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Monthly Digest - April 1968

           
Date: 3rd April 1968 Opposition: St Johnstone Score (H/T): 2-1 (0-0) AET
Competition: Scottish Cup Venue: Tynecastle Attendance: 9,845
Scorers: [0-1] McDonald (65), [1-1] Paton (72), [2-1] Lister (118)
Cards (Yellow): Barry (DAFC)
Pars Team: Martin, W Callaghan, Lunn, Fraser, Barry, Thomson, Edwards,  Paton, Gardner, T Callaghan (Lister), Robertson 
St Johnstone: Robertson, McGillvray, Coburn, Miller, Rooney, McPhee, McDonald, Gordon, Wilson, McCarry, Aitken.  Sub: Whitelaw.
Referee: T Wharton (Glasgow)
St Johnstone were on top for most of this game, and their superiority was rewarded in 65 minutes when, following a fine move between Coburn and Aitken, Alex McDonald opened the scoring. The Pars were far from dead and buried, and just seven minutes later equalised. Pat Gardner worked his way down the right side of the park and his cross was met by Bert Paton, who shot home. Six minutes from the end of normal time, Junior McGillivray brought down Lister in the box, and referee Tiny Wharton awarded a penalty. Saints goalie Derek McDonald brilliantly saved Hugh Robertson's spot kick, as well as Bert Paton's shot on the rebound. With honours even, the tie went into extra time. With just two minutes of extra time remaining, and with a second replay looming, John Lunn sent over a cross which gave both Willie Callaghan and Alex Edwards an opportunity to score, but between them they managed to return the ball low across the face of the goal, from where Ian Lister hammered home. Dunfermline were on their way to their third Scottish Cup Final in 7 years.
The gate receipts from the semi-final replay amounted to £3,154. 
 
Date: 6th April 1968 Opposition: Airdrieonians Score (H/T): 0-2 (0-1)
Competition: Division One Venue: East End Park Attendance: N/K
Scorers: [0-1] Jarvie (27), [0-2] Jarvie (75)
Cards: McPheat, Black (Airdrie)
Pars Team: Martin, W Callaghan, Lunn, Fraser, Barry, Thomson, Edwards, Paton, Gardner, Lister, Robertson.  Sub: T Callaghan.
Airdrieonians: McKenzie, Jonquin, Keenan, McPheat, Black, Whiteford, Madden, Jarvie, Marshall, Irviine, Phillips.  Sub: Ramsay.
Referee: I.K Bain 
An off form display by the Pars, for whom nothing went right, as the efforts of the semi-final replay against St Johnstone appeared to have taken their toll. In 27 minutes Jarvie took advantage of a mix-up at a free-kick to sore a simple goal. The second goal, also from Jarvie, came from another poorly defended free-kick.  
Date: 10th April 1968 Opposition: Stirling Albion Score (H/T): 1-2 (1-1)
Competition: Division One Venue: Annfield Park Attendance: N/K
Scorers: [1-0] T Callaghan (34), [1-1] Henderson (36), [1-2] Hughes (48)
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Duff, W Callaghan, Lunn, Fraser, Barry, T Callaghan, Edwards, Paton, Gardner, Lister, Robertson.  Sub: McGarty.
Stirling Albion: Murray, Reid, Corrigan, Grant, Rogerson, Henderson, Hall, Thomson, Lynn, Hughes, Smith.  Sub: Sheddon
Referee: W Elliott (Barrhead)
The mystery of this game is, how did basement club Stirling Albion manage to beat fourth placed Athletic? Dunfermline took the lead when a Robertson free-kick was passed to Tommy Callaghan, who lashed the ball home from all of 25 yards. Two minutes later Albion equalised, when a cross found Henderson unmarked, who had a a simple task to shoot past a surprised Duff. The winner came when Duff was slow to react to a through ball, and Hughes had an easy task to go past the keeper, and knock the ball into an empty net. 
The club has appealed to the four clubs playing league games in Glasgow on cup final day, to reschedule their fixtures. The Athletic's Board believe that Rangers v Aberdeen, and Clyde v Raith could affect the attendance at the final.
Skipper Roy Barry was placed on the open to transfer list at his own request. The defender believed that he was a marked man amongst Scottish referees. Barry told the Dunfermline Press that he had no other reason for wanting to leave Dunfermline. Manager Farm stated that there was no way that he would be leaving before the cup-final.
 
Date: 13th April 1968 Opposition: Partick Thistle Score (H/T): 2-1 (1-1)
Competition: Division One Venue: Firhill Attendance: N/K
Scorers: [0-1] Rae (14), [1-1] T Callaghan (33), [2-1] Edwards (82)
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Duff, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Barry, T Callaghan, Hunter, Paton, Mitchell, Gardner, Edwards.  Sub: Robertson
Partick Thistle: Niven, Campbell, West, O'Neill, McKinnon, Gibb, Rae, Roxburgh, Coulston, Flannagan, Duncan.  Sub Robertson.
Referee: W . J Mullah (Dalkeith)
A super goal 8 minutes from time gave the Pars the perfect pre-final boost. However, it was Partick Thistle who took the lead with their first real attack of the game. Following some good build-up play, a Coulston shot was blocked, but the ball broke kindly for Rae, who drove home. The equaliser in 33 minutes came from an Edwards corner kick. The ball landed between Mitchell and Tommy Callaghan, and the latter steered the ball home, after sending Niven the wrong way. Edwards winner was a beauty. From his own half Roy Barry headed the ball forward. Finding Edwards in space, the little winger strode forward and from 35 yards unleashed a superb drive that crashed into the net.
The Athletic concede that they have lost the fight to have the Rangers-Aberdeen fixture moved away from Cup Final day. Clyde and Raith had already re-scheduled their game.
Arrangements were made for a victory parade should the Pars win the cup. It was expected that the team would return to Dunfermline at about 9:15pm.
One week from the Cup Final, and the Pars are stunned as Danish goalkeeper Bent Martin requests a transfer.  
The club's list of free transfers is published. Eight players are released; Leven, Kinloch, McGaughy, O'Neill, McLuskey, Frew, Titterton and Gillies. Neil Leven is the only full-timer amongst the eight. 
           
Date: 20th April 1968 Opposition: Dundee United Score (H/T): 4-1 (3-0)
Competition: Division One Venue: Tannadice Attendance: N/K
Scorers: [1-0] Edwards (9), [2-0] Paton (12), [3-0] T Callaghan (31), [3-1] Wood (75), [4-1] Paton (76}
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Duff, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Barry, T Callaghan, Lister, Paton, Gardner, Robertson, Edwards. Sub: Hunter.
Dundee United: Davie, Brown, Cameron, Rolland, Smith, Wood, Seeman (Neilson), Graham, Scott, J Millar, Wilson .
Referee: R.B.Crawford (Stirling)
The Pars prepared for next weeks cup final with an excellent win at Tannadice. Edwards opened the scoring shooting home a Gardner cross. Paton scored the second, seizing on a half chance after Smith miss kicked on the edge of the area. In 31 minutes Tommy Callaghan scored a fine solo goal, leaving four United defenders trailling in his wake. The Dundee team pulled one back with 15 minutes remaining, but Bert Paton restored the Pars three goal lead one minute later after shooting home an Ian Lister cross. 
A shock inclusion in the Dunfermline line-up for the final is 20 year old John McGarty, who had played only twice before for the first-team.
A special train, plus around 150 buses were lined-up to make the pilgrimage to Hampden.
 
Date: 27th April 1968 Opposition: Hearts of Midlothian Score (H/T): 3-1 (0-0)
Competition: Scottish Cup Final Venue: Hampden Park Attendance: 56,365
Scorers: [1-0] Gardner (56), [2-0] Lister (59 pen), [2-1] Lunn (70 OG), [3-1] Gardner (73) 
Cards (Yellow): Lister (DAFC), Townsend, Moller (Hearts)
Pars Team: Martin, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Barry, T Callaghan, Lister, Paton, Gardner, Robertson, Edwards Sub Thomson.
Hearts: Cruikshank, Sneddon, Mann, Anderson, Thomson, Miller, Jensen (Moller), Townsend, Ford, Irvine, Traynor
Referee: W Anderson (East Kilbride)
For the second time in 7 years the Pars win the Scottish Cup. Although the game was never a classic, it will be remembered for a long time by the Pars faithful. After a dull first half, the game burst into life in the second half, and after near things from Paton, Edwards and Gardner, the Pars took the lead in 56 minutes. Cruikshank pushed out a Lister free-kick, and the ball fell nicely for Pat Gardner who shot home on the volley. Three minutes later and the Pars were awarded a penalty after the Hearts keeper brought down Paton in the box. Lister converted. Hearts pulled a goal back after Lunn turned a Moller cross past Bent Martin, but Pat Gardner restore the Athletic's two goal advantage when he thundered a shot home, after Paton had taken advantage of a poor George Miller header.  
There was disappointment that the SFA banned the winning team from having a lap of honour. It was felt that to do so might incite crowd problems. 
The team returned to Dunfermline on the Saturday evening and toured the town in an open top bus. With the crowds lining the street all the way to the City Chambers, the team, and the cup were given an ecstatic reception. Just as the '61 cup winning team had done, the Pars players were introduced one by one on the balcony of the City Chambers. 
The cup final attendance of 56,365 was the lowest recorded post-war. There was therefore some satisfaction that Rangers, who had insisted on playing their league game with Aberdeen on the same day, lost 3-2, thereby finishing runners up in the Division One championship to Celtic.
Tuesday night's match against Celtic, was unique in Scottish football history. The first time that the Scottish Cup holders had met the League Champions in the same season. To say that the the game generated an incredible amount of interest, would be an understatement! 
Date: 30th April 1968 Opposition: Celtic Score (H/T): 1-2
Competition: Division One Venue: East End Park Attendance: 27,816
Scorers: [1-0] Gardner (25), [1-1] Lennox (47), [1-2] Lennox (71)
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Martin, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Barry, T Callaghan, Lister, Paton, Gardner, Robertson (Mitchell), Edwards.
Celtic: Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Lennox, Wallace, Gallagher (Connelly), Hughes.
Referee: T Wharton (Glasgow)
The game itself took second place to the events off the field. With the ground packed, spectators eager to glimpse the action on the field climbed up the floodlights and on to the roofs of the enclosures. Although the official attendance was put at 27,816, thousands more found their way into the ground. On the pitch, Gardner put the Pars into the lead when he received a Paton pass to shoot past Simpson. Just after the break, Lennox equalised  when he ran a Gallagher pass into the goal. In 71 minutes Lennox scored the winner, knocking the ball past Martin from an acute angle.
During the Celtic match, a 67 year old man died, when he fell from the roof of a nearby garage. Given the chaos that ensued, it was surprising that only 49 spectators were hurt, of which 15 required hospital treatment. During the game, which had to be stopped for eight minutes at one time, two crush barriers gave way under the weight of the crowd. A second stoppage of nine minutes occurred minutes later when crush barriers at the Crossgates end gave way and the crowd spilled down the steps. The police officer in charge that night said later that the game was in danger of being abandoned. 
The attendance of 27,816 set a never to be beaten record. It surpassed the previous record attendance of 24,377, against Rangers, in March 1958. It was estimated that some 3,000 spectators were outside the ground when the gates were locked.  
The morning after the game, East End Park and the surrounding area had the appearance of a disaster area. Beer bottles and cans littered the area, and the council reported that they had removed two lorry loads of rubbish from Halbeath Road alone.
Pos   Pld W D L F A Pts
3 Hibernian 34 20 5 9 67 49 45
4 Dunfermline Ath 34 17 5 12 64 41 39
5 Aberdeen 34 16 5 13 63 48 37
 
16 players are named for the club's forthcoming tour of USA, Canada and Bermuda.
Following his appearance before the SFA, Roy Barry found himself suspended for three weeks between 10th and 31st August. He will miss five games. The Dunfermline captain had already served a 14 day suspension and a £40 fine, after being sent off against Celtic earlier in the season.
The board announced that Humbug Park, the club's training ground, will undergo a £20,000 facelift during the close season.
The total home gates for the season just ended, were 158,165.

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