PARS THE NICKNAME Excerpt from “Black and White Magic” by Jim Paterson and Douglas Scott.

There are numerous theories as to the origin of the nickname the Pars. Most tend to confirm the more common belief that the name arose from the team’s parallel striped shirts, their drinking habits or their style of play. The latter were both described as “paralytic”. The earliest theory claims that in the early days when the Football Club was closely connected with the Cricket Club, the footballers were renowned for their performances at the bar and so were called the “Paralytics”.

However in the early 1900s it is known that Athletic’s nickname was the“Dumps” - shortened from Dunfermline- and this is said to have been coined by English sailors visiting East End Park when their ship docked at Rosyth. After the 1914-18 War they were known as the Pars and some believe the parallel black and white stripes to be the reason.

Another school of thought involves English workers who came to work at the armaments depot at Crombie and at Rosyth Dockyard; they kept their association with their local team by forming the Plymouth Argyle (Rosyth) Supporters Club and it is said that the Dunfermline nickname comes from the banners in evidence around the ground.

The majority of present day supporters consider the name Pars to be a derivative of the shout “Paralytics” which has been the cry from the terracings during the all to often spells of indifferent form. Others have suggested that Athletic were a very physical team and “paralysed” their opponents by virtue of their rough play.

No matter which may be the correct reason for the Pars, each theory has its exponents who are convinced that theirs is right. Few seem to agree and some solutions sound decidedly fishy - like the suggestion that the team were named after young salmon - parr- which have black and white stripes. What is clear though is that the nickname has borne the test of time and vastly changing fortunes.

Ally Cook

According to John Hunter's “Centenary History” of the club, the nickname Pars originates from 1912, when Dunfermline Athletic were first admitted to the Scottish League. It is believed to refer to the fact that they had become equal to, or ON PAR with, the best in the land.

Dale Kidd, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The nickname 'Pars' originated in the late '50s when Dunfermline Athletic was having a horrendous season - in other words they couldn't win to save themselves. One comedian in the stands had enough of the pathetic play that he compared the team's performance to that of paralytic drunks. The word Paralytics resembled Athletics, so the Dunfermline Paralytics became the name coined to identify the team by frustrated fans. It was later shortened to the Pars, and it has stuck.

I was lucky to see them in the '60s when they were anything but paralytic.

George Penman.

The name came from PARALYTIC as in the early days some of the players were a wee bit pie eyed when playing as they were gathered from local inns and hostelries.

Gordon Crichton, Melbourne, Australia

I have to agree with earlier submissions. My earliest recall was that they were facing relegation in the late 50's and were described as paralytic (drunks). All that changed of course with Jock Stein and the 1961 Cup Final.

How many baby boomers remember the euphoria of that occasion, the Scottish Daily Express chequered bunnets and Eddie Connachan's heroic defence?

Jamie A Miller

I was on holiday this weekend in a country lodge in Pitlochry. On the wall dating back to before the 1930's was a map called "FIFE AE PARS OCCIDENNIAL" with the translation underneath "The West Part Of Fife" .
I thought it was Latin but I took it out the original frame (hope no one checks) and the writing on the back looked Dutch to me. I know a little Norwegian so it wasn't that I think it was Dutch. It struck me as odd that the word Pars next to West Fife was there??
Maybe we were once known as Fife Pars occidennials team from West Fife???

What does anyone think?

Could I have stumbled across something or does anyone know different??