Club History | Season 1994-1995
Dunfermline had only lost four games all season and had scored a total of 83 goals with Stewart Petrie top scorer with 21 goals. The Pars lost out to Aberdeen in Premier League play-off
The new structure was ready and two further changes were to commence with the new season. In future, three points would be awarded for a win instead of two. If only that had been in place last season, The Pars would have been Champions by three clear points. The other change was the introduction of a play off between the second bottom club in the SPL and the runners up in the First Division. The fans, encouraged by the remarkable turn round achieved by Bert and Dick with last year`s near miss, were looking for a successful season.
The team which evolved last season was kept largely intact. Derek McWilliams had given tantalising glimpses of his undoubted ability but was unable to claim a regular starting place and left for Partick Thistle. Lex Baillie was in a similar situation but quit football altogether to join the police. Lindsay Hamilton left for Irish Football and young Hugh O`Neill moved to Forfar. Youngsters Gary Higgins and David Kennedy were given delayed transfers and goalkeeper Jim Will arrived from Arsenal to provide cover for Ian Westwater. Kenny Ward joined from Hamilton Accies and Marc McCulloch from Clachnacuddin.
The season proper kicked off with a 0-0 draw at Airdrie. The first action at East End Park was against Meadowbank Thistle in the League Cup. Kenny Ward came on as a substitute and scored one of the goals in the 4-1 victory. The first home League game brought Raith Rovers visiting. An eventful game saw Ian Westwater injured and Jim Will making his debut from the bench before Hamish French won the game with a penalty. The following midweek brought an end to Athletic`s interest in the League Cup with a 2-0 loss at Easter Road. George O`Boyle had been transferred to St Johnstone with the fee to be decided by tribunal. For some time after, George was subjected to much bile from the fans, who had been fed a great deal of mis-information. It later transpired that it was not George who had wanted the transfer but the Club. A sad state of affairs for a fine player.
September opened with a 1-1 draw away to St Mirren and followed this with a most satisfactory 4-0 win at home to Iain Munro`s Hamilton Accies. With Westy still injured, Jim McQueen was recruited on a short term contract from Meadowbank and made his debut in this game. The following Saturday and it was up to Brechin for the Challenge Cup. Jim McQueen kept another clean sheet and goals from Norrie McCathie and Stewart Petrie secured a 2-0 win. Stewart Petrie scored the only goal back in the League at home to Stranraer before the month came to a conclusion with a 4-2 home win over Hamilton Accies, this time in the Challenge Cup.
October found The Pars at Dens Park in what turned out to be a remarkable game which ended all square at 4-4. Andy Hawkins made his debut from the bench and was in the starting line up for the midweek Challenge Cup tie away to Cowdenbeath which was won 3-1. A crowd of 6,931 was in East End Park to witness a fine 3-0 victory against St Johnstone. The trip to Somerset Park ended in a 0-0 stalemate before Athletic bowed out of the Challenge Cup, losing 2-1 away to Dundee. Two Hamish French goals rescued a point at home to Airdrie with Derek Fleming from Meadowbank and Marc Millar from Brechin City making their debuts. A busy month ended with a 5-2 demolition of Raith Rovers at Starks Park.
Into November and Clydebank included both Davie Cooper and Terry Butcher but were comprehensively beaten 4-1. A 3-1 defeat away to Hamilton was followed by a 1-0 home win against St Mirren, courtesy of Paul Smith. The long trip to Stranraer ended goalless. Elsewhere Partick Thistle`s colourful manager John Lambie had come up with a classic comment. On being told by the physio that one of his players who had suffered a head knock "He doesn`t know who he is boss" Lambie`s reply was "Tell him he`s Pele and get him back on the effing park". Even Pars fans cheered when Raith Rovers won the League Cup by beating Celtic on penalties.
Unfortunately December began badly when Dundee, featuring Ray Farningham, George Shaw and Jim Hamilton came to Dunfermline and won 1-0. The following week The Pars put things right by thumping Ayr United 6-0, also at East End Park. Hamish French scored a hat trick. Poor weather meant that the next game was on Boxing Day in Perth. Two goals from Ivo den Bieman were not enough as the Perth Saints with Andy Rhodes, Allan Preston, Davie Irons and Harry Curran all in the side won 3-2. Gary Paterson, signed from Dundee was in The Pars team. The year ended with a 0-0 draw at Broadwood against Airdrie, who were exiled there.
The Pars started the new year away to Clydebank and returned with a 2-1 win. Athletic lost at home to Raith Rovers, 1-0, but two Stewart Petrie goals salvaged a point away to St Mirren. This dropped Dunfermline to third place. New signing Tommy Harrison, from Hearts made his debut in this game. January`s next business was a 2-1 win at home to Hamilton, with Guido van de Kamp making his debut in goal. The Scottish Cup paired Dunfermline with then nonleague Cove Rangers whose home was in a tiny fishing village south of Aberdeen. No worries for The Pars as they returned home with fish suppers and a 4-0 win.
On to February and revenge was gained over Dundee by winning 3-2 at Dens Park. A 3-1 win at home to Stranraer kept things ticking over in the League but a 2-0 defeat away to Airdrie brought the Cup run to an end. Kenny Ward and Paul Smith scored to bring home a 2-1 win from Somerset Park. It was 11th March before The Pars got things going with a 1-1 draw. Derek Laing signed for Morton in an attempt to get more starts. Hamilton Accies had sold their ground at Douglas Park and were now ground-sharing at Firhill and it was there that Athletic won 3-1 through two Hamish French goals and an Allan Moore counter. Next St Mirren escaped from East End with a 1-1 draw but before the month was complete a new director in David Grant had joined the board and Canadian International Paul Fenwick arrived from Birmingham City. Gary Paterson left to join Stirling Albion. The Football World was stunned by the sudden death of Davie Cooper a wonderful footballer and a sad loss to the game.
April Fools Day brought a visit rom Dundee, two points ahead at the top of the table. The 1-1 draw in front of 8,407 fans suited the Dark Blues more. Greg Shaw, signed from Ayr United made his debut. A Craig Robertson goal brought the points back from Stranraer, Craig scored again at McDiarmid Park but it only achieved a 1-1 draw. Paul Fenwick made his debut from the bench. With four games left, The Pars had dropped behind Raith Rovers into third place. A comfortable 3-0 win at home to Ayr United coupled with Raith`s 2-0 win at Dundee changed things around and it was now Raith followed by Dunfermline with Dundee third. The month ended with a 0-0 draw at home to Airdrie. Raith had won again but Dundee lost so, all with 2 games to play, the table now read
1. Raith Rovers 67.
2. Dunfermline 64.
3. Dundee 62.
May began with a real crunch match as The Pars travelled to Kirkcaldy. Athletic battled hard but had to settle for a 0-0 draw. Meanwhile Dundee had won their game, thus closing the points up again. Going into the last game the table read as follows:-
1. Raith Rovers 68 points Goal Difference 22 Last game Hamilton Accies(a)
2. Dunfermline Athletic 65 points Goal Difference 30 Last game Clydebank (h)
3. Dundee 65 points Goal Difference 24 Last game Stranraer (a)
Anyone could win, anyone could be second, though Raith with the points in the bag were in the best position. If they lost however and Dunfermline and Dundee won The Rovers would finish third and miss out. Talk about close! The Pars did their job by beating Clydebank 2-1 thanks to goals from Craig Robertson and Norrie McCathie. Dundee beat Stranraer 5-0 but Rovers got their point at Hamilton.
This all meant that Raith Rovers were promoted as champions, Dunfermline were runners up and would meet Aberdeen in a two leg play off and Dundee missed out altogether. Aberdeen won the first leg 3-1 at Pittodrie in front of around 21,000 fans and The Pars lost the second leg by the same score with around 16,000 fans crammed into East End Park. It was heartbreaking stuff, Dunfermline had only lost four games all season and had scored a total of 83 goals with Stewart Petrie top scorer with 21 goals. Craig Robertson and Andy Tod played 45 times with Paul Smith on 44 and Stewart Petrie on 43
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