My Favourite Pars Matches

68: A Good Year, by AC

I was so pleased to read some of the tales of yesteryear and probably not surprised that we seem to share memories of the same games. The 1961 Cup Final (twice), the amazing Valencia game, and the mayhem which seemed to crop up at all our European encounters. I wasn’t able to go to the 1968 Final.

One game that I was at was also referred to by someone else was the 1968 one against Celtic with the record crowd (well over 30,000 – nobody really knows?) that Celtic won and won the League too!. Two of us started the match two steps from the back in the north enclosure and by half time we were 15 steps down and we hadn’t moved! We were completely surrounded by Celtic supporters but I couldn’t stop myself from reacting when Pat Gardner scored a marvellous goal. I became aware of all these faces glaring at me so I said “well, it was a good goal” and a wee man next to me said “” I just hope he disnae make a habit of it”. I think it was a good result (for me) and saved my bacon?

I am also reminded of something my brother said when he went to a really exciting game (can’t remember what) that involved a few goals, the odd penalty, outbreaks of fisticuffs and two sendings off (what we all like). I asked about the reaction to one incident and he said “the crowd tutted loudly”.

He was right – that’s a Dunfermline crowd for you?