ATHLETIC manager James McPake has said that Saturday will be a day for the club’s supporters as they lift the League One trophy.
The champions will play their final home game of a huge successful campaign against Clyde, where they will aim to become the first post-war Pars side to remain unbeaten on their own pitch for a full league season, before getting their hands on the silverware.
A large crowd is expected at KDM Group East End Park – the North West Stand is sold out, with sections in the North East Stand open to Dunfermline fans – to watch the team collect the title and further celebrate their achievement in bouncing back to the Championship at the first attempt following last season’s relegation.
Speaking to Press Sport this week, McPake said: “I’ve never experienced it, so I can’t look back on previous times.
“Dave (Mackay, his assistant manager) has obviously won the Scottish Cup, a few of the players have won a league – maybe two or three of them have won a league – and I think Paul McGowan’s won a cup, so there’s not a lot of experience of these types of days within the group.
“We’re looking forward to sharing that with our families, of course we are. They’re the ones that are there when you’re in a bad mood; that’s players, staff, whoever. That’s consistent. You go home to your families and it might be a bad mood, an injury, like in Paul Allan’s case, Rhys Breen, when he gets injured and is devastated to be out, things like that.
“It’s a day for the fans. I don’t want to look back, but they were sitting at this point, last season, and not feeling so good, but I’m sure they’ll all turn up at KDM Group East End Park in their numbers on Saturday, full of pride in their football club because we’ve went out and won the league.
“It’s not an easy League One. It’s far from it this season and, in terms of the turnover of players, yeah, a lot went out, but we’ve only made three permanent signings. The loan players have been fantastic for us and, again, that’s not always easy to do. That’s something that’s worked.
“It’s the new board’s first success. There’s board members there that have experienced success at Dunfermline, but it was a reset button that was pressed last summer, and we’re delighted we could play our part in that.
“The fans have got to enjoy it just as much as everyone else, because they’ve been home and away with us, and they’ll come out in their numbers again.
“The scenes after the Queen of the South game (when Dunfermline clinched the title) were fantastic, and it’s days like that that makes you realise why you love this game so much.
“Saturday’s another one that, come quarter-to-five, regardless of what happens, we’ll enjoy it, because the real hard work of getting the title secured has been done.”
McPake, pictured after Saturday's draw at Airdrieonians, continued: “I’ll be there early but, when the players get in at quarter-past-one, it’s full focus on Clyde and what we can do.
“First of all, we want to excite our fans with creating chances. One thing we’ll not do is let them down by not working hard, but the result is the result of the game.
“Afterwards, as soon as the full-time whistle goes, it’s fully deserved for everyone involved with the football club, the fans included in that.
“Winning a league is special. It’s over the course of a full season as we know, and it’s really hard to do.
“From the very top of the football club, and I did come out and say that there isn’t a hierarchy this club, but, of course, we know where we all stand, everyone’s put in such a great shift this season.
“Everyone’s pulled in the right direction, or the same direction, and everyone deserves to enjoy this day on Saturday. Of course we’re proud, we’re looking forward to getting our hands on the trophy and enjoying it because it’s too often in this game that you take a sore one.
“We’ll make sure we enjoy and savour Saturday. We’ll enjoy it for a couple of days, and then it’s on to Alloa.”
Tickets for the game are on sale in the ticket office and club shop today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) from 10am-4pm, and on match day; online at www.dafc.co.uk; over the phone by calling 01383 745909; or from the ticket kiosk, on match day, between the Norrie McCathie and Main stands.
The club are encouraging supporters to ensure that they buy their tickets early in anticipation of a large attendance.
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