Dunfermline’s Date with Destiny

“What a difference a year makes. The whole club is in a better place now. The manager has turned it around, we have good players but at the end of the day it has just been hard work

Within 12 months the 29th April was transformed from a date cloaked in gloom to one of elation. Pars midfielder Joe Chalmers joined Dunfermline in January 2022 and he played every minute of the remaining 14 league games but the home defeat to, an already relegated, Queen of the South coupled by a win for Ayr United at home to Partick Thistle sent the Fifers into the Championship play offs.

Roll the clock forward to 29th April 2023, a 2-1 win over Clyde and the presentation of the trophy to the cinch League One champions, Joe described it as a special day.

“We got the win that we came here for and that capped everything off. The celebrations and going up there to get the medal and the trophy has made it a memorable day.

“What a difference a year makes. The whole club is in a better place now. The manager has turned it around, we have good players but at the end of the day it has just been hard work in training every week and on a Saturday. We have just tried to work as hard as we can and luckily it has taken us to here.”

Clyde did their best to spoil Dunfermline’s day but Lewis McCann’s 93rd minute goal really topped off a fantastic home league season. A sublime goal was what it took and Joe continued:-

“We were desperate to win it, we had tried everything and nothing was coming off. The whole season this team has kept going until the last minute and we have been in that situation a lot this season. It shows that we keep pushing and then like so many times this season, the substitutes that have come on made an impact. Lewis has scored a brilliant goal and that has made it even better. It gave the place a real lift and from there the atmosphere just stepped up a notch.”

Fourteen points clear of second placed Falkirk, Pars fans and players really had plenty to celebrate and almost unnoticed a full league season has gone by without being beaten at home. This has happened before on three occasions. In season 1912/13 (first season in Scottish League), 1925/26 when Bobby Skinner broke scoring record, and 1932/33. Joe commented:-

“It is one that you think would have been done before but it just shows you how difficult it is. This season a lot of teams have come here, put men behind the ball and made it difficult. We have had some hard moments at home and drawn a lot of games that we should have won. Over the course of the full season to go unbeaten is something to be proud of.”

The celebrations even included a chant for Joe Chalmers and he confessed that it means a lot to go out on a Saturday and have the backing of the fans:-

“When the fans are excited it does help your confidence. We have been well supported this season, they have got right behind the team. They have driven us on and hopefully we have excited them. It has been a good match this season and a big difference from the season before.”

Another major positive for the Chalmers family on Saturday was Joe’s biggest fans being able to make up for missing out on the title clinching 5-0 match against Queen of the South due to a badly timed holiday to the Canary Islands. Joe’s wife, Brogan and their three year old son, Nolan were back at East End for the Clyde match and three year old Nolan, who is often spotted on the pitch after games kicking the ball about on the pitch, really enjoyed himself:-

“He is still buzzing” Joe said and he feels sharing with families is a major part of the success of the season:-

“That is why you do it, obviously you love the game as well but for your family to be here watching it and sharing it with you. That’s one thing about the club here, they make sure that all the families are involved. The manager has been really good with that throughout the season. We have had different things and the celebrations have just had a real family feel to it.”

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