Inside the Arbroath fairytale as Scott Stewart says Dick Campbell is keeping top flight talk to a minimum

Scott Stewart can’t even think about it.

If his mind wanders to Ibrox, Celtic Park, Tynecastle or Pittodrie, he quickly has to stop himself from imagining it.

Let alone talking about it.

Not least because there will be hell to pay if his gaffer Dick Campbell finds out that he’s getting ideas above his station.

But it’s tough for any Arbroath player not to dream after Friday night’s win over Championship title favourites Kilmarnock sent them further clear at the top.

That’s what you’re supposed to do as a footballer, right?

And for every part-time player at Gayfield, it’s almost impossible not to wonder what might be achievable this season.

Stewart, son of former Airdrie stalwart Sandy, is a PE teacher at Trinity High School.

But on a matchday he’s one of Campbell’s key cogs in the Arbroath engine room and Stewart was named man of the match in that massive win over Killie at Gayfield.

If the Red Lichties get promoted to the Premiership it will be one of the greatest stories in our game’s long, rich history.

Given their resources, they have no right to be challenging for a place in the top flight.

But they look odds-on to be in the mix come May.

And as much as Stewart & Co. might want to think about playing at the big stadiums, in front of big crowds next season, their manager won’t let them.

Until now, the secret to Arbroath’s success has been as much about their humility as their ability.

Stewart almost has to check himself if he feels he’s in danger of getting carried away.

He told MailSport : “All of a sudden at Christmas time we found ourselves top of the league.

“We were thinking: ‘What’s going on here?’

“At the start of the season, everyone thought we were just having a wee purple patch.

“But we’ve just