Dunfermline Athletic F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Dunfermline Athletic Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Pars | ||
| Founded | 2 June 1885 | ||
| Ground | East End Park | ||
| Capacity | 11,480 | ||
| Chairman | David Cook | ||
| Manager | James McPake | ||
| League | Scottish Championship | ||
| 2015–16 | Scottish League One, 1st (promoted) | ||
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Dunfermline Athletic Football Club is a professional football team from Dunfermline, Fife, in Scotland. The club was started in 1885. They are often called The Pars. Dunfermline Athletic plays their home games at East End Park. Currently, they play in the Scottish Championship after winning the 2022–23 Scottish League One title. The team is managed by James McPake.
The 1960s were a very successful time for The Pars. They won the Scottish Cup twice, in 1961 and 1968. Famous managers like Jock Stein and George Farm led the team during this period. Dunfermline Athletic also played in European football often. They even reached the semi-finals of the 1968–69 European Cup Winners' Cup.
The club has played at East End Park since it was formed in 1885. The first pitch was a little bit west of where the stadium is now. In the 2000s, the team reached three big finals, but they lost all of them to Celtic. Later, the club faced some financial challenges. In 2013, a group of fans called Pars United took control of the club to help it.
Contents
Club History: From the Start to Today
How Dunfermline Athletic Began (1885–1959)
The first Dunfermline Football Club was created in 1874. It was started by members of the Dunfermline Cricket Club who wanted to stay fit in winter. But some members had disagreements. This led to the creation of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club on June 2, 1885.
Dunfermline Athletic quickly became the main football club in the town. For the first 25 years, they played as an amateur team. They became a professional club in 1899. In 1912, the club joined the Scottish Football League. For many years, they mostly played in the second division. They only sometimes reached the top league.
The Golden Years: Stein and Farm (1960–1970)
The 1960s were the best years for Dunfermline. Jock Stein became manager on March 14, 1960. He saved the club from being relegated to a lower league. Just 13 months later, he led The Pars to their first major trophy. They won the Scottish Cup in 1961.
After this, Dunfermline often played in European competitions. They even reached the semi-finals of the 1968–69 European Cup Winners' Cup. This was under the management of George Farm. Even though they lost by one goal, it is still the club's biggest achievement in Europe. Before that, Farm also led Dunfermline to their second Scottish Cup win in 1968.
Dunfermline Athletic Since 1970
After the 1970s and 1980s, the club had some ups and downs. They returned to the top league in 1987 with club legend Jim Leishman as manager. But they were relegated again after just one season. The 1990s saw more promotions and relegations. During this time, the club lost their beloved captain, Norrie McCathie, in 1996. He was a very important player for the team.
In 1999, with new leaders, the club saw a comeback. They reached the Scottish Cup final twice, in 2004 and 2007. They also played in the Scottish League Cup final in 2006. The club also had two short trips into the UEFA Cup in 2004 and 2007.
Later, the club faced financial difficulties. In 2013, the club was taken over by a fan group called Pars United. After three years in the third tier, they won promotion back to the Scottish Championship. In 2019, former striker Stevie Crawford became head coach.
In 2021, Peter Grant became manager but left after five months. John "Yogi" Hughes took over, but the club was relegated to League One. Then, James McPake became manager. He brought instant success! The Pars won the league by 14 points, losing only one game all season.
Team Colours and Badge
For most of their history, Dunfermline's home kit has been black and white striped shirts. They usually wear black shorts and black socks. Sometimes, they have worn white shorts and socks.
When the club started in 1885, their home colours were maroon shirts. They used navy or white shorts and maroon, white, or grey socks. From 1901 to 1909, their kits were blue. The famous black-and-white stripes first appeared in 1909. They have worn these colours almost every year since then. There were a few exceptions, like in 1971–72 when they wore all white.
Away kits have changed a lot over the years. Since the year 2000, red kits have been common. These have had different designs, like stripes or solid red with lines. But away kits have also been purple, blue, yellow, and black.
The current Dunfermline Athletic club badge was designed in 1957. It was created by Colin Dymock, an art teacher. The "DAFC" stands for Dunfermline Athletic Football Club. The tower on the badge is Malcolm Canmore's Tower. Malcolm Canmore was a King of Scotland who lived in Dunfermline. The stormy blue and black scene behind the tower represents Pittencrieff Park. The green area at the bottom shows the club's stadium, East End Park. The badge has been updated a few times, most recently in 2011.
What Does The Pars Mean?
The club's nickname is The Pars. There are many ideas about where this name came from. One theory is that it came from the team's striped shirts, which looked "parallel." Another idea is that in the early days, the players were known for their drinking habits. People might have called them "Paralytics," which was shortened to "Pars."
In the early 1900s, the team was also known as The Dumps, a short form of Dunfermline. English sailors visiting Rosyth might have given them this name. After World War I, they became known as The Pars. Some people think it's because of their black and white striped shirts.
Another idea is that English workers came to work in the area. They supported Plymouth Argyle and had banners. Some believe the name Pars came from "Argyle." An older theory suggests the name comes from "Parr," which is a young salmon with dark vertical markings.
Club Culture
Team Songs
Like many football clubs, Dunfermline has its own songs. A popular song that the team runs out to is "Into The Valley" by the local band the Skids. After a game, the crowd leaves the stadium to the tune of "The Bluebell Polka" by Jimmy Shand. When Dunfermline scores a goal at East End Park, the chorus of the Dave Clark Five's "Glad All Over" is played.
Local Rivalries
Dunfermline Athletic has traditional rivalries with nearby teams. These include Cowdenbeath and Raith Rovers. They also have a rivalry with Falkirk, called the Kincardine Derby. Dunfermline has won the Fife Cup over thirty times.
Hall of Fame
The club started its Hall of Fame in 2004. It celebrates important people from the club's history. This includes players, managers, and even the kit manager and club historian. By 2019, 50 individuals and two team groups (the 1960s cup winners) were in the Hall of Fame.
Famous Managers and Players
Managers Who Made a Difference
- George Farm: He was a great goalkeeper for Scotland. As manager, he led Dunfermline to their highest achievement in Europe.
- Jim Leishman: A former player and manager for the club. He is now the Provost of Fife.
- Jock Stein: A very famous manager who led Dunfermline to their first Scottish Cup win. He also managed Celtic and the Scotland national team.
Players You Might Know
- Owen Coyle: A former player who went on to manage big clubs like Bolton Wanderers.
- Alex Ferguson: A former player for Dunfermline. He became one of the most successful managers ever, especially with Manchester United.
- Norrie McCathie: A club captain who played for Dunfermline for 15 years. A stand at East End Park is named after him.
- David Moyes: A former player who managed teams like Everton and Manchester United.
- Sol Bamba: A former player and an international for Ivory Coast.
Meet the Players
First-team squad
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Players on Loan
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Club Captains Since 1985
| Years | Captain | Vice-captain |
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| 1985–1988 |  Bobby Robertson |
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| 1988–1996 | Norrie McCathie |
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| 1996–1998 | Craig Robertson |
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| 1998–1999 | Andy Smith |
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| 1999–2000 | Andy Tod |
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| 2000–2002 | Ian Ferguson |
Scott M. Thomson |
| 2002–2007 | Scott M. Thomson |
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| 2007–2009 | Scott Wilson |
Stephen Glass |
| 2009–2010 | Stephen Glass |
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| 2010–2012 | Austin McCann |
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| 2012–2013 | Jordan McMillan |
 Josh Falkingham |
| 2013–2014 | Josh Falkingham Andy Geggan |
Josh Falkingham |
| 2014–2015 | Josh Falkingham |
Gregor Buchanan |
| 2015–2017 | Callum Fordyce & Andy Geggan |
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| 2017–2018 |  Callum Morris |
Sean Murdoch |
| 2018–2019 | Lee Ashcroft |
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| 2019–2020 |  Paul Paton |
Lee Ashcroft |
| 2020–2021 | Euan Murray |
Ryan Dow |
| 2021–2022 | Graham Dorrans |
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| 2022–present | Kyle Benedictus |
Chris Hamilton |
- For the 2015–16 season, Callum Fordyce was captain. But after he got injured, Andy Geggan took over. They are both seen as co-captains for that season.
Club Management
Who Runs the Team?
| Role | Name |
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| Manager | James McPake |
| Assistant manager | Dave MacKay |
| First team coach | Martin Harty |
| Goalkeeping coach | Andrew Collier |
| Chief scout and first team operations co-ordinator | Gary Montignani |
| Head of professional development | John McLaughlan |
| Club doctor | Dr Paul Grealis |
| Head of performance | Craig Reynolds |
| Sports scientist | Euan Donaldson |
| Sports therapist | Euan Heeps |
| Sports therapist | Alan Richmond |
| Match analyst | Davie Honeyman |
| Kitman | Mo Hutton |
| Kit coordinator | Sammi Connell |
The Board of Directors
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman Chief executive officer |
David Cook |
| Vice chairman | Billy Braisby |
| Director | Friedrich Lass-Hennemann |
| Director | Ian Laing |
| Director | Drew Main |
| Director | Thomas Meggle |
| Director | Nicholas Teller |
| Club ambassador | Jim Leishman |
Club Achievements
Major Trophies
- Scottish Cup :
- Winners (2): 1960–61, 1967–68
- Runners-up (3): 1964–65, 2003–04, 2006–07
- Scottish League Cup:
- Runners-up (3): 1949–50, 1991–92, 2005–06
League Titles
- Scottish Championship (Second Tier):
- Champions (4): 1925–26, 1988–89, 1995–96, 2010–11
- Scottish League One (Third Tier):
- Champions (3): 1985–86, 2015–16, 2022–23
- Scottish Challenge Cup:
- Runners-up (1): 2007–08
Club Records
- Highest home crowd: 27,816 people against Celtic, on April 30, 1968.
- Highest home European crowd: 26,000 people against West Brom, on January 15, 1969.
- Biggest league win: 11–2 against Stenhousemuir in 1930.
- Biggest league defeat: 10–0 against Dundee on March 22, 1947.
- Biggest defeat ever: 17–2 against Clackmannan in 1891.
- Most games for their country: Andrius Skerla, who played 84 times for Lithuania between 2000 and 2005.
- Most appearances for the club: Norrie McCathie, with 576 games from 1981 to 1996.
- Most goals scored for the club: Charlie Dickson, with 212 goals from 1955 to 1964.
- Most money paid for a player: £540,000 for Istvan Kozma in 1989.
- Most money received for a player: £650,000 from Celtic for Jackie McNamara in 1995.
Images for kids
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This chart shows where Dunfermline finished in the Scottish League each year.
