It's the biggest night in Arbroath since
the Communards launched their 1998 comeback tour at the Town Hall.

A club who have dined out mercilessly on that world record 36-0 win against Bon Accord in the 1885 Scottish Cup have a chance to really set some party poppers spinning into the dappled Angus sky tonight.

No longer the fake Forfarians, or the mock Montrosians, tonight Arbroath can step out of those shadows as they run out for the first leg of their Division Three play-off Final at Gayfield Park. (Yes, you did hear that right.)

Their opponents? The mighty Stranraer. Few can forget how the Clayholers (yes, I know ..) tumbled out of Division Two last season, but they have an immediate chance to get back into the Scottish
elite-ish.

It's estimated that at least another 600 people will share my enthusiasm over tonight's fixture, but more than that, the Scottish Prem may be a laughing stock with their bizarre mini-divisions within divisions idea, yet seems further down the ladder there are some proper old-skool footy relegation and promotion issues in the mixer, with teams competing against teams of the higher division in play-offs in order to prove their worthiness of stepping up a division.

That's how it should be, Motty.

This prompts me to think of Chelsea bumming out, and David Pleat hot-stepping it across the pitch at Maine Road after his Luton boys pulled off a great escape back in the 80's.

It's an idea that should be brought back to the English game, and deserves a lot more thought.

But in the meantime, sod all that .. last one to the Gayfield buys the Jimmy Somerville tickets.

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