It’s a new season, a new dawn and the sun is shining brightly as Arbroath, Montrose, Brechin and Forfar once again dream of success.
But what does ‘success’ look like for our Angus clubs?
Will it be ‘survival-first’ for Arbroath? Is this the year where Montrose make the step up to the Championship?
Can Forfar bounce back to League One and will Brechin make a welcome return to the SPFL?
Courier Sport has got you covered with this preview for season 2023/24:
All-change in Arbroath attack
Once again, recruitment has been a buzzword around Arbroath this summer.
Boss Dick Campbell has openly and regularly conceded that his signings this time last year weren’t good enough.
But after clinching a fifth successive season in the Championship, Arbroath have worked very hard – supported heavily by head of recruitment Barry Sellars – to add to the squad.
Eight new players have come in, with a completely new strikeforce.
Ex-Dundee hitman Leighton McIntosh, former MK Dons youngster Jay Bird and German striker Kenan Dunnwald-Turan have all arrived at Arbroath.
McIntosh is a worker, Bird has great feet and an eye for goal and Turan is a capable targetman.
There will, however, be a lot of pressure on the trio do deliver goals for a side that were only second to Peterhead in the scoring stakes in the SPFL last term.
In midfield, ex-Kilmarnock and Partick Thistle star Craig Slater looks a solid addition from Forfar and Jess Norey – making the step up from the ninth tier of English football – has raw potential.
Winger Mark Stowe has caught the eye in pre-season games with his
Defender Aaron Steele has impressed significantly with his athleticism, sharp defending and long throw.
And keeper Ali Adams is very comfortably with the ball at his feet.
Loyal Lichties
It’s easy to see why the players have been signed but will they gel?
With the squad maintaining the core of players who have seen them through their rise to becoming an established Championship side – minute departed legend Bobby Linn – there’s still quality at Gayfield.
Loyal Lichtie Ricky Little has just had his testimonial, a year after Linn’s with David Gold and Colin Hamilton up next.
Tam O’Brien, Michael McKenna and Derek Gaston – chasing a club clean sheet record – are all key players.
When the going gets tough, they’ll get going.
But Arbroath fans, who will back their side with more than 1,000 season ticket sales, will be hoping it’s not down to the final day before their league status is secured again.
New signings: Ali Adams, Aaron Steele, Craig Slater, Jay Bird, Jess Norey, Kenan Dunnwald-Turan, Leighton McIntosh, Mark Stowe, Jermaine Hylton.
Predicted finish: 6th to secure sixth successive season in Championship
Montrose’s moment to shine?
The parallels between Montrose and Arbroath are there for all to see.
Two clubs with incredibly strong links to their local communities, an engaged support and ambitions of establishing themselves within the Championship.
Chairman John Crawford has already told Courier Sport his club does have ambitions of going higher.
Montrose have invested in their team this summer by breaking their transfer record for the second successive season to secure Kane Hester.
Hester’s partnership with Rory McAllister could be pivotal to Montrose’s hopes of the play-offs or, whisper it, the League One title.
Like Arbroath, loyalty has been the bedrock of the Links Park club’s success.
Terry Masson enjoyed his testimonial last year and it’s Paul Watson’s turn this time. Graham Webster and Andrew Steeves will follow.
Masson should also become the record appearance holder at Montrose, overtaking goalkeeping coach David Larter.
But any suggestions that Masson is being held onto for sentimental value should be dispelled right now.
Masson is a class act, a real driving force in midfield, and Watson’s a solid contributor on and off the park.
At 40, Sean Dillon may be in the twilight of his career but he’s capable of cruising through games.
On a weekend of shocks, Montrose had their say!
Rory McAllister sealing victory over St. Mirren 💥#ViaplayCup | @MontroseFC pic.twitter.com/4zqH4TH8hl
— SPFL (@spfl) July 17, 2023
In Cammy Gill, Montrose have signed a keeper who can win them points, behind an experienced Ryan Williamson and Aberdeen loanee Evan Towler.
Montrose are building a squad based on potential, experience and talent and they could well be dark horses in League One this year.
New signings: Ali Shrive, Cammy Gill, Craig Batchelor, Evan Towler, Kane Hester and Ryan Williamson.
Predicted finish: 2nd, promoted to Championship via play-offs
Flying Forfar to fight for title?
Forfar’s biggest summer challenge was holding onto Ray McKinnon as boss.
McKinnon held talks with Forest Green but ultimately returned to Angus 24 hours before the departure of his close ally Duncan Ferguson as boss.
There’s no doubt the uncertainty over McKinnon would have been unsettling.
But it hasn’t at all translated to the pitch.
Forfar’s pre-season has been superb and McKinnon has assembled a side blessed with energy, movement and ambition.
There are a plethora of young players who are keen to bounce back to full-time football after leaving clubs like Aberdeen and Dundee United.
And they have all bought into McKinnon being their starmaker.
McKinnon knows what it takes to win the League Two title, having done so with Queen’s Park and this could well be their year.
New signings: Adam Hutchinson, Darren Watson, Finn Robson, Josh Skelly, Kieran Inglis, Mark Whatley, Matty Allan, Ryan Paterson, Stuart Morrison and Zach Paris.
Predicted finish: 1st, promoted to League One
Brechin bouncing back to SPFL?
When Brechin were relegated out of the SPFL in 2021, there were grave fears over what the future held.
Faced with challenging, lengthy journeys across the Highlands, there were fears that crowds would dip and engagement levels with the club would plummet.
Not so.
The arrival of Kevin Mackie as a forward-thinking chairman has transformed Brechin’s fortunes.
The club is community-focused, with tremendous buy-in from local business – as demonstrated by the recent ground sponsorship deal with Carnegie Fuels.
More importantly, the fans are turning up in their droves.
Record season ticket sales are expected for a side that welcomed over 2,000 fans their pyramid play-off with Spartans.
And they took almost 1,000 to Buckie to see them win the Highland League title.
The ambition and professionalism shown by Brechin, including travel in a luxury coach to away games, is to be commended.
And the title celebrations in Buckie and at Glebe Park will live long in the memory of Brechin fans.
But, ultimately, they fell short of their stated ambition – of returning to the SPFL.
The Highland League will be no cakewalk this year and winning the title itself brings little in the way of financial rewards.
They should, however, have enough quality to get over the line and – this time – win their place back in the SPFL.
New signings: Chris Mudie, Ewan White, Jamie McCabe, Lewis Martin, Seth Patrick, Spencer Moreland.
Predicted finish: 1st, promoted via pyramid play-offs
