Falkirk striker Dowds joins Arbroath on loan

Anton Dowds has joined Arbroath on loan (Pic: Micheal Gillen)

The 24-year-old will move up a division to the Championship side until at least January 2022, but may stay for the rest of the season.

He first made his name after impressing for East of Scotland League side Heriot-Watt University.

Dowds was at the Edinburgh side for four years whilst studying International Business and Business Law and scored an astonishing 50 goals in season 2017/18.

His form earned him a move to East Fife where he scored 12 goals in 42 appearances in his first full season in senior football, finishing the season as their top scorer.

In all he scored 19 goals in 57 starts for the Fifers and moved to Falkirk last summer.

But with the stop-start nature of the season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dowds found his game time restricted and made just ten starts for the Bairns in League One.

The Edinburgh-born hitman has also struggled for game time under new boss Paul Sheerin – playing just 89 minutes for Falkirk since the season started.

Since joining the Bairns in 2020, Dowds has made 25 appearances for the club, including matches against both Rangers and Celtic in cup competitions, scoring three goals.

Arbroath boss Dick Campbell says Dowds – who played against Arbroath last season in the Scottish Cup at Gayfield – will go straight into the Red Lichties’ squad for their home match against Partick Thistle in the Championship this Saturday.

The Gayfield gaffer said he had been on the hunt for a striker to fill the void left by another Arbroath loanee, Jack Hamilton, who has returned to his parent club, Livingston.

Campbell said: “Anton is on loan until January with a view to taking him on for the whole season.

"Anton’s a player I’ve always liked, big boy, quick, probably under achieving actually.

"What’s the difference between potential and reality is realising your potential.”

He added: "The fans will love him because he’s a big robust player."

A Falkirk spokesman said Dowds goes to Gayfield with the club’s best wishes.

He said: “We wish Anton all the best for his loan spell and look forward to welcoming him back to the Falkirk Stadium in the new year.”