WHEN Athletic were last crowned League One champions in 2016, the East End air would regularly be filled with chants of "super Joe".

Fast forward seven years and those words have again been on the lips of supporters filling the ground – and Joe Chalmers admits that hearing them "means a lot".

Once used to serenade current Kelty Hearts winger Joe Cardle, who won the third tier with the Pars, as well as the First Division in 2011, over two spells with the club, it is now a song used in honour of the 29-year-old midfielder, who, with 12, has the highest number of assists in League One this season.

His consistency has been reflected in the fact that he has played in all but one of Dunfermline's competitive games this season – he missed a draw with FC Edinburgh in March through injury – and was jointly voted as the Gary Riddell Players' Player of the Year, alongside Matty Todd, at the club's Centenary Club Player of the Year on Saturday night.

"That means a lot," he replied to Press Sport when asked about the fans singing his name.

"When you go out on a Saturday, and you've got the fans' backing, and the fans are excited, it does help for confidence when you're on the park.

"We've been well supported this season. They've got behind the team and I think they've drove us on. Hopefully, we've excited them.

"I think it's just been a good match this season and, obviously, a big difference from the season before."

The feeling that Chalmers and his pals had on Saturday, as they collected the trophy and their medals, was in sharp contrast to exactly 365 days previously.

On April 29, 2022, Dunfermline slumped to defeat at home to already relegated to Queen of the South, on an evening that the midfielder's former club, Ayr United, consigned them to the relegation play-off spot in the Championship by beating Partick Thistle.

Defeat to Queen's Park then consigned the Pars to the drop, and Chalmers reflected: "The difference a year makes!

"The whole club's obviously in a better place now. The manager (James McPake) has turned it around, and it's just been through pure hard work if I'm being honest. That's all that's been drummed into us.

"Obviously, we've got good players, but it's just been hard work in training every week and on a Saturday. We've just tried to work as hard as we can.

"Luckily, it's got us to here."

Before the game with Clyde, after which the players received the silverware, Chalmers revealed that his wife, Brogan, and their three-year-old son, Nolan, had missed the title-clinching match with Queen of the South due to being on holiday.

They were, though, there to join in the celebrations on Saturday, and the Pars star added: "He's enjoyed himself. He's still buzzing and now looking for a ball to keep playing!

"It's why you do a lot of it. Obviously, you love the game as well, but for your families and for them to be here watching it and sharing it with you.

"That's one thing about the club here, that they make sure all the families are involved. The manager's been really good with that throughout the season. We've had different things and it's just had a real, family-feel to it, the celebrations and stuff.

"We were desperate to win it (the game). We tried everything; not everything was coming off but, this season, the full season, we've kept going to the last minute.

"We've been in that situation a lot this season and it shows that we keep pushing. So many times this season, substitutes that have come on have made an impact, and, obviously, Lewis (McCann) has scored a brilliant goal. That just made it even better.

"It gave the place a real lift, and the atmosphere from there just stepped up a notch.

"We were glad to get the win and, obviously, for the records as well that we're trying to set.

"It's been a special, special day. Obviously, we got the win we came here for, and it just capped everything off; the celebrations, and going up there and getting the medal and the trophy.

"It's been a memorable day."