The Art of Goalkeeping

OFW:- “I just wanted to repay and do whatever I could to make sure that the club would be financially fine.”

During the Covid-19 lockdown many turned to painting but while most were coating railings and covering walls, doors and skirtings, for Pars new signing Owain Fôn Williams painting meant another blank canvas to address.

The avid artist always has something on the go and his recent masterpiece was one of fans approaching the outside of the stadium. The Williams piece raised £3000 for the football club and he was delighted to be able to play his part in ensuring the sustainability of the East End Park club.

“I wanted to get involved in this when I heard about it. My partner Claire saw on Facebook that Dunfermline were raising money because they didn’t know what was going to happen with the virus and how it was going to affect the club.

“I had only been here a couple of months but instantly my mind cast back to the time when Bury Football Club went into liquidation. I had been on loan with Bury maybe ten years ago and I said to myself ‘ if I can do something to help a football club then I am going to do it.’

“To be honest, it wasn’t like we could do an awful lot neither me nor collectively. It wasn’t like we could go and knock on doors and ask for different things, have a dinner with a guest speaker, climb Ben Nevis or something like that to bring some money in. You couldn’t do that.

“I was lucky enough that my hobby was painting and I was able to contribute to what the club was trying to do by sitting at home and painting. I couldn’t wait to get started and just be a part of it.”

With a huge potential Welsh customer base a previous Fôn Williams masterpiece of the Quarter Finals of the European Championships sold for £12,500 but even at a magnificent £3000 Owain’s East End Park painting was a huge chunk of money for Dunfermline Athletic.

“It was a phenomenal effort from every single supporter, not just supporting that specific painting but in terms of everything else that the supporters of this football club did to raise the amount of money that they did in such a small amount of time when there was so much uncertainty about peoples’ financial state and where they would be after the virus. The support that they showed and that they continue to do so is phenomenal for me and that is exactly why this football club should always be here.

“I say this whether I am a Dunfermline player or not. I said it the other month when I was handing the painting over. I said if there is anything that I can do to make sure these turnstiles will be forever open then I will do that because there should always be a football club here in Dunfermline for the people of Fife.

“The scare at the club a few years ago is still in peoples’ minds and what nearly happened. I will make sure that whatever I can do to help that in the future, whether I am here or not, I will forever be a supporter.

“My family live and breathe whatever I do and this place had an impact on me straight away in the short time that I was here. I just wanted to repay and do whatever I could to make sure that the club would be financially fine.”

Related Stories

• Permanent move for Owain Fôn Williams
• Owain Fôn Williams First Interview
• DAFC Centenary Club Lifeline Update - 03 August 2020
• 2020-2021 Championship Fixtures
• Artwork handed over