Dundee United 0-1 Dunfermline Athletic, April 1996

This was huge. A whole season’s work could be won or lost on the outcome of this match. Dundee United and Dunfermline went into it battling it out at the top of the First Division to see who could win promotion to the Premier League.

Going into the penultimate day, United were top by a point from the second placed Pars. Victory for the home side would see them clinch the championship. Victory for Bert Paton’s team though would see them claim top spot going into the final day of what had been an unbelievable season.

The match at Tannadice began in front of a 12,000 capacity crowd and an indication of its meaning could be heard via BBC Radio Scotland covering it live. United had moved the Dunfermline support from behind the goal to the dingy main stand in an attempt to swing the atmosphere their way, but the 2,000 black and white shirted hordes made their voices heard. And they got louder just 7 minutes in.

A foul by Maurice Malpas gave Dunfermline a free-kick just inside United’s half. A high hopeful ball was flicked on by Allan Moore (the smallest man on the park incidentally) into the box. United keeper Ally Maxwell raced out to collect but he and United defender Grant Johnson got in each other’s way and Stewart Petrie gleefully nipped in to poke the ball home for the opener. As Jock Brown famously proclaimed on Sportscene later that night, “Its a dream start for Dunfermline.”

 The United crowd were silenced and, in truth, they really struggled to get going. Perhaps the expactation of the big crowd got to them, but a Gary McSwegan snap shot on the turn, comfortably held by Pars keeper Ian Westwater, was about all they could muster in the first half. Indeed, Petrie went through on goal again and although he appeared to be held back inside the box by Mark Perry, he got his shot away which was beaten around the post by Maxwell.

So, half the job done then but two minutes into the second half the Pars had a huge escape. A United free-kick from Dave Bowman found the head of Christian Dailly, whose header crashed off the crossbar. The United fans found their voice again.

Pars though always looked dangerous on the break and superb play between Andy Smith and Moore carved out a chance. Smith touched the ball over the head of Malpas, and a Moore head flick was met by Smith whose first time shot on the turn fizzed just wide of the post.

But then, controversy. Petrie, already on a yellow card, made a challenge on Malpas on the near side. Malpas made a meal of it, and referee Alan Freeland duly sent him off. Down to 10 men, the Pars would have to battle even harder. And they did.

They restricted United to very few clean efforts at goal, and even Andy Tod had an effort at goal for the Pars. As time wore on, Dunfermline had to defend and United forced a series of corners and, from one, Craig Brewster’s delivery was met again by Dailly and, unbelievably, he hit the bar again.

The luck was out on United and when Westwater caught another cross ball, it was all over and Dunfermline went to the top of the First Division. An outstanding victory and an outstanding performance- one full of battling qualities and a never say die attitude. The title was won the following week, but this was the big result. The reaction in the video below is a joy.

Rejoice!

Dunfermline Athletic: Westwater, Miller, Millar, Tod, Den Bieman, Fleming, French, Robertson, Moore, Smith, Petrie.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-3 Dunfermline Athletic

My first installment of my series of trips down memory lane starts with what was an absolutely classic match involving Dunfermline and Inverness Caley Thistle in April 2004. The venue was Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen and the prize for the winner was a place in the Scottish Cup Final.

A second encounter was required after a 1-1 stalemate at the National Stadium. Paul Ritchie fired Inverness, then a First Division side, ahead against the Premier League Pars and then missed a golden chance early in the second half. But Jimmy Calderwood’s team recovered and Craig Brewster’s header from Darren Young’s cross earned a Pittodrie replay.

I was still at school, but somehow escaped 10 minutes early from my final class of the day (Chemistry, which I was hopeless at anyway) to head for the match. Changing out of my school uniform into my Pars regalia in the car was quite a challenge, but I made it to Kincardine on time to make my supporters bus heading north.

A crowd of just 5,728 took in the game thanks to the ridiculous decision to take it to Aberdeen but we were rewarded with a fantastic match, one which showcased the beauty of the Scottish Cup throughout Britain. As always, Dunfermline never do things the easy way and despite looking in command early on, fell behind after 6 minutes.

Former Par David Bingham collected the ball and ran into the Athletic half, and his defence splitting ball found that man Ritchie and he made no mistake in slotting past goalkeeper Derek Stillie to give Inverness a dream start. Cue concerned faces from Fifers all round.

Although Inverness went close again through a Steven Hislop header, the Pars levelled on 24 minutes with an excellent goal. The fantastic Brewster sent the ball to Lee Bullen on the left handside, and his cross was met on the volley by Darren Young. Concern turned to joy as “Ole, Ole Ole Ole, We are the Pars, We are the Pars” was belted out from our end.

Dunfermline continued to press and went close through Gary Dempsey and Brewster as the half drew to a close. Though Hislop smacked the bar for Caley in the second half, unbridled joy was felt by the Athletic support as we hit the front. A superb reverse pass from Dempsey released Brewster, who fired past Inverness keeper Mark Brown from a tight angle.

2-1 up and edging closer to Hampden. The fans were becoming nervous, but that disappeared with 12 minutes left. A fantastic individual effort from Barry Nicholson, dancing past three Inverness players before slotting the ball past Brown, made the game safe, sent us Pars fans into ecstasy and drew comparisons with Archie Gemmill’s legendary goal for Scotland against Holland at the Argentina World Cup in 1978.

Though David Bingham netted a last minute penalty for Caley, Dunfermline made it through to their first cup final in my lifetime and since 1968, as well as a European place for the first time since 1970 which was the end of the club’s halycon period. A fantastic game and result, and the celebrations carried on all the way back home into the wee small hours.

Dunfermline Athletic were back, and a truely memorable game it was. It was night which summed up why I support Dunfermline- we may suffer more lows than highs, but when those highs come, they are absolutely fantastic. Although we went on to lose the final 3-1 to Celtic, that semi final was a phenomenal night and will probably live with me for a long time to come.

Match Stats

Inveress Caledonian Thistle: Brown, Tokely (Proctor 85), Mann, McCaffrey, Golabek, McBain, Duncan (Thomson 50), Bingham, Hislop, Keogh, Ritchie (Mackie 86).

Subs not used: Munro, Fraser.

Goals: Ritchie (6), Bingham (pen 89)

Dunfermline Athletic: Stillie, Bullen, Wilson, Skerla, Dempsey (Byrne 67), Da Young, Nicholson, Mason (Labonte 76), De Young, Brewster, Crawford.

Subs not used: Tod, Mehmet, S Y Thomson.

Goals: Da Young (24), Brewster (63), Nicholson (78).

Referee: Hugh Dallas.