With Station Park like a boating lake, as melting snow lay on top of an icy surface, it was no surprise when the Loons' latest home league encounter against Stranraer failed a 1 pm inspection on Friday.

That means five Saturday home fixtures have been lost to the weather in what has been described as the worst situation of its kind since that really bad winter of 1963!

Club secretary David McGregor recalls that Forfar only played one game at Station Park in three months that particular season.

It was a Scottish Cup tie against Heart of Midlothian, Forfar losing out by three goals to one on a surface that resembled a beach, such had been the tonnage of sand that had been dropped on the pitch to allow the game to go ahead.

"We have had some bad winters since, but nothing quite so bad as 1963," added Mr McGregor.

However, the prolonged weather is taking its toll this time round, with a series of blank Saturday afternoons likely to hit the club in the pocket to the tune of around £10,000, when loss of hospitality and reduced midweek attendances are taken into the equation.

And the fixture pile-up means that Dick Campbell's men will be playing midweek footie almost to the end of the current campaign, with the home game against Stranraer - lost on Saturday - now scheduled for Tuesday, April 20, five days before the Loons head for Stair Park for their penultimate game of the campaign.

Of the 18 home games to be played this season, Forfar will play half of them in a 50-day spell.

The Loons are off to Annan Athletic for a re-arranged away fixture on Tuesday evening (tonight).

Dick Campbell's promotion-seeking troops have another important away day at East Stirlingshire this coming Saturday, and thereafter no fewer than nine of the 13 remaining matches will be at Station Park.