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Monthly Digest - October 1969

           
Date: 1st October 1969 Opposition: Girondins de Bordeaux Score (H/T): 0-2 (0-1) 
Competition: I-C Fairs Cup  Venue: Municipal Stadium Attendance: 20,000
Round  First Leg Second Aggregate: 4-2
Scorers: [0-1] Othily (18), [0-2] Wojieak (87)
Cards (Yellow): Papin, Simon (Bordeaux)
Pars Team: Duff, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Baillie, Renton, Mitchell, Paton, Edwards, Gardner, McLean.
Bordeaux: Montes, Papin, Grabowski, Betta, Desremeaux, Texier, Othily, Simon, Ruiter, Dortomb, Wojeiak.
Referee: F Rion (Liege)
This was a game which disgraced the name of French football. Faced with a very weak referee, Bordeaux tried every dirty trick in the book to rattle a Dunfermline side which refused to get involved. It was surprising that only two Bordeaux players were booked, as the Brazilian Ruiter should have been sent off after he appeared to strike and then spit in centre-half Doug Baillie's face. The first goal for the home side was a shot from the edge of the box by winger Othily in 18 minutes. With three minutes remaining, the home side grabbed a second from Wojeiak. Dunfermline did have the ball in the net through McLean, but the strike was ruled offside by the linesman. 
Following the Fairs Cup tie with Bordeaux, the Athletic had to leave the stadium under the protection of the Gendarmerie, using a rear exit. As the final whistle sounded, thousands of French supporters ran onto the pitch and the players needed protection as they headed for the dressing rooms. The game and the Belgian referee's performance will be discussed by the Athletic board on their return to Scotland. 
In the draw for the second round of the Fairs Cup, Dunfermline were paired against Polish Army side Gwardia of Warsaw. The first leg will be played at East End Park.
           
Date: 4th October 1969 Opposition: Clyde Score (H/T): 1-0 (0-0)
Competition: Division One Venue: East End Park Attendance: 6,147
Scorers: [1-0] McLean (77)
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Duff, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Baillie, Renton, Mitchell, Robertson (Lister), Edwards, Gardner, McLean
Clyde: N/K
Referee: N/K
A fairly ordinary performance from the Pars, but full points nevertheless. Although Dunfermline had most of the play and chances, they made little impact on the Bully Wee's goal. There was much relief amongst players and supporters, when in 77 minutes, George McLean took an Edwards pass to cut through the Clyde defence and knock the ball past Wright.
           
Date: 11th October 1969 Opposition: Greenock Morton Score (H/T): 1-3 (1-2)
Competition: Division One  Venue: Cappielow Park Attendance: N/K
Scorers: [1-0] Renton (5), [1-1] Ferry (14), [1-2] Sweeney (16), [1-3] Sweeney (66) 
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Duff, W Callaghan, Lunn (Lister), McGarty, Baillie, Renton, Mitchell, Barry, Edwards, Gardner, McLean
Morton: Neilson, Ferguson, Laughton, Sweeney, Gray, Rankin, Coakley, Collins, Mason, O'Neill, Ferry. Sub: Jensen.
Referee: T Wharton (Glasgow)
For the first time in the season, the Athletic concede 3 goals, despite taking an early lead. Mitchell passed to Edwards, and his low cross evaded the entire Morton defence before reaching McLean. He touched it back to Willie Renton on the penalty spot, who shot low and hard past Neilson into the corner of the net. The equaliser came after a Mason cross had Duff in trouble and Ferry scored from close range. Two minutes later and an unstoppable Sweeney shot saw Morton take the lead. Sweeney was again on hand for the home team to score their third, after drifting past several defenders, who seemed to be expecting him to pass.
Pos   Pld W D L F A Pts
1 Hibernian 8 7 0 1 18 7 14
2 Dunfermline Ath 8 5 2 1 11 7 12
3 Dundee United 8 5 2 1 15 12 12
 
Dunfermline Reserves beat Morton 3-1 at EEP. Two goals from McKimmie and one from Traynor secure the points.
Skipper Roy Barry has been placed on the transfer list at his own request. The board and manager have reluctantly agreed to the player's request, the second he has made. The player claimed he was a marked man in Scottish football. Coventry City and Nottingham Forrest are both reported to be interested.
A number of payers will be missing from the game against Kilmarnock. Full back Willie Callaghan has been selected for the 18 strong Scotland pool ahead of the World Cup Qualifier against West Germany. Ex Athletic keeper Jim Heriot, now with Birmingham is also in the pool. Willie Renton had been suspended by the SFA for three weeks and fined £20, following an altercation with Celtic's Willie Wallace. Also missing would be the injured Bert Paton, and transfer listed defender, Roy Barry. As a result of the absentees, youngsters Jim Brown and Jim Traynor were blooded, and there was a return for Jim Thomson after a two month absence from the first team
Following the Kilmarnock game,  manager George Farm will travel to Poland to watch Gwardia Warsaw in action ahead the teams forthcoming Inter-City Fairs Cup game. Whilst in Warsaw, Farm will also take the opportunity to sort out training and hotel accommodation.
           
Date: 18th October 1969 Opposition: Kilmarnock Score (H/T): 2-1 (1-0)
Competition: Division One  Venue: East End Park Attendance: 7,794
Scorers: [1-0] Traynor (5), [1-1] Baillie (65 OG), [2-1] Mitchell (79)
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Martin, Brown, Lunn, McGarty, Baillie, Thomson, Mitchell, Gardner, Edwards, Traynor, McLean. Sub: Lister.
Kilmarnock: McLaughlan, King, Dickson, Gilmour, McGrory, Strachan, T McLean, Morrison, Mathie, J McLean, Cook. Sub: Beattie
Referee: R.K. Wilson (Glasgow)
Given the number of changes that needed to be made to the team, this was a very good win for the Pars. They took the lead in just five minutes through debutante Jim Traynor when he cut through the Killie defence and planted a low hard shot past the advancing McLaughlan. Killie's equaliser came 20 minutes into the second half, when Baillie deflected a Tommy McLean shot from a free-kick into his own net. The winner from Mitchell came from a quickly taken free kick by Edwards, which brought protests from the visitors. The referee allowed the goal to stand, and the Pars moved onto the same number of points as leaders Hibernian.
Pos   Pld W D L F A Pts
1 Hibernian 8 7 0 1 18 7 14
2 Dunfermline Ath 9 6 2 1 13 8 14
3 Dundee United 8 5 2 1 15 12 12
Dunfermline Reserves lost 4-2 to Raith Rovers at EEP. Traynor and McKimmie score for the Pars. 
The Roy Barry saga finally drew to an end on the Monday, with his move to Coventry City going through. The big defender had played 126 games for the Pars and was a crowd favourite. However he felt persecuted by Scottish referees, and he had picked up a number of bookings and sendings off following his move from Hearts in 1966 for £13,000. Despite selling Barry for £45,000, manager Farm refused to dive into the transfer market, seeing young starlet Dave McNicoll as a perfect replacement.
The Athletic will travel to Poland for the second leg of the Fairs Cup game against Gwardia Warsaw. Meanwhile manager Farm's spying mission to Warsaw didn't quite go according to plan. His flight from London to the Polish capital was cancelled due to thick fog in Warsaw.
           
Date: 25th October 1969 Opposition: Rangers Score (H/T): 0-2 (0-1)
Competition: Division One Venue: Ibrox Stadium Attendance: N/K
Scorers: [0-1] Penman (3), [0-2] Johanson (90) 
Cards (Yellow): Edwards, Mitchell (DAFC), Henderson (Rangers) 
Pars Team: Martin, W Callaghan, Lunn, McGarty, Baillie, Thomson, Mitchell, Gardner, Edwards, Traynor (Lister), McLean
Rangers: Neef, Johanson, Heron, Greig, McKinnon, Watson, Henderson, Penman, Stein, Johnston, Persson. Sub: Smith
Referee: J.M.Kelly (Motherwell)
A goal at either end of the game saw Dunfermline beaten again at Ibrox. Rangers took the lead after just three minutes, when a Penman free-kick beat both the wall, and Bent Martin. Dunfermline's best effort came in 70minutes when a Mitchell header from a Callaghan free-kick was was touched onto the post be Neef. Mitchell then had the ball in the net, but was ruled offside. Rangers second came in the dying moments of the game, when Persson seized on a poor Lunn pass to set up Johanson to shoot past Martin.
For the first time since the substitute's rule was introduced, the Athletic were unable to name a twelfth man for the Reserve's game against Rangers at EEP. So scarce were resources, that provisional signing Andy Tracey was called in. To cap a surprise debut, the 18 year old scored the winner in the last minute. The final score was 2-1 to the Pars, with the home team's opener being an own goal from Rangers Jackson. 
Bert Paton returned to training after a spell in hospital following an injury sustained in the first leg of the Fairs Cup game against Bordeaux.
Ian Lister, scorer of the Pars second goal against Hearts in the 67/68 cup final, was transferred to St Mirren, for what was described as a moderate fee.
 

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