Gayfield Park

Gayfield Park stands on Arbroath’s seafront, west of the harbour, its pitch facing the North Sea. The ground has been home to Arbroath F.C. since 1880, though the pitch only moved to its present position in 1925 after the club reshaped the site. The stadium sits close to the shoreline, where winter winds sweep across the terraces. A single covered stand seats 861 people, while the rest of the ground is open terracing. The pitch measures 115 by 71 yards, smaller than many senior grounds. Floodlights were added in 1955 after years of evening matches under bare bulbs. The ground holds a British football record: in 1885 Arbroath beat Bon Accord 36–0 in the Scottish Cup. The club joined the Scottish Football League in 1921 and redeveloped the ground soon after. The main stand was rebuilt in 2002 after a fire in 1958 destroyed the previous structure. The record attendance of 13,510 came in 1952 when Rangers visited for a Scottish Cup tie. Recent work has refreshed the main entrance and shop while keeping the 1925 street wall intact. Visitors find a working football ground where the sea breeze sharpens the air. The covered Gayfield Stand offers the only seats, while the terraces ring the pitch. The South End terrace is named the pleasureland stand, and the North End has the bellrock buffet. Away fans usually occupy the pleasureland stand and part of the East Terrace. The ground’s cramped origins still shape its layout, with the original halfway line now a goal line.