Club History | Season 2013-2014

Under the ownership of Pars United, Dunfermline were relegated to League One.

As the new season began, Dunfermline Athletic had avoided liquidation in the courts, they had been successfully bought by Pars United, had a board in place and a team of promising youngsters under Jim Jefferies. However there was next to nothing left in the coffers and the cost of maintaining a football club to be funded. Thankfully the fans supported the lower tier football by increased season ticket sales and dug deep to support bucket collections and other fund raising activities.

With the losses of players from last season and a signing embargo in place, young Ryan Williamson and free agent Robert Thomson were the only new full signings, the rest were all loans:- Ryan Scully from Partick Thistle and a trio of youngsters from Dundee United, Jordan Moore, Ryan Ferguson and Luke Johnston. James Washburn arrived from Torquay United on trial. It was still July when the season kicked off with a Challenge Cup match away to Cowdenbeath which was won 3-1 with both Scully and Ferguson making their debuts.

The beginning of August found The Pars at Ochilview, where East Stirling were still exiled. Progress in the League Cup was achieved with a 2-0 win. The first League match was also away, this time in Methil, where East Fife were defeated 1-0. For the last four years, home form had been largely woeful and this continued as the first home League match was lost 3-2 to Arbroath.

This continued as Raith Rovers won 2-0 in the Challenge Cup. Jordan Moore made his first start, whilst Joe Cardle was in fine form for the Rovers. Two away trips were next and the first of these was a remarkable game away to Stenhousemuir, in the League. Down 2-0 at half time, The Pars lost another soon after the restart. Jordan Moore scored to reduce the deficit and Andy Geggan scored another before The Warriors netted to make it 4-2, with only twenty minutes left. Six minutes to go and Allan Smith made it 3-4. Two minutes later and Jordan Moore scored from the spot to equalise. With Pars fans in full cry, a brilliant run and cross by Alex Whittle was met by Andy Geggan for the winner. A midweek 2-0 defeat at the Falkirk Stadium put an end to the League Cup campaign. In the last game of a busy month, at home to Stranraer, Athletic won 3-1.

As usual, a perfectly good Saturday at the start of September was denied to football fans, because of International football. When things did get started, halfway through the month, Athletic had to make do with a share of the points, after a trip to Brechin. Next on the agenda was a visit from Airdrieonians, now restored to their proper name (from Airdrie United). The Pars managed a 2-1 win.

A bit of business on the staffing front, when James Washburn`s contract was terminated but Robert Thomson`s confirmed. Ayr United`s visit brought the month to an end and a heart-warming 5-1 win for Dunfermline. October began with a very poor result as bottom club Forfar won 4-0 at Station Park. Two weeks later, the only home game of the month was an equally poor result, a 2-1 defeat from East Fife, Greg Paterson, Liam Buchanan, Scott McBride and Pat Clarke all played for the Methil men. Good news behind the scenes, however, in that Pars United had now been given full control of the club and East End Park by the administrators.

Everyone was saddened when Charlie Dickson died. Possibly the Pars greatest ever player, Charlie scored 215 goals in 340 games - an astonishing record. Stranraer at Stair Park completed the month`s fixtures and Athletic scraped home 2-1. So to November, which began with a trip up north in the Cup. A rare away to Elgin City was won 5-3, both Ryan Wallace and Jordan Moore scored a brace, with Alex Whittle netting the other. Next midweek, Rangers gradually fighting their way back from relegation following their own financial problems, beat Dunfermline 3-1, thus establishing a 14 point lead over joint second Athletic and Ayr United.

Stenhousemuir were only one further point behind and they provided the opposition for the next match at East End Park. Allan Smith scored in the second minute of injury time to give The Pars a dramatic 3-2 win. Airdrie were beaten 3-0 at their new ground. Ryan Scully was injured in this game, leading to the debut of Ryan Goodfellow. Next on the agenda was a 3-1 home win over Brechin City. The month ended with an away Cup match against Ayr United in which Andy Geggan scored to draw the tie and take it back to East End Park.

The replay opened the December programme and a single Ryan Thomson goal took The Pars through to the next round. Forfar Athletic visited in the League and shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Two more away days before Christmas produced excellent wins, 4-2 at Somerset Park and 3-0 at Gayfield. The last game of the year, however, produced a 4-0 drubbing from Rangers at East End Park. Dunfermline first footed Stenhousemuir and celebrated with a 2-1 win and a first start for Faissal el Bakhtaoui.

First to visit East End Park were Stranraer a tricky 3-2 home win was negotiated. Striker Lawrence Shankland arrived on loan from Aberdeen but his debut ended in defeat as Airdrie escaped with a 1-0 win. The month ended badly with a 3-2 defeat in Brechin. Three new signings arrived before the transfer deadline:- Danny Grainger, Ross Forbes and Jonathan Page. All three new signings lined up for The Pars as February got underway at New Bayview. Forbes and Grainger both scored in a 3-1 win. Unfortunately all three were cup-tied so were not available for the Cup match at Ibrox and Rangers won easily 4-0. With the team back to full strength a 4-2 win was brought back from Forfar. The next day brought very sad news when Pars Legend Joe Nelson passed away aged 81. The month would finish with two home games. First Ayr United were soundly beaten 3-0, then Arbroath were similarly despatched.

The first day of March entailed a trip to Stranraer and ended in a 3-1 defeat. This was followed by a dull 0-0 draw at home to Stenhousemuir. The final trip of the season to Ibrox ended predictably with a 2-0 defeat. East Fife continued the misery by winning 2-1 at East End Park but the Pars managed to scrape through the last game of the month 2-1 at Brechin. The lacklustre performances were, no doubt, due to the fact that the team was clearly going to finish behind Rangers but equally clearly going to qualify for the play-offs.

A 2-0 defeat to Airdrie saw a sorry start to April and fans then suffered a 0-0 bore draw at home to Forfar. Ayr United away produced another dull stalemate, this time 1-1. The team`s form was worrying. OK they had effectively qualified for the play offs, but playing like this they were not going to beat anyone. A 2-1 win at Gayfield had things looking a bit better. The last game before the play offs was at home to Rangers. Finn Graham made his debut as the team played well and managed a 1-1 draw with a goal from Lewis Martin.

Having lost the first leg of the play-off semi final 2-1 at Stair Park, hopes were reasonably high that it could be turned round at East End Park. Two goals from Andy Geggan and one from Faissal el Bakhtaoui saw The Pars through on a 4-2 aggregate. The first leg of the final was away to Cowdenbeath and Athletic were leading 1-0 until a late equaliser. Everything was in place for the celebrations with a crowd of 8,208 inside East End. Sadly not one Pars player performed and after falling behind early on, slithered out with barely a whimper. It was very hard to take.

Only three players topped 40 appearances:- Ryan Scully (46), Andy Geggan (44) and Josh Falkingham (42). Top goal scorer was Ryan Wallace (13). Another season of failure, the third in a row was particularly hard to bear as promotion would have brought games, next season, against Rangers, Falkirk and Raith Rovers which have done much to restore financial stability. Of the loanees and short term signings, most left before the end of the season, so it was goodbye to Ryan Ferguson, Jordan Moore, Luke Johnston, Robert Thomson, Lawrence Shankland and Chris Kane. Farewell also to established first teamers Stephen Husband, Callum Morris and Danny Grainger. Ryan Scully was recalled by Partick Thistle.