The Final Ground - Day Forty Two: Arbroath (Gayfield Park)

Arbroath v Queen's Park
Saturday 16th April
SFL Division 3

So it's with a tear in my eye that I write the final blog on what has been a most excellent adventure. Ground forty two of the forty two home grounds in the SPL and the SFL grounds. A journey that started way back on the 24th July 2010 with a trip to Balmoor Stadium in Peterhead to watch the home side thump Montrose 5 - 0 now ends with the slight chance that we could witness Arbroath win promotion to Division 2.

A few months ago, Emma and I were at a 30th birthday party for our friend Paul. At this party we were introduced to Stuart Malcolm, Malky to his mates. Malky, who just happens to be the Captain of Arbroath FC, was informed of my journey around the grounds and was intrigued to hear that our final scheduled ground was at his home ground. Unfortunately for him he had pulled his hamstring during the game earlier in the day but he promised to look out for us on arrival for the Queen's Park match.

For the first time this season I'll be doing the driving. As previously mentioned I got a new motor recently and it felt only right that I took on a journey to break it in and to give my dad a chance to enjoy the view out the window.

He still gets to decide what time we leave however and so I'm requested to meet him at Cramond at 12pm.

Yet again a huge thank you to Duncan Ferguson at Glenford Motors in Forfar for getting us tickets for the game. This time he's got us tickets for the Board Room at Gayfield Park and I'm intrigued to see what's on offer as I've been informed it's a strictly shirt and tie affair. No jeans. No trainers.

As is only fitting for the last of our trips I decide to rock up a good fifteen minutes later than the pre-arranged time. The idea is I'll manage to control the speed and we won't arrive with loads of time to spare.

Unfortunately once out on the open road the temptation to put the foot down in the new car is too strong and before you know it we're already north of Dundee and it's only 1.15pm.

Tam & Stuart's radio show has been shortened this week as both are off to Hampden to support their teams - Tam is a Motherwell supporter and Stuart's the St.Johnstone fan - in the Scottish Cup semi-final. The topics on discussion are Rangers FC, - their cash flow problems and their sectarian male voice choir - and the pitiful attendance at the aforementioned semi-final - only 11,000 odd tickets sold.

By the time we make our way along the seafront at Arbroath, Motherwell are well on their way to setting up (fingers crossed) a final against Aberdeen as they lead St.Johnstone three nil after the first half.

We find a parking space right on the seafront next to Pleasureland, the amusement arcade, and a wee pitch n putt course. Tempted by neither the 2p coin waterfall, (Emma's favourite by the way) or trying his putting on the miniature links course, my dad decides we'll wait in the car for a bit before heading over to the ground

We're interrupted from staring out the window at the great view of the North Sea in the sunshine by a call from Emma, wondering if we've made our way into the ground yet. When I tell her we're going to hold fire until half two she informs me that Malky has been on the hunt trying to find us as he's got a few memento's for us.

We lock up the motor and head over to the ground. With our Board Room tickets shown we're ushered in through the Player & Officials gate, up the stairs into the main stand and in to the Board Room. We're one of the first to arrive and straight away an old gent in his Club blazer appears and asks if we want a drink. Seeing as he has been released from the chore of driving my dad wastes no time and heads straight for the single malts. As I'm today's designated driver it's just an OJ for me.

Malky appears moments later and he explains that he thought we were in Hospitality and he presents us not only with a signed programme but also a signed football. Before I have the chance to get him to pose for a photo with my old man he explains that although his hamstring injury hasn't healed in time for him to play today he's got to get down and finish taking the players through their warm up.

Cheers for the gifts mate.

I leave my dad in the safe hands of the Arbroath board and head back to the car with my prize possessions. Before making my way back up the stairs I pop in to the Club shop to pick up one more pin badge for his collection.

By the time I get back to the Board room my dad is on to his second dram.

I accept the offer to buy a ticket or two for the half time draw in the hope that today will be the day I win big at the football.

We get chatting to a few of the other fellas in the room, two of whom are younger than myself and have been coming to Arbroath for as long as they can remember. One of them tells us that if results go there way today - i.e. Annan, Albion Rovers & Stranraer all lose and Arbroath win - they could get promoted today and we'll need to storm the pitch with him to celebrate.

Shortly before the game kicks off my dad informs me that he's starving so we decide that once we find seats in the Directors Box I'll nip off in search of for a pie. This will be the final chance for a team to break the hearts of those at Aberdeen, Albion Rovers and Raith Rovers for the Pie of the Year Award Season 2010/11.

As soon as I've purchased it I can tell it's going too be a dud. The topping is a totally different colour from the rest of the pie and it feels to moist, I like a crunchy pastry you see. Mine is so bad I can't finish it and I'm tempted to wrap it up in the napkins I have and dump it under the seat.

My dad on the other hand seems right into his and before I know it he's telling me not to throw mine away as he'll have it.

This is why, ladies and gentlemen, he has been the main scoring judge behind the Pie League this season. Only he can give even the pie the respect it deserves, he wants to taste the good, the bad and the ugly.

Only once this season have I had to over rule a points total and that was at his beloved Kilmarnock when he reckoned it was an 8.5 out of 10.

It wasn't.

As we take in the view off the pitch from our seats the stadium announcer welcomes 'David & Arnold Pattison to the ground as they make Gayfield Park their final stop on a visit to all home grounds in Scotland this season'.

He hopes we bring them luck.

I'm thankful he doesn't point us out just in case things go tits up and folks think we're a jinx.

There's a fair size crowd in for the game and both sets of fans are in good voice straight from the whistle. A section of the away support have come dressed for the weather as there is a mass of Hawaiian shirts and beach shorts on show.

Paul Sheerin, Arbroath Player-Manager, and the injured Stuart Malcolm, take their seats a few rows in front of us.

Both sides have early free kicks around the opponents penalty box and both are hit straight at the wall. Gavin Swankie, Arbroath, has the first real attempt on goal after ten minutes but his shot is saved easily by Adam Strain in the Queen's goal.

First comedy song of the day is sung by the Arbroath fans with 'We only sing when we're fishing'.

Just before twenty minutes a quick throw in by Queen's leads to a long pass to Daryl Meggatt and his left footed shot from twenty five yards goes just wide.

Swankie then tries his luck mid way through the half with a free kick that grazes the top of the crossbar.

Looking across to our right we can see that there a few folks in the hospitality seats who seem to have indulged heavily in the pre match entertainment as they're up on their feet to shout praise / abuse at whoever they think deserves it. We're even treated to the sight of a young bloke pulling his trousers down to show his mates his new tattoo on his arse cheeks. and the bloke fast asleep a few rows down. He already looks worse for wear.

A Martin McBride free kick for Queen's Park is floated in to the box where it's flicked goal wards Jamie Longworth and it takes a great diving save from Darren Hill to tip it round the post for a corner.

The goal does come however moments later when an Arbroath defender only kicks fresh air in an attempt to clear the ball, it bounces directly in to the path of Craig Smith, who from twenty yards out cracks a shot in to the bottom right corner.

Sheerin, although not very noisy, is raging and he's soon on his way down to bark instructions to the dug-out. Malcolm on the other hand shouts words of encouragement to his team mates.

He too might have had a few choice words to say minutes later if Longworth had managed to beat the keeper from the edge of the box. Hill, in goal, did well though to race out and narrow the angle.

The Queen's Park Directors are upset with the in-experience shown by Ricky Little as he chopped down a Arbroath player in a dangerous position five minutes before the half time whistle. You can only imagine how much more they're upset when the resulting free kick is met by the unmarked Keith Gibson to head downwards and through the keepers legs to make it one all.

Half time.

Making our way back in to the Board room we're delighted to see the spread on offer from Arbroath. Not only do we have plenty of tea, coffee and pies, we also get sausage rolls, sandwiches and a brilliant selection of cakes & pastries. Sorry Emma but the healthy eating plan went out the window when faced with such tasty snacks.

Catching the half time scores on the box and it looks like the other games are going in the home sides favour. It also transpires that Queen's Park with a victory today could join in the hunt for a play off place. It's all to play for in the second half.

Making our way back to our seats and the first thing we notice is that both sets of supporters have only gone and swapped ends. To do this they must have walked right through one and other and all without any trouble. It really is much more relaxed watching football in these lower divisions.

The blokes from the Hospitality Lounge are really slow to emerge and the game's kicked off before they all take their seats.

Two minutes in to the half and Josh Falkingham has a shot on target brilliant blocked by a Queen's defender. Two minutes later though and the home side go two one up through a scrambled effort inside the box when Craig Wedderburn lashes the ball home from five yards.

Arbroath almost gift Queen's Park the equaliser as a defenders clearance hits the back of a team mate and bounces back towards goal and Hill has to race from his line to beat Longworth to the ball.

Longworth went close on the hour mark with a shot that goes just wide.

The away side almost went a further goal down with some comedy defending, the keeper tried to punch a cross clear but only managed to smack it straight in to a team mates face and it rebounds goal wards and it takes a goal line clearance to spare the blushes.

With twenty minutes to go the home fans are outraged when Lee Sibanda is booked for what looked like a clean challenge. Some of those in the seats to our right are on their feet unhappy with the referee's performance and a jobs worth steward is on to them in a flash demanding that they return to their seats and keep the noise down. Honestly, he asked them to keep the noise down. At a football match.

The impressive Swankie breaks free from his defender and cut in of the wing on to his left foot and his curling shot is well saved by Strain.

Whispers go round the ground that Annan Athletic & Stranraer are both losing. If things stay the same Arbroath will be going up.

Queen's Park through a spanner in the celebrations with twelve minutes to go. A quick ball out of defence is played down the wing to substitute Ian Watt, his ball in to the middle looks a cert to be taken by the Hill, in goal, but inexcusably he bottles the challenge with Longworth and all he manages to do is drop the ball at the strikers feet. Longworth can't believe his luck as he strokes the ball in to an empty net.

Sheerin is raging.

The bloke sat beside us states it's the only mistake the keeper has made all season, what a time to make it.

Right at the death Kieran McAnespie nearly sneaks the three points for the home side but it finishes two all.

All in all it's the fair result. The Arbroath faithful around us don't seem too upset and we soon learn that this result means that they will now have the chance to win promotion and the title next week when local rivals 'Scumtrose' - that's Montrose to you and I - come to town.

We decide not to head straight back down the road and head back up for a final word with the blokes in the board room. My dad indulges in another wee dram and I help myself to some more cake. We say our thanks to the Arbroath staff and head back into the sunshine and back to the car with the journey of forty two grounds now complete.

Outside the ground I come over emotional like and offer my hand to my father and thank him for a great season. Couldn't have and probably wouldn't have done it without him.

Dad just wanted to sat thanks for putting the plan together, for doing almost all of the driving and for making this season such a great advenutre.

You've taken me to watch football for as long as I can remember, you sacrificed going to watch Kilmarnock to drive me to watch Aberdeen in the 80's and to watch Scotland. We've seen some great games across the years including the Scotland v Argentina game, with a fresh faced 17 year old Diego Maradona playing and the two cup finals that year when Aberdeen beat Hearts and Hibs 4 -1 in the Skol and Scottish Cup - that was such a good year to be an Aberdeen fan in living and going to school in Edinburgh.

I hope we get the chance to extend our number of grounds visited for years to come. How's that schedule for next season's European Derby's coming on?

The Statistics:

Ticket: Adult £15, Concession £8

Programme: £1.50

Attendance: 912

Pie: £1.40

Pie marks: 6.5/10

Mileage: 141 miles

Final Score: Arbroath 2 v Queen's Park 2

Man of the Match: Dad - Gavin Swankie (Arboath) Me - Gavin Swankie (Arbroath)

Fascinating fact of the day: Gayfield Park is the closest football ground to the sea anywhere in Europe.

Finally after some deliberation I've decided to wait until the play-off's come around for SFL 2 & 3 to see if I'll go to another game this season. My dad on the other hand is off to watch Stenhousemuir at home on Saturday plus he's another three Kilmarnock home games to go to.

If not there's still our Divison 3 highlights to come, the break down of the highs and lows of season 2010-11 and of course we'll be naming our Top Pie of the Year winner.

Thanks for your support and comments over the last ten months.