Today I'm going back 4 years to 29th July 2017 and the Scottish League Cup Group Stage match between the Red Lichties of Arbroath and the Staggies of Ross County (I just love a good nickname).
In case you didn't know it, Ross County are based in Dingwall and are one of the most northerly senior professional clubs in Britain. I've not visited their home ground of Victoria Park yet but I understand that it's almost a 1,000 mile round trip from my home in Warwick so that'll be one to write home about when I finally take in a match there! Former Highland League members Ross County are something of a Johnny-come-lately club in Scotland in that they are not a traditional Scottish Professional league club having only joined the League in 1994 following an expansion of the top four leagues from 40 to 42 clubs. Since then Ross have achieved an extraordinary ascent through the Professional leagues and now find themselves in the very top Scottish league: the Scottish Premiership. During the past thirty years, Ross have also reached the Scottish FA Cup final in 2010 and they actually won the Scottish League Cup in 2016.
Arbroath are based on the East Coast of Scotland in Angus. When I say that they are based on the East Coast I really mean it. Their stadium, Gayfield Park is located right on the shoreline and surely must be one of the closest senior professional club grounds to the sea in Britain or anywhere else for that matter. When I went with my mate Welsh Les it was July and the weather was glorious but it's really not hard to imagine the same location on a freezing and windswept dark Saturday afternoon in December. I understand that, if the sea is being really whipped up by the wind, players taking a corner can get drenched by sea water if they are in the wrong place at the wrong time! With the benefit of the sunshine and a holiday atmosphere I can safely say that Gayfield Park is one of my top ten favourite football grounds.
Apparently Arbroath's Red Lichties nickname relates to a red light that was used to guide fishing boats back into harbour from the North Sea. Arbroath's other nickname relates to the purpose of those same boats. They are also known as The Smokies (Alice? Who the chuff is Alice?) on account of the local speciality: the Arbroath Smokie or locally smoked haddock. There are a number of smokie shops around the town. Whilst in Arbroath, we did manage to partake of a fish and chip supper and I'd contend that the haddock that I had that night was among the finest that I have ever tasted. Arbroath comes highly recommended by me and is a charming town with a pretty harbour to boot. Definitely somewhere that I'm aiming to return to someday.
In front of 702 sun drenched spectators, the game played out as a nil-nil draw although it was one of the better goalless draws that I have witnessed. As is the way of things at the Group Stage of the Scottish League Cup, the two sides set about the penalty shootout to determine who would pick up the extra point and Ross came out victorious 5-4. Something of a Group Stag victory eh?
CRB Match No. 2161
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