Derek Gaston has spent a decade in the Championship and hopes to extend that to 11 years by the summer.
The Arbroath keeper has been an almost ever-present since taking over from Darren Jamieson as the Lichties’ No 1 in 2019.
He’s played 131 times for Arbroath in that time with an impressive clean sheet haul of 46 games.
He also spent seven years at Friday’s opponents Morton where he is the fifth all-time clean sheet holder from six years of Championship football.
And after earning his crust in Scottish football’s second tier for most of his career, Gaston is determined to prolong his stay by helping Arbroath survive.
“I’ve been very fortunate to play in the Championship for 10 out of the last 11 seasons,” said Gaston.
“The only year I didn’t play in it was when Morton dropped down to League One for a season.
“There can’t be many players at this level who played for so consistently long at this level.
“Some will make a step up to the Scottish Premiership.
Not my best save against Queen’s Park but it’s up there 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/YLKBZTC1IX
— Derek Gaston (@dgaston_1) October 15, 2022
“Others will drop down a league for more money or because they are relegated.
“It’s a league I really enjoy because there’s a challenge every week.
“There are good crowds and tough opponents and I want to play in it as long as possible.”
Derek Gaston praises loyal Arbroath fans
Gaston played 218 times for Morton and would love to reach the 200-mark for Arbroath.
With a deal until 2024, there’s every reason to expect Gaston to continue racking up the games for Lichties, if he stays injury free.
And as a three-club man, having also played for Albion Rovers, Gaston feels very much at home at Gayfield.
A popular figure with the fans, Gaston is seen regularly posing for selfies and signing autographs after games.
He is also blown away by the loyal support shown by the fans this term, a point also shared by team-mate Yasin Ben El-Mhanni.
“Our fans have been amazing,” said Gaston, 35.
“We had record season ticket sales of 1,500.
“A lot were bought on the back of last season’s success but they have stuck with us.
“They are watching us in big numbers at home and away.
“When you are down the bottom and losing it can be tough. At some clubs the fans would turn on you.
“That hasn’t been the case here.
“The fans can see we’re giving our all for the cause and back us during games.
“Any time we’ve had criticism or I’ve heard the odd boo it’s been thoroughly deserved. I’ve never once walked off the park thinking: ‘I can’t believe they are booing.'”
The clash with Morton will be the second of four Friday night games for Arbroath, with three featuring on TV.
And while it can have an impact on the day jobs of the part-time Arbroath players, Gaston insists they won’t let it impact on them.
He added: “We’ve got a lot of experienced players in our squad who know the drill.
“Arbroath are an ambitious club that wants to play in the Championship. There are going to be games moved for TV and games in midweek.
“You won’t catch anyone here moaning about playing a Friday.
“Yes, it can be a hassle for those who have to move shifts at work but when they step on to the park they give their all.
“We’ve actually got a really good record on Friday nights and it’s a great feeling to walk out in front of the lights at Gayfield.”
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