But he vowed to roll his sleeves up and make the necessary changes to his squad in January.
January sales can’t come soon enough
With Barry Sellars, a new head of recruitment in place, Arbroath have done their groundwork for the January transfer window.
They have identified targets and, where possible, have begun talks with prospective signings.
Decisions will also come soon over which short-term signings will remain at the club.
Deri Corfe, Daniel Fosu and Florent Hoti will all see their contracts expire with Birmingham loanee Marcel Oakley’s short-term deal due to run out next month.
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