EAST END PARK has been hailed as "special" that holds an "unbelievable atmosphere" when it is "rocking".

And Pars boss James McPake has said his team need to find a way of getting the crowd involved this afternoon against Falkirk, after praising the backing they received last weekend.

Dunfermline's fierce rivals are their first opponents in this season's Championship at home, following last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Livingston.

Athletic are unbeaten in their last five meetings with the Bairns and, in their previous encounter at East End, won 2-0.

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That victory, in front of more than 9,000 fans, put them in pole position to go on and clinch the League One title on what was a memorable night in March 2023.

Ahead of today's game, McPake spoke of the important role those in the stands can play to help his side, explaining: "It is key and I touched on that at the end of the Livingston game.

"I was genuine and I thought it is dead easy when we were winning game after game (in League One), which we were doing, when that question is posed to you to say the fans were so great. When this place is rocking they are, it’s an unbelievable atmosphere, and we’ve had a couple here in the time that we have been here.

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"I didn’t bring it up for the sake of it (after the Livingston game). When you are not winning games the crowd moan. When we are drawing games here they moan, but they are right to moan if they are not seeing what they expect from the players. That’s why it stuck with me on Saturday coming into the press when everything else was spinning in my head, the backing those players got for the full game.

"It was a league game but different from the game there before (in the Premier Sports Cup last month). The numbers were different but I just thought the way they got behind the players was different as well.

Dunfermline lost at Livingston last weekend but James McPake was thrilled with the backing from the supporters.Dunfermline lost at Livingston last weekend but James McPake was thrilled with the backing from the supporters. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"They could see the effort, the endeavour and there were certain points in the game where they were applauding the hard work from the team. Fans will always do that and I think that’s why I was critical after one of the games here, against Forfar.

"There wasn’t a big crowd but no matter how many are in here, a thousand or six thousand, you have to give them something to get behind you with. That’s what they want.

"Of course they want three points, they want to see signings, everything a supporter wants but, whatever crowd is in here, all they want to see is the eleven on the pitch giving absolutely everything.

"That’s what they can relate to because every fan, if they put a Dunfermline strip on, that’s what they would expect of themselves. You could have somebody who has never played football before in their entire life, they are a die hard Dunfermline fan, put on a Dunfermline strip would go out there, run about and give everything for that strip.

"That’s what they want to see in the players and to be fair to the players at Livingston I think that’s what they got.

"Even when the second goal went in, when we were playing bits of football, they were still sticking with the players. You could hear the applause and the willingness to get behind the players.

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"This place is special. I have played at some good clubs, in some big games where you feel that the crowd can help you. I believe we have that here.

"I have experienced that enough now over my time here where the crowd have got right behind us."

McPake continued: "We didn’t win the first game and, the perception in everybody’s eyes and everybody’s opinion is different, but come three o’ clock on Saturday form, goes out the window, everything else goes out the window.

"They are just desperate for the eleven that start, and the ones that come on, to get that result for them, so that they can go away to the pub, go away home to their family, whatever they do for the next couple of days, and be proud of their team.

"We need to find a way to get them involved quickly because when this place is the way it can be and you get them behind you, loud and noisy then it’s a tough place to play."

McPake also said that his counterpart, John McGlynn, and his side deserved credit for their League One title success last season, in which they did not lose a game, adding: "Credit to them first and foremost.

"They had an incredible run last season in League One not to lose a game. That’s not easy as we found out the year before, we lost one.

"It’s a new season, the second game of the season, and there is a rivalry there. I think I spoke openly about this, when you are part of it for the first time.

"A couple of years ago, it was here, and it was a 1-1 draw, and then you take note of just how passionate both sets of fans are and how good the atmospheres are when these games come around.

"In terms of form, everything, it’s 95 minutes or whatever the ref decides to play of football and everything will be decided on that. You forget about everything else when that happens and in these games in particular because the crowd get involved, everybody gets involved and they are great."