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Dunfermline Athletic


TopCat

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This is a football club who I've always thought were a relatively similar size to us in terms of supporter base and history. Along with Kille and Well I believe we are the 4 biggest town teams in Scotland.

We've had a few ding dongs with them down the years. Most memorably that title battle between Hendrie and Calderwood in 2000 and more recently the relegation battle between McPherson and Kenny. Pleasingly we have came out on top both times.

I've been following them relatively closely since then by looking out for their results and reading their thread on PNB. For anyone who hasn't followed them since they were relegated in 2012, I'll try sum up their last 3 seasons. It's a pretty remarkable tale of woe, and I think offers some perspective on our own situation.

In 12/13 the Pars looked in the first half of the season to be in a 3 way title battle with Thistle and The Ton. However in March 13 they went into administration, finally succumbing to the over spending days of the aforementioned TangoMan.

They were deducted 15 points and went into a spiral. Going from the top half of the table to finding themselves quickly in relegation trouble. Their final game of the season was at home to part time and already relegated Airdrie, they had to win to avoid the spectre of relegation. They lost and entered the playoffs. They then faced part time Alloa over two legs in the playoff final to stay in the Championship. They lost 3-1 and were relegated for the second season in a row, this time to the infamous seaside league.

13/14 was predictably spent on the coat tails of the New Club and preparing for the inevitable playoffs to come. They reached the playoff final again, where they faced part time Cowdenbeath (The Pars remained and still are full time). They drew the first leg at Central Park 1-1 and the return leg was at East End Park. All they had to do was beat Cowden at home to enter what would be the money spinning Championship of Hearts, Hibs and the new club. They lost and they lost badly, humped 0-3, and another season in the third tier beckoned.

In summer 14 their seemed to be a real sense of optimism among their fans. They had been out of admin for months and they started hoovering up proven third tier players from their part time opponents, most notably the previously prolific Moffat from Ayr. When Morton appointed Duffy in the summer one of the Tons fans posted 'I'd like to congratulate Dunfermline on their 2015 title win'. It was widely anticipated that the Pars would not only win the league, but they'd win it handsomely with a bit to spare.

Fast forward to February and they've since got rid of Jeffries and appointed The Pumpkin Shitting Potter. Last night they lost 0-1 at home to Brechin in front of 1574 fans. They're currently in 5th position in League 1, level on points with 6th placed Peterhead and the fishermen retain two games in hand over them. They're 10 points off top place Stranraer (ferrymen) and 6 off 4th placed Brechin (hedgecutters) - who also have a game in hand.

Remarkably it looks like that not only are the Pars going to miss out on automatic promotion again, but they're going to miss out on the playoffs too. A finish in the bottom half of the third tier is a distinct possibility.

Guess you can draw your own conclusions of the relevance of their plight to our own situation. I'm

sure it will at least offer a smidgen of perspective to our serial moaners. Imagine what it would be like on here if we were in their position?

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This is a football club who I've always thought were a relatively similar size to us in terms of supporter base and history. Along with Kille and Well I believe we are the 4 biggest town teams in Scotland.

We've had a few ding dongs with them down the years. Most memorably that title battle between Hendrie and Calderwood in 2000 and more recently the relegation battle between McPherson and Kenny. Pleasingly we have came out on top both times.

I've been following them relatively closely since then by looking out for their results and reading their thread on PNB. For anyone who hasn't followed them since they were relegated in 2012, I'll try sum up their last 3 seasons. It's a pretty remarkable tale of woe, and I think offers some perspective on our own situation.

In 12/13 the Pars looked in the first half of the season to be in a 3 way title battle with Thistle and The Ton. However in March 13 they went into administration, finally succumbing to the over spending days of the aforementioned TangoMan.

They were deducted 15 points and went into a spiral. Going from the top half of the table to finding themselves quickly in relegation trouble. Their final game of the season was at home to part time and already relegated Airdrie, they had to win to avoid the spectre of relegation. They lost and entered the playoffs. They then faced part time Alloa over two legs in the playoff final to stay in the Championship. They lost 3-1 and were relegated for the second season in a row, this time to the infamous seaside league.

13/14 was predictably spent on the coat tails of the New Club and preparing for the inevitable playoffs to come. They reached the playoff final again, where they faced part time Cowdenbeath (The Pars remained and still are full time). They drew the first leg at Central Park 1-1 and the return leg was at East End Park. All they had to do was beat Cowden at home to enter what would be the money spinning Championship of Hearts, Hibs and the new club. They lost and they lost badly, humped 0-3, and another season in the third tier beckoned.

In summer 14 their seemed to be a real sense of optimism among their fans. They had been out of admin for months and they started hoovering up proven third tier players from their part time opponents, most notably the previously prolific Moffat from Ayr. When Morton appointed Duffy in the summer one of the Tons fans posted 'I'd like to congratulate Dunfermline on their 2015 title win'. It was widely anticipated that the Pars would not only win the league, but they'd win it handsomely with a bit to spare.

Fast forward to February and they've since got rid of Jeffries and appointed The Pumpkin Shitting Potter. Last night they lost 0-1 at home to Brechin in front of 1574 fans. They're currently in 5th position in League 1, level on points with 6th placed Peterhead and the fishermen retain two games in hand over them. They're 10 points off top place Stranraer (ferrymen) and 6 off 4th placed Brechin (hedgecutters) - who also have a game in hand.

Remarkably it looks like that not only are the Pars going to miss out on automatic promotion again, but they're going to miss out on the playoffs too. A finish in the bottom half of the third tier is a distinct possibility.

Guess you can draw your own conclusions of the relevance of their plight to our own situation. I'm

sure it will at least offer a smidgen of perspective to our serial moaners. Imagine what it would be like on here if we were in their position?

I think the worry is that we could end up in a similar position if we're not careful. shutup.gif

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So the moral of the story is, don't get relegated or else its a slippery slope?

I hope to f*ck our BOD have been monitoring the Pars "progress".

And I tell you something, if we were 5th place in League 1 we would have far less than 1,500 coming to games.

Don't think that's the moral at all. The much lauded ICT and Accies have both been relegated in the last 5 years and returned strongly.

As for our perspective attendances in the third tier, it's hard to know, because we've never played at that level.

We averaged over 2000 at the bottom half of the second tier though.

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The moral of the story is run your club properly, ie, don't spend money you don't have. Our club has been run properly for 20 years and we have a new stadium, a top class training ground and er, yes a team who are struggling to maintain their top league status. I honestly think that we will survive this season (gulp) and that things will improve next season and that this season will have been the making of a couple of players.

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Think its a very well thought out point TC and quite a story. Remember we went down together in 1991, also the match at Love St, sellout in 2000, we lost that but the Pars were always a force with Stevie Crawford up front. Hope one day they return to top table so we can have a chance of 9th.

But unless your Sevco or Hearts , saviors aren't about. We go down it will be a few years again before we are back.

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Was it only a few seasons ago folk were bangin' on about the club making progress? bangin.gif

We should embrace what we are, a diddy club always liable to yo-yo between the top two division in the current set-up. Some of the other diddy clubs are doing better than us, some like Dunfermline worse, however the point of this forum is to provide a modicum of care in the community and everything should be up for comment as long as it doesn't descend into abuse.

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So the moral of the story is, don't get relegated or else its a slippery slope?

I think the correct moral is don't rack up £10 million pounds of debt and then get relegated and then go into administration at a time when that will plunge you into certain relegation for a second time in two years.

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I think the correct moral is don't rack up £10 million pounds of debt and then get relegated and then go into administration at a time when that will plunge you into certain relegation for a second time in two years.

You seem obsessed with DAFC going into administration Oaky.Let it go mate,it's unhealthy.

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Their result today:

Stranraer 5-1 Dunfermline.

They lost 5-1. To Stranraer.

lol.gif:

I too found that a very pleasing result. Unfortunately I think they've too many points to be involved in a battle to avoid the 4th tier relegation play-off spot. Shame.

Edited by Al Bundy
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