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Monthly Digest - April 2001

The East End faithful find themselves bottom of the league for taste and style in clothes. In a survey carried out by Match of the Day magazine, Athletic supporters were placed 102 out of 104.
Ian Ferguson returns from his trial down under with Northern Spirit, but has still not made up his mind whether he will leave DAFC when the season ends. 
Owen Coyle leaves the Pars and joins Airdrieonians. In his debut game for the Diamonds, Coyle scores the winning goal from the penalty spot. 
The Athletic could receive a major cash boost after the club's AGM. Shareholders will be asked to vote on creating an additional 100,000 shares. This additional capital would go some way to offsetting the £1.5m loss revealed the previous week.
 
Date: 7th April 2001 Opposition: Kilmarnock Score (H/T): 1-2 (0-1)
Competition: Sc Premier League Venue: Rugby Park Attendance: 6,529
Scorers: [0-1} McCoist (43), [1-1] Bullen (61),  [1-2] McPherson (68)
Cards (Yellow): None
Pars Team: Ruitenbeek, Skerla, Skinner, Rossi, Doesburg (McGroarty 78), Nicholson, Thomson (Moss 34), Mason, Dair, Danilevicius (Bullen HT), Hampshire.Subs not used: SY Thomson, Petrie
Kilmarnock: Meldrum; Innes, McGowne, Dindeleux; McPherson, Mahood, Reilly, Calderon (Canero 75), Hay; McCoist (Giacomo 85). McLaren (Cocard 93).Subs not used: Marshall. Mitchell.
Referee: R Orr
Just when the Pars had it all in their own hands to make the top six, they blow it. Needing just one point to guarantee sixth place, irrespective of the Dundee score, they throw it away with a lethargic display. Ally McCoist opened the scoring just before half time, when a Mahood cross found the aging legend all on his own on the six yard box. McCoist despatched the ball with clinical precision. The Pars equalised on the hour when a Moss shot was parried by Meldrum, falling for Bullen to net. Back on level terms, and back in the top six, even though news was coming through from Dens Park that Dundee were leading 2-0. However, it wasn't to be, and Gus McPherson scored from close range 7 minutes later. The introduction of McGroarty with 12 minutes to go saw the Pars urgency increase, but even with a last minute stramash, the Pars couldn't find a way through. With Dundee's win confirmed, the Pars were doomed to spend the last five games off the season in the company of St Johnstone, Motherwell and St Mirren.  
 
Pos   Pld W D L F A Pts
6 Dundee 33 11 8 14 47 41 41
7 Dunfermline Ath 33 11 8 14 32 48 41
8 Motherwell 33 11 6 16 37 46 39
 
Following the disappointing result against Kilmarnock which dooms the Pars to the bottom half of the table for the rest of the season, boss Jimmy Calderwood holds a clear the air meeting to set objectives for remaining games.
Youssef Rossi, heading off again on international duty with Morocco, is linked with a possible move to Serie A team Udinese. The Italian team's scout watched Rossi against Kilmarnock 
Chris McGroarty is called up again to the Scotland U21 squad to play Poland.
Ian Ferguson pledges his future to the Pars, after turning down a move to Australian team Northern Spirit.
           
Date: 21st April 2001 Opposition: Aberdeen Score (H/T): 0-1 (0-1)
Competition: Sc Premier League Venue: Pittodrie Attendance: 8,613
Scorers: [0-1} Stavrum (31)
Cards (Yellow): Ferguson, Skerla, Petrie (DAFC), Young (Aberdeen)
Pars Team: Ruitenbeek, Doesburg, (Skinner HT), Skerla, Mason, Nicholson, Ferguson, McGroarty, Bullen (Nish 65), Hampshire, Crawford, Petrie (Dair 70) Subs not used: SY Thomson, Potter
Aberdeen: Esson; McNaughton, Solberg (Lilley 57), Whyte, McAllister; Darren Young, Guntveit, Rowson, Clark; Stavrum (Bett 79), Winters (Mackie 64) Subs not used: Preece (GK), O'Donoghue
Referee: J Rowbotham
A poor game and another poor away display from the Athletic. Stavrum scored the only goal when he nipped in at the near post and slotted home a Clark cross. A Nicholson effort in 88 minutes brought out an excellent save from Ryan Esson, but there was little else for the travelling support to get excited about.
 
Pos   Pld W D L F A Pts
6 Dundee 34 11 8 15 47 44 41
7 Dunfermline Ath 34 11 8 15 32 49 41
8 Motherwell 34 11 6 17 37 46 39
 
Barry Nicholson becomes the first Dunfermline player since Willie Callaghan in 1970 to win a Scotland cap when he starts against Poland on Wednesday night (25/4). Stevie Crawford joins him as a second half substitute, when for the first time ever, a Scotland side includes two Dunfermline players. Nicholson played the full 90 minutes and earned much praise for his performance. Not so lucky was Chris McGroarty who had to pull out of the Scotland Under 21 squad after picking up a foot injury against Aberdeen.
Chairman John  Yorkston played down fears over the club's financial position after the annual report showed a loss of £1.5 million, compared to just £330,000 the previous year. One area that did concern the chairman was that attendances had not reached expected levels.
And the club celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first ever Scottish Cup win in 1961.
           
Date: 28th April 2001 Opposition: St Mirren Score (H/T): 1-2 (0-2)
Competition: Sc Premier League Venue: East End Park Attendance: 5,058
Scorers: [0-1] McGowan (31), [0-2] Yardley (41), [1-2] Bullen (92)
Cards (Yellow): Rossi, Bullen (DAFC), McPhee, Quitongo, McKenzie (St Mirren)
Pars Team: Ruitenbeek, Skerla (Petrie 63), Skinner, Rossi, Nicholson, Ferguson, Mason, Hampshire (Mendes 22), Bullen, Crawford, Dair (Doesburg 73) Subs not used: SY Thomson, Tod
St Mirren: Roy; McGowan, McLaughlin, Walker; Nicholson, McKenzie, Gillies, Bowman; McPhee (Renfrum 70), Yardley (Quitongo 65), Fenton (Baltacha HT) Subs not used: Scrimgeour, Turner
Referee: A Freeland
After a whirlwind start when the Pars where all over St Mirren, it was the visitors who opened the scoring when McGowan headed in a corner kick. Saints went two up when a weak header back from Skerla was intercepted by Yardley to put the ball past Ruitenbeek. Fighting for Premier League survival Saints defended in the second half, and it took Dunfermline until the 92nd minute to breach the defence, when Bullen tapped home a rebound from a Petrie shot.
 
Pos   Pld W D L F A Pts
7 Aberdeen 35 10 12 13 41 48 42
8 Dunfermline Ath 35 11 8 16 33 51 41
9 Motherwell 35 11 6 18 37 49 39
Lithuanian Tomas Danilevicious returns to Arsenal ahead of schedule after an unsuccessful loan spell, that saw him start only three games for the Pars.

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