Ten years on

A truly memorable afternoon as the sun shone in Greenock as the Pars win the First Division title

The 30th April is an important date in the history of Dunfermline Athletic because ten years ago that was the date that Jim McIntyre’s Dunfermline won the First Division title to take the club back into the Premier League after an absence of four years.

Everyone wishes Stevie Crawford and his team all the best as they hope to emulate the achievement of getting out of the second tier of Scottish football by way of the upcoming Premiership play offs. The 2011 title was secured at a sun kissed Cappielow with a 2-0 victory in the presence of a huge travelling support.

Andy Kirk didn`t add to his 21 goal tally for the season but was delighted that Steven McDougall and David Graham did the job for him. He had sensed in the run up to the game that the trip to Greenock was going to be an important day in the club`s history, he said:-

"You got that feeling throughout the week that the way the boys had performed over the previous few weeks and in training you knew that we were right up for the game. It was just a case of going there and starting off the game really well. We did that for the first twenty minutes - they couldn`t get near us and we were unfortunate not to be 2-0 up.

"Morton is never an easy place to come; they always make it hard for you. They are a strong side and Allan Moore has them playing some good football. To go there and win 2-0 anytime is a great result, especially."

To win the league with five successive wins the Pars finished in championship winning form but Andy felt the beginning of the season had been as important:-

"At the start of the season we were on fire then we hit a dodgy patch in the middle which you are going to get in the course of the season. Over the season it balances itself out and the best team does deserve to win. We were the best team throughout the season, played good football and had some great results. Some great goals and we finished strongly just to top it off.”

After success at Gretna and Hamilton, David Graham won his third First Division championship with Dunfermline. He played in 30 of the Pars 36 league games as they clinched the title by ten points in the end:-

"After the major high the previous week in defeating Raith Rovers, there was a fear that we might not do well against Morton. We started really well and that early goal just settled the nerves. They had a ten minutes spell in the first half but after that we never looked like losing it."

Dunfermline certainly did not look like losing the game after Davie`s 51st minute goal:-

"I just cut in and hit it. It kind of got caught in the wind and sneaked in at the back post. Obviously I was delighted to get a goal after having a hand in wee James` (Grady) when I won the league with Gretna. It was good to have another say in a decider. I was delighted for ‘Dougal to get a goal as well but for the club to get back in the Premier League was massive."

For a full match report and click the link below

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• Images from Cappielow 30/04/2011