During the 2020–21 Scottish football season, Forfar Athletic F.C. competed in Scottish League One, the third tier of the Scottish football league system. It was the club's fourth season in the division after achieving promotion from Scottish League Two in the 2016–17 season. With a record of four wins, five draws, and thirteen losses, Forfar finished tenth and last in League One and were relegated to League Two for the 2021–22 season. The club entered the season with Stuart Malcolm as manager, but a poor run of results between December 2020 and April 2021 led to his resignation after seventeen months in charge. He was replaced by defender Gary Irvine, who was appointed on 9 April in a player-manager role for the rest of the season.