Dick Campbell leaves Arbroath as second-longest serving manager in SPFL calls time on reign in shock move
DICK CAMPBELL has LEFT Arbroath, ending his tenure as one of the SPFL's longest-serving managers.
The Scottish football cult hero has stepped down from his position at Gayfield after seven years at the helm.
His reign was the second-longest in the SPFL, behind Spartans' Dougie Samuel.
Ironically, it was he who inflicted the final defeat of Campbell's time in charge of Arbroath.
After losing 2-1 to Spartans in the Scottish Cup today, Arbroath said in a statement: “Arbroath Football Club can confirm this evening that Manager Dick Campbell, Assistant Manager Ian Campbell and coaches Robert Douglas and John Young have stepped down from their positions.
“Having joined the club in 2016, they have served Arbroath Football club with distinction over the past seven years bringing many successes to the club, including the League 2 and League 1 championships, and led the club to their fifth successive season of Championship football at Gayfield.
“The club wishes to place on record, it’s sincere gratitude to Dick, Ian, Robert and John for all their wonderful efforts and service to Arbroath FC during arguably one of the most successful periods in the Club’s history and wish them all the very best in the future.
“A further statement shall be released in due course.”
The Red Lichties are currently second from bottom in the Scottish Championship, having lost their last four league games on the bounce.
Alongside those defeats was a sickening loss to the New Saints in the Challenge Cup by a 4-1 scoreline.
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Campbell almost made history with Arbroath in the 2021-22 season when he led them to the brink of automatic promotion, only to be pipped by Kilmarnock right at the death.
The subsequent play-off run ended in heartache, where they lost to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on penalties (who were then beaten by St Johnstone).
Campbell famously kept his players on part-time contracts and would've been the first part-time team in the modern top flight had they achieved promotion.
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