Club History | Season 1960-1961
Jock Stein more than achieved his aim to make Dunfermline an established top rate club. They finished safely in 12th place, won the Scottish Cup and had European Football to look forward to.
The season 1960/61 was a turning point, in so many ways. On a personal basis, I was 11 in the October, I passed my 11+ to qualify for Dunfermline High School and I bought into the thrilling developments at East End Park, engineered by the genius who was Jock Stein. I had been going to games with my Dad, but this season I began to take more notice as Jock turned the Club into much more than the yo-yo club it had been.
Mr. Stein had prepared for the new season by bringing in young local talent such as Willie Callaghan and Jackie Sinclair, and by bringing in top class seasoned pros such as Tommy McDonald, from Leicester City. Two free transfers also arrived:- Jack McKechnie from Stirling Albion and Henry Clark from Hearts. Ian (Dad) Bain ended his playing career to concentrate on
his coaching role.
August was, as usual, taken up by the League Cup section. Airdrie, Hibs and Kilmarnock were the rivals and The Pars won all three home matches but lost all three on their travels, failing to qualify for the later stages. As was the practice at the time, the first League game was played half way through the fixtures. Dunfermline got their League campaign off to a flyer with a 4-1 win at Pittodrie, the scorers were McDonald, Melrose, Smith and Peebles. Also during August, Jim Kerray was sold to Huddersfield Town, for £6,000.
Into September and the Athletic won their first home League game 3-2 against Raith Rovers and followed this up with a creditable 1-1 draw at Tynecastle. The wheels came off the wagon in the next game when Motherwell inflicted a 6-1 thrashing at East End Park. A midweek friendly against Leicester City was won 3-2, with two goals from former Leicester star Tommy McDonald and one
from Davie Thomson who was later to move to Filbert Street.
October began with a 2-0 win at Love Street. Jim Thomson and Don Kerrigan, both future Pars, were in the Buddies line up. Jock Stein`s friendship with Leicester manager Matt Gillies led to the transfer of another piece in Jock`s jigsaw, the experienced Willie Cunningham. Davie Thomson got both goals in the 2-2 home draw with Ayr United but two trips to Glasgow ended in defeat 3-1 against Rangers and 4-2 against Third Lanark. A Charlie Dickson hat-trick and one from Geordie Peebles gained a good 4-2 win at home to Dundee. Promising forward Dan McLindon was signed.
Another fruitless trip to Glasgow ended in a 1-0 defeat at Firhill, to ruin bonfire night. Things did not improve the following week with a 2-1 defeat away to St. Johnstone. A spirited 2-2 draw at home to Celtic was secured with two goals from Charlie Dickson. Charlie scored two more the following week at home to Airdrie, two more from Harry Melrose and one each for Alex Smith and Tommy McDonald saw a 6-4 win for The Pars.
A major setback occurred at the beginning of December, when centre half Jim Stevenson suffered a broken leg in a 2-1 defeat at Easter Road. John Sweeney had already been injured and was a passenger on the wing. No substitutes in those days. Henry Clark took Stevenson`s place for the next game, at home to Clyde but struggled against future Par John McLaughlin. A 2-2 draw was the outcome. Kilmarnock away was next and a Peebles goal was enough for a 1-1 draw. A close fought 3-2 win at home to Dundee United on Christmas Eve was followed by a disastrous 6-2 defeat at East End Park, to end the year on a downer. Full back Jackie Williamson took over at centre half.
The second day of 1961 saw a 1-1 draw at Starks Park, with Charlie Dickson the scorer. Charlie was on the score sheet again, along with Dan McLindon, as Hearts were beaten 2-1 at East End Park. The following week, revenge was gained over Motherwell with a 4-2 win at Fir Park. Two more goals for Charlie and two for Ron Mailer, securing the win. The euphoria did not last long as St Mirren won 2-1 at East End. This was not the best preparation for the beginning of the Scottish Cup campaign, away to Berwick Rangers. Two Dan McLindon goals and one each for Charlie Dickson and Alex Smith enabled passage to the next round on the back of a 4-1 win.
February began badly when Ayr United won 4-1 at Somerset Park and The Pars had another long journey to face in the Cup, drawn away to Stranraer. Melrose, Dickson and McDonald scored as Dunfermline progressed 3-1. A hard fought 0-0 draw at home to Rangers was the prelude to yet another distant away draw in the Cup. This time, Pittodrie was the venue and an excellent performance saw The Pars win 6-3 and reach the quarter finals. March was to be a busy month, with six games scheduled. A 4-1 defeat at Dens Park was followed by a loss, at home, to Third Lanark by 3-2.
At last, a home tie in the Scottish Cup brought Alloa Athletic to East End Park. The Pars won with relish, 4-0 and a place in the semi final booked. Athletic celebrated this success by winning their next two games, both at home, beating Partick Thistle 2-1 and St Johnstone 5-1. The month ended with a narrow 2-1 defeat at Celtic Park.
Tynecastle was the venue for the semi-final and St Mirren, the opponents. A nasty clash between Jim Clunie and Charlie Dickson saw both players injured and, although Dunfermline dominated, the game finished 0-0. Charlie missed the replay and Davie Thomson took his place as an own goal decided the game in The Pars favour. The team celebrated by beating Hibs 4-2 at East End and Airdrie 1-0 at Broomfield, but the 5th game in 12 days found the team exhausted and they suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat away to Clyde.
A week and a half later and it was Cup Final day. A crowd of 113,288 watched as Dunfermline`s defence and keeper Eddie Connachan, in particular, kept the Celtic forwards at bay and the game finished 0-0. Tommy McDonald had been cruelly denied his place in the Final, when he suffered Appendicitis before the game. Dan McLindon took his place. Jackie Williamson was badly injured in the game and did not make it for the replay.
Jock Stein moved George Miller to centre half, moved Willie Cunningham forward one and brought in John Sweeney at full back. He also swapped Davie Thomson for Dan McLindon up front. Eddie Connachan was unbeatable in goal and, this time, The Pars took the lead, through Thomson. With Charlie Dickson bearing down on him (a fearsome sight), Celtic keeper Frank Haffey dropped the ball and Charlie smacked it home 2-0. It was joy unbounded for the Fifers and the celebrations went on well into the night with an open top bus ride down the High Street to the Town Hall. Three days later, unsurprisingly, Dunfermline lost their penultimate League Match 5-0 at Tannadice. The last game of a momentous season was a 4-2 defeat at home to Kilmarnock.
At the end of the season, Jock Stein had more than achieved his aim to make Dunfermline an established top rate club. They finished safely in 12th place, won the Cup and had European Footballto look forward to?
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