1914 Christmas Truce football matches remembered

A Moment in History: Pars marked the occasion at home match v Ayr United

All 42 SPFL clubs joined forces with teams across the UK earlier this month to commemorate the 1914 Christmas Truce football matches.

As part of ‘Football Remembers Week’, a series of programmes and events to mark the 100th anniversary of the iconic matches from the First World War, Scottish clubs showed their support and created their own ‘Moment in History’ by holding a mixed team photograph before kick-off.
At each of the 21 SPFL fixtures across the weekend of 6th and 7th December, all 22 starting players posed together for a group photograph to celebrate the spirit of the unofficial ceasefire matches which took place during the first Christmas of the Great War.

Images from across the country have been uploaded to social media using the hashtag #FootballRemembers and fans are also able to see all photographs at the official website FootballRemembers.com. As well as SPFL clubs, teams from all levels of the Scottish game were encouraged to create their own ‘Moment in History’.

Speaking of the initiative, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “The 1914 Christmas Truce matches demonstrated the unifying power of football and it’s important we use this opportunity to acknowledge and remember the spirit and humanity of those involved.

“Despite what was happening, these young people were able to put differences aside to enjoy a game of football and it’s pleasing to see clubs across the country coming together to commemorate one of the few bright moments in what was a very dark chapter of history.”

‘Football Remembers’ is a series of programmes and events being delivered jointly by the Premier League, The FA and the Football League, in partnership with the British Council, to commemorate the First World War. The SPFL was asked to participate and gave its support to the ‘Moment in History’.

At Dunfermline Athletic Football Club, a number of initiatives have been taking place this season including a series of articles in the match programme about Dunfermline and the First World War, our own commemoration event held in August, and our participation in the McCrae Battalion Centenary.

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