27th April 1968

45 years ago today Roy Barry lifted the Scottish Cup for Dunfermline. He reflected:-

On this day in 1968 Dunfermline Athletic lifted the Scottish Cup for the second time in their history. The Pars 1968 captain Roy Barry worked in London for 25 years but now lives in Dunfermline having retired in September of last year.  He reflected on the events of 45 years ago.

"We were all just young boys. Every time I walk down the High Street and see the Town Hall and the balcony I look up and say 'there's my balcony'. I remember standing up there with the Provost, it was absolutely brilliant.

"It brings back great memories of what it meant to the town at the time. Because we were so young we did not realise then what we had achieved. When we were on the bus coming back the penny dropped about what we had actually achieved. We saw the crowds lining the streets.

"I met a guy a few weeks ago who said 'I will never forget that day. He said I was ten and you had the cup and you waved to me. That typifies the whole thing, it was such a big day for everybody. It was just a wonderful day.

"I remember the day vividly in the bus. The highlight for me was being on the balcony. I remember Willie Callaghan, Tommy Callaghan and myself with the cup. We looked down on a sea of people of all ages. You thought, Jees what have we achieved here?"

That night in April 1968 goes down not just in sporting history but in the social history of Dunfermline. Roy had spent three years at Dunfermline but because he commuted from Edinburgh he didn't really get to know the town. Only now that he lives in Dunfermline does he fully comprehend the whole significance of it all. Even 40 years on fans still ask to have their photographs taken with Roy.

"I don't know about the word legend. It gets banded about but certainly the whole team, all the players, get held in high regard. As a defender the back four at the time - Willie Callaghan and John Lunn the full backs myself at centre half, Jim Fraser and John McGarty who played in the Final - there were caps there but because we were provincial we didn't get capped.

"I didn't think I should have been capped at the time but when I look back, yes I should have been capped."

Roy Barry (second from right back row) with former players at the 2007 DAFC Hall of Fame Event:- Back Row: Jim Herriot, Eddie Connachan, Bent Martin, Willie Cunningham, Roy and Jim Leishman. Front: Alex Edwards, Alex Smith, George Peebles and Harry Melrose

Roy and his team mates were serious challengers for the international places already well established by Tommy Gemmell, Eddie McCreadie, Ron McKinnon and Billy McNeill. International recognition was not to be but Roy still has had the privilege to lead a winning team out in a cup final:-

"It was a great feeling to lead the team out more so because I had been captain of Hearts and George Miller had been the captain of Dunfermline and was then captain of Hearts. I have the video, sometimes I watch it. The football was all played on the ground. It was all really good stuff , Pat Gardner's goals were fantastic and Ian Lister's penalty was cool. We scored all the goals because John Lunn got the own goal."

Roy Barry with George Miller at the 2005 DAFC Hall of Fame

The outcome was never in any doubt after two goals in three minutes early in the second half sent the Pars into confident ascendancy. After the lead was cut back to 2-1 in 70th minute Pat Gardner restored the two goal cushion with a thundering shot off a Bert Paton lay off. Bert was Roy's hero.

"He was a real solid individual in midfield. He was a very sensible player; he did the right things at the right time and mentally he was very strong. I always looked to Bert thinking if you are doing well, we'll do well.

Roy and Bert met up at the Scott Thomson Fans Forum in Legends

"It was a great day but the we were dreadful in the semi final against St Johnstone. We beat Celtic in the first round at Parkhead but in the semi final at Tynecastle we were lucky to survive the replay. We got a goal when the opposing goalkeeper kicked it out right to Pat Gardner's feet and he then lobbed it in the back of the goals. I thought our name was on the cup from there but we still had to go out and do it.

"Our best performance was the Celtic game in the first round and the next best performance was the final. In between we were rubbish. 1968 was our year."

Willie Cunningham was the Manager who brought Roy to East End Park and he admits that he never really got on with George Farm who was in charge of the 68 Cup winning team.

"I have to appreciate the fact that he kept me captain when he came. He could have said I don't like you I will have somebody else as captain but he kept me captain. When I watch the video at the final whistle commentator Alex Cameron says 'Dunfermline have won the cup, the first time since 1961 and there is the Manager George Farm running on the pitch to greet his captain Roy Barry'. We both hugged, it was the emotion of the situation. You are just there and you just did it but we never got on. It proves the point that you can work with somebody you don't really get on with but achieve what you want to."

The 68 skipper was at Hampden for the 2007 final and he was hoping for victory because Dunfermline supporters are badly needing something fresher and more recent to commemorate.

"Maybe next year they will do it."

The 1968 Cup Final Teams:-

DUNFERMLINE: Bent Martin; Willie Callaghan, John Lunn, John McGarty, Roy Barry (c), Tom Callaghan; Ian Lister, Bert Paton, Pat Gardner, Hugh Robertson, Alex Edwards
12th man: Jim Thomson
SCORERS: Gardner (56, 72) Lister (59 pen)

HEARTS: Cruickshank; Sneddon, Mann, Anderson, Thomson, Miller (c), Jensen, Townsend, Ford, Irvine, Traynor
12th man: Moller
SCORER: Lunn (og 70)

REFEREE: W Anderson, East Kilbride
ATTENDANCE 56,365