Club History | Season 2023-2024
The Pars finished 6th. Top scorer was Lewis McCann with 9. Josh Edwards was the only ever present.
The new season started very early with a friendly against St Pauli, arranged through the German owners. It was still June and the Hamburg club won 3-0. A number of players from last season`s Division 1 champion side were released or did not have their contracts renewed. Out went Kyle McDonald, Kevin O`Hara, Nickolay Todorov, Chris Mochrie, Robbie Mahon and Paul McGowan. With the owners concentrating resources on the academy, James McPake had to rely on youngsters and loans. The only two experienced players were Michael O`Halloran and Alex Jakubiak.
The season began for real, in mid July, in the League Cup, with a 1-1 draw at Starks Park. Rhys Breen was given his debut and Michael O`Halloran came on from the bench as Lewis McCann got the Pars goal. He scored a hat trick in the next game, a 4-0 home win against Annan Athletic. Kilmarnock`s Premier League skills saw them to a 2-0 win at East End Park. The month finished at Cliftonhill with a 3-0 victory but it was not enough to progress to the next round.
The Pars only had three games in August, beginning with a 2-1 home win against Airdrie to kick off the League campaign. Goalkeeper Harry Sharp was brought in, on loan, from Dundee. Craig Wighton scored to bring a 1-1 draw back from Tannadice, but Raith Rovers sneaked a 1-0 victory at East End.
September began well with a 1-1 draw in Inverness but an early exit from the Challenge Cup resulted from a 3-0 defeat at Tannadice. Lewis McCann got both goals to beat Queens Park 2-0 at Hampden and the good form continued as Morton were beaten 3-1 at East End Park, McCann again on the score sheet. The month ended badly, losing 3-0 away to Partick Thistle.
October was a dead loss as the only two games ended in defeat, both 1-0 at home to Ayr United and away to Raith Rovers. November began at Cappielow where young Owen Moffat scored both goals in a 2-1 win. The score was reversed at East End Park as Dundee United won and this was followed by a 1-1 draw, also at home, against Inverness Caley Thistle. This season`s Cup campaign spluttered out with a 3-0 thumping at home to Raith Rovers but The Pars recovered to finish the month with a 3-0 win at home to Arbroath.
December started with a 2-1 win away to Airdrie, but Partick Thistle undid the good work by winning 2-1 at East End. Two draws completed the year, 1-1 at Gayfield and 2-2 at Somerset Park, keeping The Pars in fourth place and in the play-offs.
There was to be no New Year cheer as 2024 began with a 2-1 home defeat by Raith Rovers, followed by a similar loss away to Queens Park. However, the month finished a bit rosier after a 0-0 draw at Tannadice.
As February began, Dunfermline were down to 7th and the alarm bells were ringing loudly as Morton inflicted a 5-0 thrashing at East End Park. It was panic button time as Queens Park won 3-0, also at East End Park. A flurry of loan signings before the window closed began to steady the ship as Arbroath were held to a 1-1 draw, at East End, to stop the rot.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott scored the goal and he was on the mark again in an excellent 3-1 win at Firhill. The month was completed with a 0-0 draw in Inverness. Dunfermline were now 8th, two points above the relegation play-off spot.
The recovery continued into March as Chris Kane scored his first goal in the 2-0 home win over Ayr United, but the wheels came off the wagon when Airdrie won 2-0 at East End Park and Raith Rovers won 2-0 at Starks Park. Things got going again with a great 3-1 win at home to Dundee United, Matty Todd and two from Kane Richie-Hosler providing the goals. A great 1-0 win at Cappielow was followed by a 3-2 win at Gayfield to maintain the good form and lift the team back up into the promotion play-offs.
As April rolled in, a Chris Kane goal earned a 1-1 home draw with Partick Thistle. Airdrie won 2-1 at the Excelsior, increasing their lead over The Pars, who were in 5th place. A dull 0-0 draw at home to Queens Park meant that there would be no promotion play-off but it also ensured that The Spiders would finish below Dunfermline, so there were no worries of a relegation play-off either. The last home game finished 1-1 against Inverness Caley Thistle and The Pars rounded off their season with an entertaining 3-3 draw at Somerset Park, in which Chris Kane scored a brace and Josh Edwards the other.
The Pars finished 6th. Top scorer was Lewis McCann with 9. Josh Edwards was the only ever present.
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