Arbroath striker Bobby Linn may be a Dundee fan, but he’d love to see the Dark Blues join the Red Lichties in the Championship

It’s the outcome 99% of Dundee is dreading. But Bobby Linn admits he wants both city clubs in the Championship next year.

The Arbroath striker bagged 23 goals as the Red Lichties cruised to the League One title – just the third divisonal crown in their 140-year history.

With their place in next season’s Championship secure, today’s TV clash with Raith Rovers is set to be a party for the Arbroath fans.

But Dundee boy Linn – who started his career at Dens Park – insists the buzz of being a title-winner will be even better for him if next season involves plenty of all-Tayside tussles.

“It’s Dundee over United for me, and I’ve got a lot of friends that are Dundee fans,” said the Lichties stalwart.

“I started my career there, so I’ve got a massive soft spot for them.

“But being selfish, I want Dundee to come down – and I want Dundee United to stay down.

“I want Arbroath to get games against them next season because they would be huge.

“The buzz is already starting at work. Guys are saying: ‘Can you imagine playing against them?’.

“Also, look at the play-offs. You’ve got Forfar in there, and Montrose, so it could be Tayside taking over!”

After making 14 top league appearances for Dundee in his breakthrough season of 2003/04, the rest of Linn’s career has played out in the lower leagues.

Now aged 33, he is over the moon to be heading into the Championship for the first time since 2007.

But he insists he never gave up hope of climbing the leagues again.

“When you play, you never stop believing you can go higher,” he said.

““That’s still the case for me. But I never imagined it would be with Arbroath.

“You always look at full-time clubs at Championship level and think, ‘Is there a chance?’

“There have been whispers here and there over the years, but they’ve never really come to anything.

“So now the excitement is building for me because I’m going up there with a club I’ve spent six years with.

“There are going to be some big clubs and some big games in the Championship next season, and for us to get there is some achievement.

“And there’s no way we’re going up there to make up the numbers.

“Time will tell. But at the moment we’re going to enjoy the success because it doesn’t happen often.”

With six promotion campaigns to his name as a manager, Lichties boss Dick Campbell is a dugout legend.

For Linn, who has worked under plenty of gaffers across a 16-year career, his current manager has set a new benchmark.

“He’s the best I’ve worked under,” said Linn. “He’s old-school, he’s straight-up. If you’re not doing well he’ll tell you – and you’ll listen.

“Nowadays in football, sometimes managers and coaches try to complicate things.

“Dick has got one over on them for the old guard by winning this title.

“Everybody knows what he’s about. He’s a very demanding guy, but at the same time, he has given me some of the best laughs I’ve had in my life.”