Club History | Season 1978-1979
Promotion at third time lucky for Pars. Mike Leonard with 24 goals was voted the Second Division Players` Player of the Year
After missing promotion in the previous two seasons, hopes were not particularly high that the team could make it this year. This was because there had been no freshening of the playing staff during the close season. The pre-season friendlies included two against English League opposition, both at East End Park. Hartlepool were defeated 4-3 but newly promoted Swansea City under John Toshack won 2-0. Things were not helped by manager Harry Melrose being seriously ill in hospital and whilst Harry`s recovery was the most important thing, the club had to get someone to run the team in his absence.
This was the background to the opening League match at home to Queens Park, which was lost heavily 3-0. Kenny Thomson scored to salvage a point away to East Stirling. Pat Stanton had agreed to become coach but the day before he was due to start, he changed his mind and took up the Assistant Manager post at Aberdeen. Paddy Wilson brought his Cowdenbeath side to East End and The Pars managed a 3-0 win. Ernie McGarr and Jim Markey were both in the Cowden line up. Andy Rolland was brought in as player-coach as Dunfermline faced Airdrie at Broomfield in the League Cup but it was too soon for him to influence the side, although he did make his debut. A 3-0 defeat was the outcome.
September began dismally with a 5-0 roasting from Airdrie in the return leg of the League Cup. The programme congratulated Bert Paton, who after a spell of coaching with Hearts, had been appointed Assistant Manager to Willie Ormond. A home win was scraped 2-1 against Albion Rovers, with Mike Leonard and Kevin Hegarty the scorers. Kevin was making his debut after having been bought from East Fife with some of the money received from Montrose for Roddy Georgeson. Alloa at Recreation Park finished 1-1 followed by a similar score at home to Brechin City.
Reserve goalkeeper Kevin Gallagher played his only first team game and Jim Meakin played his last before transferring to Falkirk. Andy Rolland`s organisational skills had steadied the Pars and the next result was an excellent 6-1 thrashing handed out to Stranraer at East End Park, after trailing at half-time. Mike Leonard netted four of the goals. There were still three more games before the end of the month. A 1-1 draw at Brockville was followed by a 2-1 win away to Forfar and the same score away to Stenhousemuir.
The month ended with the very sad news that Ian Hall had died, aged only 28. It looked as though Andy Rolland was turning the team into promotion prospects as East Fife were beaten at East End 5-1, with Mike Leonard scoring another four. An away draw 2-2 in Berwick was followed by a 2-1 home win against Meadowbank. A restored to health Harry Melrose returned to the fold and congratulated Andy Rolland who, by now, had the Pars top of the league. Andy continued to influence the team from his position as player-coach. A 2-1 home win against East Stirling completed the month. A 1-1 draw was achieved at Central Park. Don McLaren and Graham Hutt joined the side before Alloa held The Pars to a 2-2 draw at East End. Stranraer at home were next and a healthy 3-0 score run up but November ended badly with a 4-1 drubbing at Brockville.
December began with a 2-1 reverse away to East Fife and the dreadful weather meant that there would no League fixtures for Dunfermline until February 24th. The first round of the Cup did make it and a scraped 2- 2 draw was recorded at home to Albion Rovers. Another two goals were shipped in the replay at Cliftonhill but goals from recent signing Don McLaren and two from Mike Leonard meant a place in the draw for the next round. The weather put paid to the Christmas and New Year fixtures. The Cup brought the next action and a 1-1 draw away to Stranraer. Jim Mullin scored the only goal of the replay. The draw for the third round paired The Pars with Hibernian. A Mike Leonard equaliser earned a replay at Easter Road.
It was 12th February before the replay could be played, but Hibs prevailed 2-0. The 24th brought the first League fixture since November. Dave Hunter made his debut in a dull 0-0 draw away to Berwick which was followed by a narrow 1-0 home win over Meadowbank. As the weather improved there were six games scheduled for March. These kicked off with a 2-2 draw at home to Queens Park. Four days later Brechin City were thrashed 6-1 at Glebe Park, including another Mike Leonard hat trick. Cliftonhill was next and an Andy Rolland goal salvaged a point. Young Russell Dunlop made his debut as a Jim Mullin goal beat Stenhousemuir at East End. Yet another Mike Leonard goal saved a 1-1 draw at home to East Fife. To help provide ammunition for Mike, Ricky Sharp was signed from St Mirren and he made his debut in the final game in March a 1-0 away win against Queens Park - scorer Mike Leonard.
If March had been busy, April was even more so, as clubs caught up on the long backlog caused by the weather. The Pars had eight games to deal with. Forfar at home were first. Mike Leonard and Bonar Mercer got the goals in a 2-1 win. Firs Park was next and a 2-0 win over East Stirling. Two days later and it was Stenhousmuir at home and a 2-1 win. Sandy McNaughton was playing for The Warriors and, not for the first time, gave The Pars defence a torrid time, scoring Stenhousemuir`s goal. Another two days and it was away to Brechin City and a share of the spoils 0-0. Two more days and Cowdenbeath at home was next and a 2-0 win. A 3-1 win at Meadowbank kept things ticking over but the month finished very badly with away defeats at Stranraer and Albion Rovers.
May arrived with four games still to play and The Pars were still in with a chance of promotion. It started nervously with a 2-2 draw at home to Forfar and it looked as though it had gone pear shaped as a 2-0 defeat at Alloa followed. It was coronary time going into the season`s finale. Dunfermline had a game in hand over the top two but at that time it was still only two points for a win. Therefore Berwick were already promoted, leaving The Bairns and The Pars to battle it out for the remaining slot. Who were Dunfermline`s opponents? - none other than Berwick and Falkirk, both at East End Park.
The first obstacle was Berwick, who fought like Trojans and looked to have held out until a superb cross from Bonar Mercer was met, at full power, by the forehead of John Salton and The Pars had their victory. Going into the final game at home to Falkirk, the possible outcomes were tri-fold. A win or a draw and The Pars were up, but a defeat would mean that Falkirk`s better goal difference would see them promoted. At half time it was 0-0 but into the second half, horror of horrors and John Perry (later a Pars player) scored for The Bairns. Roared on by the crowd Dunfermline fought hard to get back on terms. The ball was handled by a Falkirk defender and up marched Andy Rolland to take the penalty. With nerves of steel, he calmly slotted home. For the remaining twenty minutes, play raged from end to end, but The Pars held out and it was "Third time lucky" after all.
There should be no underestimating the huge part Andy Rolland played in the success, steadying the ship during Harry Melrose`s illness, starting the improvement in the side`s performances and add to that his role as a player, a steady performer in defence and the scorer of seven goals (six from the penalty spot).
Apart from Andy, the season belonged to Mike Leonard with 24 goals and the accolade of Second Division Player of the Year, voted by his contemporaries. Runner up in that competition was John Salton who was an absolute star in the middle of the defence. Apart from those two, Bobby Robertson, Kenny Thomson, Hugh Whyte and Bonar Mercer were virtually ever present. The successes earned entry to next season`s Drybrough Cup and Anglo-English Tournament. Lawrie Dunn and Brian Ross both left for Meadowbank on frees. Also leaving were Kevin Gallagher, Bobby Morrison and Don McLaren
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