My Favourite Pars Matches

John Lunn & Bert Paton, by IM

One involved John Lunn. Close to being my favourite ever Pars player. I can’t even remember who the opposition were! Memories can be deceptive, particularly of 60 years ago but I seem to recall in one game he disposssed the opposition player in the Pars penalty box and started to stroll/glide elegantly up the left wing heading to the Cowdenbeath end. (Bearing in mind his stroll was probably faster than most sprints of players of that era.) He seemed to slow down/pause every 10 yards or so looking infield for a teammate to lay the ball off to. No one was free. So he just kept on going for another 20 yards. All the time the opposition just continued to give him space, knowing that if he decided to sprint they couldn’t catch him and assuming that eventually he would pass it infield. However, he arrived about 5 yards outside the opposition penalty box and finding himself with still nobody to pass to, unleashed a perfectly controlled low hard shot across the keeper into the net. I think it was one of the few goals he ever scored.

Another memory was watching Bert Paton showing superior dribbling skills in the opposition penalty box. Sending players the wrong way. Bearing down on goal. Only the keeper to beat. Drawing his leg back to pass the ball into the net. When he was shoulder charged off the ball. By Alex Ferguson! Who hammered the ball into the net from about 2 yards! And celebrated like he had just scored the goal of the season.