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John Sweeney
Date of Birth: 31-10-1934
Position: Full Back
Joined: 02-08-1954
Appearances: 134
Substitute Appearances:
Goals: 1
Nationality: Scottish
Previous Clubs: Edina Hearts
Subsequent Clubs:

Died: 14-03-2023

Born: Edinburgh
Debut: 2nd November 1957 v Dundee United SL2
Last game against Kilmarnock SL1

Signed from Edina Hearts in August 1954. The nineteen-year-old made his debut on 9th October 1954 in a Reserve League match at Dundee which finished 2-2, and he continued to learn his trade in the Reserves for the remainder of the season while the first team boys were winning promotion for the first time since the 1930s. National service intervened.

By the start of the 1957/58 season, John was back home and keen to renew his football career at East End Park. More than three years after his original signing, John made his first team debut for the Pars on 2 November 1957 at right back in a 6-1 hammering of Dundee United.

Switched to the left, he kept his place in the promotion-winning team and was a regular until the arrival of Willie Cunningham. He was one of only three players released at the end of season 1961/1962.

On the journey to Scottish Cup success in 1961 John played in five out of the eight cup ties, missing the two semi-finals and the 0-0 final draw against Celtic. With centre half Jackie Williamson injured and unable to make the replay on 26 April 1961, Jock Stein had no hesitation in drafting in John Sweeney - not to his usual full-back role, but to left half to replace George Miller who moved to centre half. It was a piece of tactical genius - Sweeney nullified the threat of Celtic playmaker Willie Fernie, Eddie Connachan made some remarkable saves and Davie Thomson and Charlie Dickson scored the goals to send Dunfermline and everyone in it into a night of unprecedented celebrations.

After playing in the 1961 Scottish Cup Final replay, he made only two more appearances and retired from the game after being released at the end of season 1961/1962.



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