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Topic Originator: JohnnyLatics
Date: Fri 20 Feb 19:28
Hello all!
I`ve been a long time lurker of the board.
Short story very long.
I`m a Oldham Athletic supporter (since late 60`s).
My reason I first came to be in Dunfermline was Andy Rhodes. He was of course at Latics for a few years, always a character and saved our skin many times. Then out of the blue, he`s at the Pars.
An old mate of mine was fairly friendly with him and suggested we come up to Dunfermline to catch a game sometime and say hello.
We came v Hearts at East End Park, arriving on a overnight coach via Glasgow.
We arrived at the stadium a few hours before the game to buy a scarf etc (I had my Latics shirt on) and the old commissioner at the players entrance spotted us and told us to hang on. My mate had contacted him that we were coming.
Five minutes later we were handed a couple of tickets in the main stand and a note saying hang around after game at players entrance for a message.
The game was (if I remember) a win for the Pars. But the atmosphere was what I really remember. The away end was open then, before it was redeveloped. And the pies!
After the game the commissioner give us another note saying to go to a bar (name I can`t remember.. but more about that in a minute) and we set off there.
A few hours later Andy arrives, says hello and asks how many beers we`ve had. It was quite a few. He says to the lass behind the bar to give us our money back, "No Latics fans pay for drinks in MY bar!"
His bar?!?!? Apparently he`s bought /entered into partnership this little wine bar! (Does anyone know anything about this bar?)
The night became a blur later, we had some great laughs, spilt a few beans behind the scenes at Latics, but he seemed happier than ever in his new surroundings.
We ended up in a club in town (got us in for free and still wearing my Latics shirt), then we lost him among the mists.
Anyway, that season I went quite a few times and went to the Skol Cup final v Hibs.
When he was transferred to St Johnstone, we carried on going to East End Park. I even started to go to a couple of away games, including St Johnstone, giving Andy abuse for 90 mins then having a quick chat after the game.
Cut to 1996, Me and the lass moved to Edinburgh. My mates there were all Hibees or Jambos. But I still went on the short train journey to see the Pars.
Went to the promotion game 95/96, seeing the helicopter delivering the trophy! We then moved back home in 98.
Cut forward to about 4 years ago. My eldest son moved to Perth, so my excuse to start coming to East End Park was ready and I`ve been coming as much as I can since adding a few away games in too.
I always have a warm welcome from locals when I open my big fat northern gob, it`s obvious I`m not from there. But I feel at home there each time I go.
I`ll be there v Aberdeen in a couple of weeks for the weekend and hopefully again when we progress to Hampden Park.
Sorry to bore you, but it`s great to finally introduce myself and cheers!
I blame Andy Rhodes for this!
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Topic Originator: Bletchley_Par
Date: Fri 20 Feb 19:41
Dearie me, I`m greetin here.
Thanks for your post and welcome to dafc.net Johnny.
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Topic Originator: Big T Par
Date: Fri 20 Feb 19:47
Top man, Johnny son 👍
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Topic Originator: Buster_Brown
Date: Fri 20 Feb 19:48
Thank you, brilliant! I absolutely loved Andy and he inspired me to be a Goalkeeper, think everybody loved him at the time.
Great to hear the club is still close to your heart after all those years
Loving You, Is In My DNA 🇾🇪
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Topic Originator: AdamAntsParsStripe
Date: Fri 20 Feb 19:58
Great post Johnny. Andy was quite a character and goalie.
I still think he deliberately gave away that penalty while playing for Airdrie when we won the league.
Glad to hear you stuck by the Pars throughout and hope you have another great memory vs Aberdeen coming up.
Zwei Pints Bier und ein Päckchen Chips bitte
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Topic Originator: stevemac
Date: Fri 20 Feb 20:06
One of my favourite players from that time😊
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Topic Originator: P
Date: Fri 20 Feb 20:41
Quote:
JohnnyLatics, Fri 20 Feb 19:28
Hello all!
I`ve been a long time lurker of the board.
Short story very long.
I`m a Oldham Athletic supporter (since late 60`s).
My reason I first came to be in Dunfermline was Andy Rhodes. He was of course at Latics for a few years, always a character and saved our skin many times. Then out of the blue, he`s at the Pars.
An old mate of mine was fairly friendly with him and suggested we come up to Dunfermline to catch a game sometime and say hello.
We came v Hearts at East End Park, arriving on a overnight coach via Glasgow.
We arrived at the stadium a few hours before the game to buy a scarf etc (I had my Latics shirt on) and the old commissioner at the players entrance spotted us and told us to hang on. My mate had contacted him that we were coming.
Five minutes later we were handed a couple of tickets in the main stand and a note saying hang around after game at players entrance for a message.
The game was (if I remember) a win for the Pars. But the atmosphere was what I really remember. The away end was open then, before it was redeveloped. And the pies!
After the game the commissioner give us another note saying to go to a bar (name I can`t remember.. but more about that in a minute) and we set off there.
A few hours later Andy arrives, says hello and asks how many beers we`ve had. It was quite a few. He says to the lass behind the bar to give us our money back, "No Latics fans pay for drinks in MY bar!"
His bar?!?!? Apparently he`s bought /entered into partnership this little wine bar! (Does anyone know anything about this bar?)
The night became a blur later, we had some great laughs, spilt a few beans behind the scenes at Latics, but he seemed happier than ever in his new surroundings.
We ended up in a club in town (got us in for free and still wearing my Latics shirt), then we lost him among the mists.
Anyway, that season I went quite a few times and went to the Skol Cup final v Hibs.
When he was transferred to St Johnstone, we carried on going to East End Park. I even started to go to a couple of away games, including St Johnstone, giving Andy abuse for 90 mins then having a quick chat after the game.
Cut to 1996, Me and the lass moved to Edinburgh. My mates there were all Hibees or Jambos. But I still went on the short train journey to see the Pars.
Went to the promotion game 95/96, seeing the helicopter delivering the trophy! We then moved back home in 98.
Cut forward to about 4 years ago. My eldest son moved to Perth, so my excuse to start coming to East End Park was ready and I`ve been coming as much as I can since adding a few away games in too.
I always have a warm welcome from locals when I open my big fat northern gob, it`s obvious I`m not from there. But I feel at home there each time I go.
I`ll be there v Aberdeen in a couple of weeks for the weekend and hopefully again when we progress to Hampden Park.
Sorry to bore you, but it`s great to finally introduce myself and cheers!
Great post, well put together, information that’s interesting and provokes positive thoughts and memories and a good read.
It will never work, your kind is not welcome here 😝
I did not know he had ownership of the wine bar on guildhall St. I think it was just called the wine bar but could be wrong. It later became a shopping arcade and is now I think part of the lengthy walk to Wetherspoons toilets who are in the unit above. May have miss remembered details or order but that wee cut was a nice little addition to the town and it’s a shame it’s not there any longer
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Topic Originator: Connor560
Date: Fri 20 Feb 20:41
Lovely post, love stuff like this!
C'mon Ye Pars!
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Topic Originator: buffy
Date: Fri 20 Feb 20:49
Welcome to the madhoose!
”Buffy’s Buns are the finest in Fife”, J. Spence 2019”
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Topic Originator: OzPar
Date: Fri 20 Feb 21:05
Excellent post. Welcome Johnny.
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Topic Originator: JohnnyLatics
Date: Fri 20 Feb 21:05
Cheers all!
I was whacking my brain tonight about more details on that first trip.
We stayed in a pub/BnB a few times (name I cannot remember) I think was near the City train station on the main road.
I believe it was a meet up / HQ for a Celtic supporters club?
I was told to f*** off by a Celtic fan once when we arrived about noon, cause I had my Oldham top and as we play in blue, he was offended.. Bless him.
At night there was a disco and karaoke. It was a bit crazy.
I blame Andy Rhodes for this!
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