After two free hospos, Tony and I embark on our first paid hospitality experience. £40 a month in a pot since June and we have enough to pay for the £102 each to go to Gayfield. Brian Cargill is the man to get in touch with us about the day. He is ‘delighted’ that we are joining him and gives a polite reminder about a shirt and tie dress code with no jeans. He also asks for a little info about ourselves. Where we’re from and our reasons for the visit. I explain about our pot and our mission to experience a variety of football clubs’ hospitality’s, Starting in Angus. Arrival is 12:30 with full open bar until kick off and an hour after. 3 course meal also provided.

Getting to Arbroath is easy enough from Dundee. A few stops away on the train and a 10-minute walk to the stadium. We’re welcomed at the door by the host. Greeting us like we were being welcomed into his own home. Different from the other grounds, the lounge has long tables of 16. We’re put on the very end, facing each other next to a couple that Tony knew. A vet and a boy that employs vets to kill animals. Not convinced Tony’s previous interaction have been positive. The couple from Arbroath, work at food standard Scotland and had made a complaint to MSPs in the week prior against Tony’s team at work. They won the hospitality in a raffle. He’s been married before, she’s from Ukraine (I think) they have a dog. Once again, Tony does the pleasantry’s and I flick through the programme.

Drinks are offered straight away, and the host addresses the guests, explaining a little about the day and then introducing each table one by one. Most tables are occupied by sponsors or groups. Tony and I are introduced as Raith Rovers and Dundee Utd fans to a room of boos. It’s then shared that Tony is from Dundee and celebrating getting his tag off earlier on in the week. Cheeky banter from the host to at least one person in each group that sets the mood for the day. Our hospitality mission is also shared with the room.

First course is a curry soup. Interesting taste and served at 100 degrees but still nice. Games between courses included Heads or tails, seeing everyone standing up and predicting if the coin would toss heads or tails. Last one standing wins. Higher or lower where numbers were picked at random from a bag and if it was your table, someone guessed higher or lower in a Price is Right style game. Tony represented us when our number came out and failed on the bottom row of cards. Prizes for each game were vouchers for the bar. Plenty of cash was also put into envelopes for raffle tickets, guess the score and predict the time of the first goal. Main course was Steak Pie, the go to meal for football hospitality and dessert was definitely served but obviously not very memorable. Servers were very attentive, and drinks were regularly supplied. Catering to Tony’s no beer requests.

10 minutes before Kick-off and we are ushered up to our seats in the Cole brew Main Stand. Standard plastic stadium seats but with very little leg room. We were about 10 rows up from the side of the pitch, in line with the 18-yard box of one of the goals. Good view of at least one end of the pitch and you can still see the other end. Not far from the dugouts too.

Back down to the lounge at half time for a much-needed hot drink and a pie. Gayfield is by far the coldest stadium I have ever been to. Even in the summer months, there always seems to be a gale force wind coming from the sea. Closest football ground to water in the world apparently but when that water is The North Sea it makes Gayfield a Baltic wind tunnel. We’re confident we got the time of first goal correct and make small talk with Tony’s vet pals who seemed to have warmed to him more after a few drinks. Back up to the wind tunnel that is Gayfield for the second half.

Full time whistle and we head back down to the lounge for some speakers and more entertainment. Fraser Taylor, a young lad on loan from St Mirren, was voted man of the match by the match sponsors and appears for a quick question and answer and presented with his award. Manager David Gold also appears for a question and answer and gives an honest summary of the days poor Arbroath performance. Some tables, obviously Arbroath fans, question his footballing decisions and he confidently answers them, thanking everyone for coming. Prizes are then handed out for the pre match competitions. Myself and Tony successfully predicted the time of the first goal, 13 minutes, and are given a £10 drink voucher for the bar and a £20 drinks voucher for bar 1320, a top-quality pub in the centre of Arbroath. The voucher comes in the shape of an A4 piece of paper that needs to be folded at least 4 times to fit in our pocket. We have one more free drink and then use our £10 voucher to get another, while an auction takes place for the most random selection of prizes. A workies hard hat, a toilet seat and a tambourine all signed with an Arbroath sticker on it were just some of the things on offer. Ready to spend £20 on a tambourine, I’m left disappointed as it’s snapped up for £80!

We leave Gayfield with a final farewell to our vet mates and a handshake from the host who thanks us for coming. Although our hospitality experience is over, we have an A4 sheet of paper to use and set out for bar 1320. Conveniently it’s located around the corner from the train station, so we pop in for a drink. Apparently, we have to pay for a round first before using the voucher. We order a round, don’t pay for it, then produce the voucher when we order the second round. £20 voucher spent. On the way to the train station, we stop at ‘Best Kebab and Pizza place’ for something to eat on the way home. Unfortunately, we misjudge the preparation and cooking time of a chicken Iskender and miss the train. The bus station is around the corner though and we jump on the next bus, fresh kebab in hand.

All round an enjoyable day at Gayfield. Very entertaining and a fantastic fun atmosphere that even made a couple of frosted faced vet’s smile. The day lengthened by our expert selection of the time of the first goal and experience in bar 1320. A place I’ll only probably enter again if presented with another A4 golden ticket!

Ratings

Entertainment 5/5

Top entertainment from start to finish, games for everyone, prizes, and a fun raffle. Player and manager interviews too.

Hosting 5/5

It would take a lot to top Raith’s Graeme but the hosting here was great. Personal welcomes for all that attended and good ‘banter’ and humour from Brian.

Seating 2/5

Not a great view and very cold plastic seats.

Meal 3/5

A curry soup served at lava temperature. Descent Steak Pie. Cant remember the dessert but there definitely was one.

Half Time refreshments 3/5

Standard pie and tea, not a patch on the Dunfermline steak pie but enough to keep us ticking over from the 3-course meal from earlier.

Drinks 4/5

Free flowing anything you want drinks and great service.

Value for money 4/5

Number of drinks and quality of food, along with entertainment and enjoyment of the whole day, definitely provided value for money. Team sheet and programme also provided.

Total 26

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