Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the city of Dunfermline, Fife. Founded in 1885, the club currently play in Scottish League One after being relegated from the 2021–22 Scottish Championship. Dunfermline play at East End Park, are nicknamed The Pars and are currently managed by James McPake.
| Full name | Dunfermline Athletic Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Pars |
| Founded | 2 June 1885[1] |
| Ground | East End Park Dunfermline Fife |
| Capacity | 11,480[2] |
| Chairman | David Cook |
| Manager | James McPake |
| League | Scottish League One |
| 2021–22 | Scottish Championship, 9th of 10 (relegated via play-offs) |
| Website | Club website |
| Current season | |
The Pars' most successful period was in the 1960s, when the side won the Scottish Cup twice, in 1961 and 1968 under the management of Jock Stein and George Farm respectively. The club regularly played European football in this period, reaching the semi-finals of the 1968–69 European Cup Winners' Cup under Farm.
The club have played at East End Park since their formation in 1885; however, the pitch they initially played at – also known as East End Park – was slightly west of the present stadium.[1]
After a period of relative success in the 2000s marked by appearances in three major finals (the 2004 Scottish Cup Final, the 2006 Scottish League Cup Final and the 2007 Scottish Cup Final), all of which were lost against Celtic. Dunfermline were relegated to the First Division in 2007. The club then encountered financial problems and, in April 2013, applied for and was granted full administration at the Court of Session in Edinburgh,[3] and in October 2013, the fan group Pars United assumed control of the club.[4]
History
Beginning (1885–1959)
Dunfermline Football Club was formed in 1874, when members of Dunfermline Cricket Club decided to establish a football section, with the intention of maintaining fitness during the winter.[1] A dispute over club membership caused some members to split away from Dunfermline Cricket Club, which resulted in the creation of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club on 2 June 1885. The club became the principal football club in Dunfermline and their first twenty-five years saw them compete primarily as an amateur team, until they turned professional in 1899.[5] The club first entered into the Scottish Football League in 1912 where they took part in the Scottish Division Two. The fifty years following the club's admittance to the SFL saw little success, with the side most frequently playing in the second tier, with occasional appearances in the top flight.
Stein and Farm (1960–1970)
Dunfermline's finest period came during the sixties. After being appointed manager on 14 March 1960 and saving the club from relegation to Scottish Division Two, Jock Stein – in his first managerial appointment – guided the Pars to their first major piece of silverware, winning the Scottish Cup in 1961 after just thirteen months in charge.
The years which followed saw Dunfermline consistently competing in European competitions, reaching the semi-finals of the 1968–69 European Cup Winners' Cup under George Farm. Although they lost by one goal on aggregate to eventual winners Slovan Bratislava, it remains the greatest achievement in Dunfermline's history.[6] This followed Farm managing Dunfermline to their second Scottish Cup victory, winning the competition in 1968.
Since 1970
After a period of decline during the 1970s and much of the 1980s, the club returned to the top tier in 1987 under club legend Jim Leishman, although they were subsequently relegated after just one season. The following years saw a similar pattern, with a handful of promotions and relegations throughout the 1990s. It was during this period that the club were rocked by the loss of club captain Norrie McCathie, who died on 8 January 1996 by carbon monoxide poisoning.[7]
The appointment of John Yorkston as chairman and the involvement of Gavin Masterton in 1999[8] saw the club enter a period of resurgence, with two Scottish Cup final appearances in 2004 and 2007, a Scottish League Cup final in 2006, as well as two short-lived excursions in the UEFA Cup in 2004 and 2007. In 2012 it emerged that the club had a number of outstanding tax bills with HMRC[9] following the financial mismanagement of the football club by Yorkston and Masterton. The club were put into administration on 11 April 2013[10] and after a points deduction, were relegated to the third tier for the first time since 1986.
The club were then taken over by the fans group Pars United,[11] and after three years in the League One, eventually won promotion back to the Scottish Championship under manager Allan Johnston.[12] Former striker Stevie Crawford was appointed head coach at the beginning of 2019,[13] following a restructure that introduced Jackie McNamara as technical consultant and Greg Shields as assistant head coach.[14]
The club launched its Hall of Fame in 2004, initially with nine inductees. 50 individuals (ranging from players and managers to kit managers and the club historian) and two team groups (the 1960s cup winners) were members as of 2019.[15]
Colours and badge
For much of Dunfermline's history their home colours have been black and white striped shirts, with black shorts and black socks, though recently they have worn white shorts and white socks. From the club's formation in 1885 until 1901, the club's home colours were a plain maroon shirt with either navy or white shorts and either maroon, white or grey socks.[16] The club then went through a period between 1901 and 1909 when their kits were blue.[16] The club first wore their now well-known black-and-white-striped shirts in 1909 and have worn these colours every year apart from the 1971–72 season, when they wore all white, the 2004–05 season, when they wore a white shirt with a single black stripe running down the left side of the shirt and during the 2007–08 season, in which they wore an all-white shirt with black shorts and white socks.[16] For the 2008–09 season, the Pars reverted to their well-known black-and-white stripes resembling the kit they wore for the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons.
Conversely, there has been no consistent colour or design of the club's away strips. Since the start of the new millennium, the club have most regularly had red kits of varying design; for example, the 2004–2005 away strip consisted of vertical red and black lines, whereas the 2016–17 kit was mostly red, with four horizontal lines of red, white and black across the chest. However, away kit designs have not been exclusively red, with the club having also had kits of purple, blue and yellow, as well as black, as was the case during the 2005–06 season.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1977–1980 | Bukta | none |
| 1980–1983 | Braisby Roofing | |
| 1983–1986 | Rennie | |
| 1986–1988 | Umbro | Aluglaze |
| 1988–1989 | Thomson's World of Furniture | |
| 1989–1992 | Landmark | |
| 1992–1994 | Hummel | |
| 1994–1996 | Matchwinner | |
| 1996–1997 | Le Coq Sportif | |
| 1997–1999 | Avec | |
| 1999–2000 | Auto Windscreens | |
| 2000–2001 | TFG | |
| 2001–2005 | RAC Auto Windscreens | |
| 2005–2007 | The Purvis Group[17] | |
| 2007–2008 | Adidas | |
| 2008–2012 | Puma | |
| 2012–2015 | Joma | |
| 2015– | SRJ Windows[18][19] |
The current Dunfermline Athletic club badge design was created in 1957 by Colin Dymock, an art teacher at Dunfermline High School. It was allegedly inspired by one of Dymock's mysterious nightmares.[20] The "DAFC" represents the initials of the club, Dunfermline Athletic Football Club, whilst the tower is a representation of Malcolm Canmore's Tower. The tower was adopted by the town of Dunfermline to be used for the Burgh Arms and old seals. Malcolm Canmore was King of Scotland from 1057 to 1093, and made his residence in Dunfermline within what is now Pittencrieff Park. The park is represented by the stormy, ghostly blue and black night scene behind the tower, including the park's infamous hanging tree. The green area at the bottom of the crest is meant to represent the club's stadium, East End Park. Whilst the badge has been in use since the 1950s, it has undergone a number of alterations since its original incarnation, with the most recent adjustments in 2011 altering the outlines, font and colours of the logo.
Nickname
This section possibly contains original research. (January 2022) |
According to Black and White Magic, a 1984 book about the club by Jim Paterson and Douglas Scott, there are numerous theories as to the origin of the club's nickname, the Pars. The authors wrote:
"Most tend to confirm the more common belief that the name arose from the team's parallel striped shirts, their drinking habits or their style of play. The latter were both described as "paralytic". The earliest theory claims that in the early days when the Football Club was closely connected with the Cricket Club, the footballers were renowned for their performances at the bar and so were called the "Paralytics".
However, in the early 1900s it is known that Athletic's nickname was the "Dumps" – shortened from Dunfermline – and this is said to have been coined by English sailors visiting East End Park when their ship docked at Rosyth. After World War I they were known as the Pars and some believe the parallel black and white stripes to be the reason. Another school of thought involves English workers who came to work at the armaments depot at Crombie and at Rosyth Dockyard; they kept their association with their local team by forming the Plymouth Argyle (Rosyth) Supporters Club and it is said that the Dunfermline nickname comes from the banners in evidence around the ground."
Another view, which holds water with the older supporters is that the name derives from the word 'Parr' which is a juvenile salmon with dark vertical markings.
Club culture
Songs
Like other football clubs, Dunfermline has a number of songs and anthems. A popular song, and the anthem to which the team runs out is "Into The Valley" by local band "The Skids". Since the 1950s the crowd have left the ground after the game to the tune of "The Bluebell Polka" by Jimmy Shand and his band. After Dunfermline score a goal at East End Park, the chorus of The Dave Clark Five's Glad All Over is played.
Rivalries
Dunfermline Athletic have traditional rivalries with local sides Cowdenbeath and Raith Rovers as well as contesting the Kincardine Derby with near neighbours, Falkirk. They have also participated regularly in the Fife Cup since their formation in 1885, winning the competition more than thirty times, most recently during the 2006–07 season.
In popular culture
In the STV television detective drama Taggart, the writer and Dunfermline fan, Stuart Hepburn used the names of the 1968 Scottish cup winning side for the characters in a 2003 episode.[21]
Notable managers and players
Managers
- George Farm; FA Cup winner in 1953 with Blackpool; Scotland international goalkeeper who managed Dunfermline to their highest achievement, the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup during the 1968–69 season.
- Jim Leishman; former player and manager for the club, currently Provost of Fife.
- Jock Stein; former manager of the club and former manager of Celtic and the Scotland national team.
Players
- Owen Coyle; former player, former manager of Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic, Houston Dynamo and Blackburn Rovers.
- Alex Ferguson; former player and former manager of Manchester United.
- Norrie McCathie; club captain who had played for Dunfermline Athletic for 15 years. Died whilst with the club and has a stand at East End Park stadium named after him.
- David Moyes; former player, former manager of Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland, and West Ham United.
Players
First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
On loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Club captains since 1985
| Period | Captain | Vice-captain |
|---|---|---|
| 1985–1988 | Bobby Robertson | |
| 1988–1996 | Norrie McCathie | |
| 1996–1998 | Craig Robertson | |
| 1998–1999 | Andy Smith | |
| 1999–2000 | Andy Tod[24] | |
| 2000–2002 | Ian Ferguson | |
| 2002–2007 | Scott M. Thomson | |
| 2007–2009 | Scott Wilson[25] | Stephen Glass[25] |
| 2009–2010 | Stephen Glass[26] | |
| 2010–2012 | Austin McCann[26] | |
| 2012–2013 | Jordan McMillan[27] | Josh Falkingham |
| 2013–2014 | Josh Falkingham[28] Andy Geggan[29] | Josh Falkingham[29] |
| 2014–2015 | Josh Falkingham[30] | Gregor Buchanan[30] |
| 2015–2017 | Callum Fordyce[31][note 1] & Andy Geggan[32][33] | |
| 2017–2018 | Callum Morris[34] | Sean Murdoch[citation needed] |
| 2018–2019 | Lee Ashcroft[35] | |
| 2019–2020 | Paul Paton[36] | Lee Ashcroft[36] |
| 2020–2021 | Euan Murray[37] | Ryan Dow[37] |
| 2021–2022 | Graham Dorrans[38] | |
| 2022–present | Kyle Benedictus[39] | Chris Hamilton |
- note 1 Fordyce was initially appointed club captain for the 2015–16 season, however, after suffering a severe leg-break in September 2015,[40] Andy Geggan was given the captain's armband for the remainder of the season. The two are considered co-captains for the season, with both having lifted the Scottish League One trophy together at the end of the season.[41]
Management
Club officials
Backroom staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | James McPake[44] |
| Assistant manager | Dave MacKay[45] |
| Goalkeeping coach | Alan Main |
| Technical Consultant | Jackie McNamara[13] |
| Head of Academy – Operations | Bill Hendry |
| Head of Academy – Football | Greg Shields |
| Physiotherapist | Tommy Scanlon |
| Video analyst | Dave Honeyman |
| Kitman | Mo Hutton |
| Kit Co-ordinator | Sammi Connell |
| Assistant Kit Coordinator | Ian Kirk |
Board of directors
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman Chief Executive Officer | David Cook |
| Vice Chairman | Billy Braisby |
| Director | Bob Garmory |
| Director | Ian Hunter |
| Director | Drew Main |
| Director | Thomas Meggle |
| Director | Nicholas Teller |
| Financial Director | Stephen Taylor |
| Club Ambassador | Jim Leishman |
Managers
Achievements
Honours
Major honours
Minor honours
- Scottish Championship, second tier:
- Scottish League One, third tier:
- Scottish Challenge Cup:
Club records
- Highest home attendance: 27,816 vs Celtic, 30 April 1968[5][51]
- Highest home European attendance: 26,000 vs West Brom, European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals, 15 January 1969[52]
- Biggest league win: 11–2 vs. Stenhousemuir, 1930
- Biggest league defeat: 10–0 vs. Dundee, 22 March 1947
- Biggest all-time defeat: 17–2 vs. Clackmannan, Midland League, 1891
- Most capped player: Andrius Skerla, 84 for Lithuania 2000–2005
- Most appearances: Norrie McCathie, 576 (497 league), 1981–1996
- Most career goals: Charlie Dickson, 212 (154 league), 1955–1964
- Record transfer fee paid: £540,000 to Girondins de Bordeaux for Istvan Kozma, 9 August 1989[53]
- Record transfer fee received: £650,000 from Celtic for Jackie McNamara, 4 October 1995[54]
European record
See also
References
- ^ a b c "History: 1985 to 1959". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- ^ "Dunfermline's move into full administration unopposed". BBC Sport. 11 April 2013. from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- ^ "Dunfermline: Pars United assumes control of club". BBC Sport. from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Key dates in the club's history". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ McLean, Kirk. "Legends – George Farm". Queen of the South FC. from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ McKie, John (10 January 1996). "Police investigate death of Scottish football stalwart – News". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ Dunkerley, Stephen (2015). Into the Valley: an East End odyssey. Dunfermline. pp. 99–103.
- ^ Wilson, Richard (14 March 2013). "Liquidation threat grows as Dunfermline braced for winding up order from HMRC". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ "Dunfermline's move into full administration unopposed". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 April 2013. from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ "Dunfermline: Pars United assumes control of club". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 October 2013. from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ a b McLaughlin, Brian (26 March 2016). "Dunfermline 3–1 Brechin City". BBC Sport. BBC. from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Dunfermline: Stevie Crawford appointed head coach". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 January 2019. from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ^ Roache, Ian (10 January 2019). "Jackie McNamara named Dunfermline's new consultant as Stevie Crawford is appointed permanent boss". The Courier. from the original on 11 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ Hall Of Fame 7 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Dunfermline Athletic FC
- ^ a b c "Dunfermline Athletic-Kit History". from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2008.
- ^ "Purvis Group extend sponsorship". dafc.co.uk. 10 April 2012. from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ^ "DAFC and SRJ Windows". dafc.co.uk. 2 July 2015. from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "DAFC & SRJ Windows extend partnership agreement". dafc.co.uk. 19 February 2018. from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ "Club Badge". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
- ^ Radio Times magazine, 18–24 September 2010, page 112
- ^ "First Team". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "U20s". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ Dunkerley, Stephen (2015). Into the Valley: an East End odyssey. Dunfermline. p. 105.
- ^ a b "Squad for Austria". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 2 July 2008. from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Dunfermline name Austin McCann as new skipper". Daily Record. Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail. 4 June 2010. from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ^ "Dunfermline: Threat to players' jobs concerns Jordan McMillan". BBC Sport. BBC. from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ "Josh Falkingham". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ a b "New recruits for the PST". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ a b "2015-02-12 Dunfermline Athletic Supports Council minutes". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "Leading the way". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 6 August 2015. from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
- ^ "Captaincy is big thing for Geggs". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 2 October 2015. from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
- ^ "Dunfermline captain Andy Geggan says referee Crawford Allan admitted to blunders in match against Inverness". Dunfermline Press. Newsquest. 28 July 2016. from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ^ Hart, Ross (6 July 2017). "New Dunfermline Athletic skipper Callum Morris on the honour of being made captain". Dunfermline Press. Newsquest. from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ Collin, Iain (26 July 2018). "Lee Ashcroft 'fits the bill perfectly' as Allan Johnston names ex-Kilmarnock defender as new Dunfermline captain". Deadline News. Capital City Press. from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Club captain appointed". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 18 July 2019. from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Captain and vice-captain appointed". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 9 August 2020. from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ "Dunfermline club captain revealed as John Hughes hails home-grown heroes". from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- ^ https://twitter.com/officialdafc/status/1565716426748567552 5 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine[bare URL]
- ^ "Callum's long break". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 19 September 2015. from the original on 10 February 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ^ "Dunfermline 1 Peterhead 0". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 30 April 2016. from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ^ "Management Team". from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "Backroom Staff". from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "First Team Manager appointed". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 24 May 2022. from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Mackay joins McPake". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ "DAFC Board of Directors". from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- ^ "DAFC Club Executives". from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "DAFC Honours". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Stranraer 2–1 Dunfermline Athletic". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2014. from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Dunfermline Ath 2–3 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 November 2007. from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "East End Park, Dunfermline". Football Ground Guide. from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "ECWC 1968–1969". Pars Database. from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Istvan Kozma". Dunfermline Athletic FC. from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 267. ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3.
External links
- Official Club website
- Dunfermline Athletic BBC My Club page
- Historical Kits