Club History | Season 2011-2012
Relegation from the SPL. Alex Keddie had the most appearances with 40, followed by Joe Cardle on 39. The only scorer in double figures was Andy Kirk with 12.
Pars fans awaited the new season with relish and, when the fixtures gave them a home match to start the SPL campaign, the enthusiasm went up a degree. Step in the SPL and, as usual, the whole thing was messed up. Instead of playing on the Saturday at 3pm, the game was switched to satisfy the TV companies. Bad enough, you may think, but there was more to come. The game was switched, not to Saturday evening, not even to Sunday - Oh No! - the game was to be played on the Monday evening.
There had been quite a bit of transfer activity in preparation for the higher level. Leaving the club were:- Neil McGregor, Chris Higgins, Alex Burke, Kyle Allison, Greg Paterson, Jake Hyde and Graham Bayne. Despite the opportunity to play in the SPL, the excellent Calum Woods left, bound for Huddersfield Town. Coming in were:- Paul Burns from Queen of the South, Paddy Boyle from Partick Thistle, Andy Barrowman from Ross County and Jason Thomson, on loan from Hearts. Kevin Rutkiewicz had his loan turned into a permanent deal and two returning favourites, John Potter and Paul Gallacher arrived from St Mirren.
Gallacher, Thomson and Potter all started against St Mirren in the afore-mentioned first game in the SPL. The predictable result, in an awful match with no atmosphere, was 0-0. The following Saturday, still in July, Dunfermline made a first ever competitive visit to Galabank, to play Annan Athletic, in the League Cup, winning a close match 2-1.
August began with a home League match against Inverness Caley Thistle, which finished 3-3, after a rousing game. Andy Kirk scored the only goal to secure a 1-0 win at McDiarmid Park. The following week brought another excellent away win when Paul Burns scored to beat Dundee United at Tannadice. Unfortunately the month finished badly when a 2-1 defeat at Bayview ended interest in the League Cup and Motherwell won 4-2 in the League at East End Park.
September kicked off, after the customary international break, with a narrow away defeat 3-2 at Rugby Park in which newly signed Craig Easton made his debut. Hibs were next to visit East End and fought out a 2-2 draw. The Pars were finding things difficult and the month finished gloomily, with two 4-0 defeats, at home to Rangers and away to Aberdeen.
With League Cup and Internationals, it was halfway through October before Athletic were next in action, losing 2-0 at home to Hearts. A well fought draw 1-1 in Inverness was not built on and Dunfermline lost tamely 4-1 at home to Dundee United.
Into November and Austin McCann scored the only goal to defeat Hibs in a rare win at Easter Road. A couple of narrow 2-1 defeats followed, both away, first to St Mirren then to Celtic but the month ended with an exciting 3-3 at home to Aberdeen.
The Pars suffered another unlucky 2-1 defeat, this time at Ibrox, as December got under way. The following week brought utter farce when the referee called the game off early. It was not particularly cold, there was neither snow nor ice and it was not windy. It was foggy but it was clearing. By 2pm, visibility was good and by kick-off time it was crystal clear. It was suggested that the referee called it off because he had a wedding to go to - his parents. Hearts handed out a 4-0 trouncing at Tynecastle and St Johnstone won 3-0 at East End Park on Christmas Eve. The final game of the year, at Fir Park was called off because of an unplayable pitch, leaving The Pars bottom of the table, level on points with Hibs and four behind Inverness.
Unusually, the new year was brought in, not with a derby match, but at home to Celtic. I spared myself the misery of a 3-0 defeat and waited until the following Saturday when an Andy Barrowman goal had Athletic leading in the Cup in Inverness until the 5th minute of injury time when a howler by Chris Smith gifted the homesters an equaliser.
Hibernian at home was next and an unlucky 3-2 defeat. With Paul Gallacher still injured and Chris Smith suffering from lack of confidence, Iain Turner was brought in on loan from Preston. Pat Clark went on loan to Raith Rovers and both Craig Easton and Jason Thomson left the club. Mark Kerr joined and the replay with Caley Thistle ended with a 3-1 defeat at East End. The following Saturday produced an excellent 3-0 win away to Kilmarnock but the form was fleeting and Motherwell won 3-1 in midweek at Fir Park. The month ended with a 1-0 defeat at Pittodrie. As the transfer window closed, John Potter went on loan to Queen of the South and two youngsters arrived from Rangers, Kyle Hutton, on loan and Jordan McMillan permanently.
February started with a midweek game at East End Park which ended 1-1 against Kilmarnock. The next visitors were Rangers, who won easily 4-1. The third home game in a row brought Inverness Caley Thistle for a 1-1 draw in front of less than 3000 fans. Still no sign of long-term injured Paul Gallacher, Steven Bell or Nick Phinn but 18 year old Shaun Byrne was given a full contract. Two away games concluded the month`s business both lost 2-0 to Celtic and 3-1 to St Johnstone. The Pars were still bottom of the table, three points behind Hibs and eight behind Caley Thistle. They had not managed a home win in the League, all season.
And so on to March, Motherwell visited first, winning 2-0. A fortnight later Jim McIntyre was relieved of his post. The experienced Jim Jefferies was brought in to replace him. His first match was at home to St Mirren and 3753 fans were there to see a 1-1 draw. The month ended with a 3-0 loss at Tannadice.
Another home defeat got April off to a miserable start, Hearts winning 2-1. An amazing game away to St Mirren ended 4-4. At last a home win as Aberdeen were beaten 3-0 to finish the month on a high.
Back to grim reality as May began with a 0-0 draw in Inverness. The penultimate game was away to Hibs, who were still within reach, but Athletic capitulated to a 4-0 drubbing. The final action of the season was at home to Kilmarnock but, inevitably, it ended with a dismal 2-1 defeat. Alex Keddie had the most appearances with 40, followed by Joe Cardle on 39. The only scorer in double figures was Andy Kirk with 12.
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