VENUE #61 DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC East End Park

SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE

Dunfermline Athletic... 1    Forfar Athletic... 3

Saturday 25th April 2015

@ East End Park Stadium, Dunfermline

Kick Off 15:00

LOCAL HISTORY

      Alighting the train at Dunfermline's Town railway station I couldn't resist a stroll to Dunfermline Abbey, even though it was in the opposite direction to East End Park I felt a need to view and picture another one of Scotland's fine cultural buildings.  The Abbey has been part of Scottish religious history since the reign of King David I almost 900 years ago and the foundation is said to have been even earlier than that and dates to the reign of King Malcolm III (1058-93).

   

Abbey view from car park

It is the last resting place of one of Scotland's national hero's Robert the Bruce AKA King Robert I (1274-1329).  Bruce seized claim to the Scottish thrown after his father died in 1304 and after bloody conflict with fellow Scottish enemies and the English was crowned king of Scots on March 25th 1306.  He was defeated in battle by Edward I's army and driven into exile but returned a year later to gain revenge on the English in the battle at Loudoun Hill and wage a successful guerilla war campaign against the English and Scottish enemies to maintain Scotland's status of an independent nation.

     Robert the Bruce died in 1329 and his body was buried under

Front view of Abbey

the choir at the site of the old Abbey and re-interred under the pulpit  in the new abbey when the skeleton was discovered in 1800's.  The pulpit has since been moved back and a brass monumental plate inserted to locate the Royal volt.  Although his body rests in Dunfermline Abbey his heart belongs to Melrose as it was cut out, embalmed and interred at Melrose Abbey after being taken to the crusades in the Holy land by his friend and lieutenant Sir James Douglas.  Douglas only reached as far as Granada where he was slain in the siege of Teba and his body along with the heart of Robert the Bruce were transported back to Scotland.

 ORIGIN AND BRIEF HISTORY

     In 1874 Dunfermline cricket club decided to take up football as a means of keeping fit in the winter months but then after eleven years disputes raged within the club and the footballers split from their cricket roots and formed Dunfermline Athletic on the 2nd June 1885.  They were initially playing their home games at Ladysmill (McKane Park) but since the split switched to East End park which was just West of where the ground of the same name stands today.

     As you can see in the picture (right), their kit bears no resemblance in style or colour to one worn these days, in fact the kit worn by Forfar who were also formed in 1885 is more the colour of Dunfermline's current kit.
     The Pars, which is the nickname that Dunfermline are known by, played their first game eleven days after formation against Edinburgh University beating them 2-1 at East End park.  The club grew in stature and finally became a professional outfit at the turn of the twentieth century.
     Their most successful period came in the 1960's when under the managerial influence of the great Jock Stein they won the Scottish cup in 1961 beating Celtic 2-0 in a replay at Hampden Park after the first game finished 0-0.  Then in 1968 they repeated the feat whilst managed by George Farm when they beat Hearts 3-1 again at Hampden Park.
     This led to a UEFA cup winners cup appearance the following year when they were beaten semi- finalists against Slovan Bratislava losing 1-0 in Czechoslovakia after a 1-1 draw at East End Park.  The Czechs went on to win the trophy beating Barcelona 3-2 at the St Jacob Stadium in Basel.

RUN UP TO THE GAME

     Dunfermline travelled to Glebe Park home of Brechin City last Saturday and came away with a 3-0 defeat.  Things started to go wrong for the Pars in the 13th minute when Ross Millen their 20 year old defender was sent off for violent conduct, this is the second time Millen has seen red this season after being sent off against Stranraer at the end of August.  John Potter makes five changes from last weekend, out are Ryan Scully, Ross Millen (suspended), Gregory Buchanan, Ryan Thomson and Allan Smith.  Replacing them are Jamie Wilson in goal, Ryan Williamson, Declan O'Kane, Josh Falkingham and Faissal El Bakhtaoui.  Dunfermline lie seventh in the table safe from relegation but with no chance of a play off place.

View as you approach the ground from Sinclair island

     Forfar also played away last Saturday at Balmoor Stadium, Peterhead and lost 1-0 meaning that they switched places at the top once more with fellow automatic promotion contenders Stranraer.  Dick Campbell makes three changes Stuart Malcolm for Iain Campbell, Danny Denholm for Omar Kader and Stephen Husband for Derek Young.  The Sky Blues currently hold second spot with a great chance of automatic promotion but if the Loons were to loose today and Stranraer win their home game against Morton then they would have to settle for the play off's.

THE MATCH

     It looked a bit like Dunfermline were an experimental side inexperienced and thrown together.  Their naivety at the back especially from their young goalkeeper cost them the first goal in the eighth minute when a free kick from thirty yards out taken by Martin Fotheringham was curled inside the keepers near side post with the keeper near the back post watching for in coming opponents.
    

Forfar defend a free kick during first half

Eleven minutes later and it was 2-0 when a ball played over the Pars defence which were all in Forfar's half of the pitch left Chris Templeman all on his own running on goal, by the time he rounded the keeper the defence had caught up with him but he calmly beat one defender and tucked the ball past Wilson who was trying to re position himself.
     In the thirty sixth minute Forfar had put the game beyond Dunfermline with a third, Templeman was about to tee himself up for a shot at goal when he was pushed in the back and over by Finn Graham and the referee had no hesitation and pointed to the penalty spot.  Dale Hilson stepped up and finished with aplomb.
     From what I saw in the first half I knew that this result was sealed but it was a matter of how Forfar would play out the game, would they carry on and take the game to Dunfermline further or would they just try to contain what they had and if I were a betting man then I would have won for I had a feeling that it would be the latter.  The Pars came in to the game and pushed for goals with their talented young striker Faissal El Bakhtaoui leading the way.  He came close to scoring half way through the second spell with a volley that was hit into the ground which brought a fine reflex save out of Rob Douglas in the Forfar goal.  But Douglas had no chance in the 77th minute when Bakhtaoui jinked his way into the opposition penalty area and curled a left foot shot into the far corner of the net.
     A disappointing ending to Dunfermline's home fixture list for the season but at least they'll live to fight another year in league one but they will have to improve vastly if they want to avoid relegation next season.

THE EAST END PARK EXPERIENCE

     The weather forecast predicted rain for today and so we had quite a nice sunny day with just a few drops of rain.  Dunfermline is a quaint little town steeped in it's nations history with the abbey on the hill and a host of past Scottish kings buried within and around it.  The football ground carries on the theme of quaintness although it is looking rather tired and in need of a little tarting up, TLC.  I got quite a shock when I went round the back of the north stand and saw the cemetery, I posted a picture of it on Facebook and commented that I hope it wasn't reserved for the away fans.
     East End Park is a 12,500 all seated Stadium built in 1885 but vastly improved in later years

You can see the graveyard at the back of the North stand

especially toward the end of the twentieth century.  The main (South) stand is two tiered and fully covered and runs down the side of the pitch as does the North stand which is a small single tiered stand and also fully covered.  At the two ends are the Norrie McCathie and the East stand which are very similar, they are both one tiered, fully covered and very steep looking stands.
     I watched the game from the South stand up with the Gods in row Z or S as it's known at East End Park.  I had to ask the steward where row S was for I couldn't find it and he was baffled too and showed me to a seat with the right number, 113, but with a heading of row R but still it didn't matter as there was no one within thirty feet of me anyway and so I could have sat anywhere.  In fact I did change seats as there was a big cooling fan behind me blowing cold air and it was bloody freezing.
    

Welcoming plaque at corner of main stand

The seats were quite comfortable and roomy, well it would be with no one sitting next to you and the toilets were clean and modern with blue and white patterned tiles on the walls, very nice.
     The crowd atmosphere was wonderful in the away end but in the home section, well, I can only liken it to the neighbours behind the North stand.  I did find it hard when they booed and jeered their team off the pitch at half time.
     The cafeteria is basic but the drinks are wet and the hot ones are so hot they take the roof of your mouth off and I don't recommend the sausage rolls for they are small, hard and at £2 a piece very unappetizing.
     It cost me £17 for my seat the view was good apart from a great big girder beam that obscured my sight of the centre circle but it wasn't too bad, it could have been a lot worse like at Luton.

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VENUE #60 LEICESTER CITY The King Power Stadium

BARCLAYS PREMIER

Leicester City... 2     Swansea City... 0

Saturday 18th April 2015

@ The King Power Stadium, Leicester

Kick off 15:00

LOCAL HISTORY

     You may of read or heard the story of the King of England who was found buried under a car park in Leicester in August 2012.  King Richard the III the last of the Plantagenet dynasty was found by archaeologists excavating the ruins of the Grey Friars Church where it was believed he was buried after being killed at the battle of Bosworth field in 1485.

Leicester Cathedral new resting place of Richard III

     Richard had only been crowned King two years earlier when his late brother's son the twelve year old Edward V who was to be proclaimed King was found to be illegitimate and were imprisoned in the Tower of London with his brother Richard of Shrewsbury as his claim to the throne was now deemed to be invalid.  In the light of this Richard III was crowned on the 6th July 1483 and the Princes in the Tower were never seen again allegedly killed at the orders of the new King.
     Richard the III was portrayed in a play written by William Shakespear and one of the most famous lines supposedly spoken by the evil hunched-backed King was "A horse, a horse, my Kingdom for a horse", ironic really that he should be found buried under a car park that when full would have held a massive amount of horse power, you could say he got his wish.
   

Statue of Richard III erected outside Cathedral

 He was re-buried  at Leicester Cathedral at the end of last month after protests that he should have been re-interred at York in accordance to his wishes.

ORIGIN AND BRIEF HISTORY

     Leicester were formed under the name of Leicester Fosse in 1884 and became known as Leicester City after the first world war when Fosse went into financial difficulties and the town of Leicester was given City status.
     Their highest finish in the top tier was in the 1928/29 season when they were runners up to the team known as Sheffield Wednesday these days.
     They have won the second tier of English football on a number of occasions the most recent being last season but their return to the top flight may be short lived as they are currently bottom of the league and expected to return to the Championship.
     City have a number of players in the English hall of fame member list,
     Arthur Rowley who played for Leicester between 1950 -58 and scored 251 goals in 303 appearances.  He also holds the record for scoring the most goals in one season, 44 in 42 league matches in the 1956/7 season.
     Gordon Banks who was named the IFFHS second best goalkeeper of the 20th century.  He earned 73 caps for his country including every game of the 1966 World cup glory and who can forget that fantastic save he made from Pele in the 1970 World Cup.  Banks played for Leicester between 1959 and 1967 when he was sold to Stoke City for £50,000.
     Peter Shilton another goalkeeper but this time one who came through the local ranks at schoolboy level and made his début in 1966 for the Foxes and eventually forcing the exit of Gordon Banks from the club when he was sold to Stoke City.  Shilton earned a record 125 caps for his country and also holds the record for most competitive appearances.
     Gary Lineker is another youth product from Leicester starting in the main team in 1978 at the age of 17 and scoring 95 goals in a seven year spell.  He moved to Everton in 1985 for a season scoring 30 goals in 41 appearances moving on to Barcelona for a three season spell netting 42 times in 105 games.  Lineker made 103 appearances for Tottenham between 1989/92 scoring 67 goals before ending up at Nagoya Grampus Eight to finish his footballing career.  He currently holds England's second highest scoring record of 48 goals behind Bobby Charlton on 49 but has Wayne Rooney in hot pursuit with 47 goals at the time of writing.

RUN UP TO GAME

     Last Saturday Leicester travelled the short distance to West Bromwich on a special day for their hosts.  Albion wore a replica kit from the 1968 cup final to commemorate one of their great players Jeff Astle but after leading the game 2-1 with ten minutes remaining let it slip and aloud Leicester a much needed win with an injury time winner from Jamie Vardy.  Nigel Pearson makes three changes for today's game Marcin Wasilewski the Polish defender who signed a contract in September after joining Leicester on a freebe takes the place of Ritchie De Laet who sits it out on the bench, Andy King replaces Matty James who's also on the bench and Andrej Kamaric the Croatian international takes the place of David Nugent who got injured in the warm up to today's game.
     Swansea were at home at the Liberty Stadium last weekend and came back from a goal behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Everton.  Gary Monk makes two forced changes from that game, the 23 year old Spanish national Jordi Amat steps in for the suspended Neil Taylor who picked up his tenth yellow card of the season against Everton and received a two match ban starting today.  Bafetimbi Gomis pulled up with a hamstring injury in the same game and is out for at least four weeks and is replaced today with Nelson Oliveira the Portuguese striker brought in on loan from Benfica after the departure of Wilfried Bony.

THE MATCH

     Leicester came out of the traps with gusto from the starting whistle and hustled Swansea who seemed startled at the way the Premiership relegation favourites intimidated them into making mistakes, you would have thought that these two teams had swapped positions in the league as Leicester looked the far better team and it wasn't long before they took the lead.  A long ball was played into the box and Wes Morgan held off his marker to allow Leonardo Ulloa to smash the ball into Fabianski's right hand corner of the net.

Players prepare to shake hands before kick off

     Leicester should have extended their lead before the break but couldn't capitalise on a dazed looking Swansea who looked lacking in the final third without preferred front man Gomis.
     After the break Leicester kept up their domination with fine chances from Albrighton and Kamarik which came to nothing.
     At the other end Swansea started to come into the game a little bringing some fine saves from Kasper Schmeichel which would have made his Dad a proud man thinking he was a real chip off the old block.
     Nerves were jangling amongst the Leicester City faithful as the Foxes pushed forward and squandered some great opportunities, they just couldn't seem to kill off this Swansea side a scene that the fans have have had to tolerate too many times this season with dire consequences.
     A penalty appeal was turned down by referee Lee Probert when Jamie Vardy was clean through on goal and was clattered from behind by Ashley Williams, it seemed to be a stalwart, blatant penalty and everyone in the colours of blue and white could only wonder why the appeals went upon deaf ears.
     The tension was quelled in the last minute when a powerful free kick from Esteban Cambiasso was fumbled by Fabianski into the path of Andy King who side footed the ball into the back of the net and sent the home fans wild and very happy as they made their way home.

THE KING POWER STADIUM EXPERIENCE

     Another beautiful sunny afternoon to watch football on although it was still a little chilly especially in the shade of the King Power Stadium stands.  I was glad that I took my coat but only wished that I had put a jumper on underneath it.
     I travelled by train again with no disruptions to the journey for the second time running which is a most welcome relief.  It is a 25 minute walk at a steady pace from the station to the ground with lots of busy roads to cross.  I passed the Leicester Tigers ground on the way, shame they are a rugby club and I can't cross them off my Venues To Visit list.
   

The Family stand

The crowd were absolutely electric and generated a lot of noise almost for the whole ninety minutes.  It was reminiscent of the Luton game last season when they where on the brink of returning to the football league and the fans were in a mood to party unlike Leicester who have been in the bottom three for most of the season and looking like candidates for a quick return to the Championship, mind you, after winning today they are now off the bottom and in 18th place on level points with Hull with a great possibility of regaining their top flight place next season.
     The King Power stadium is a 32,500 all seated, fully covered and totally enclosed ground that was almost filled to capacity today and for a club that was bottom of the league at the start of the game that's speaks volumes for their supporters.  Built in 2002 to replace their former home for the previous 111 years Filbert street, in almost the same location.

The Spion Kop end

     The East stand and the West stand run along the touch lines with the Spion Kop and the Family stand at each end behind the goals.  The away supporters are allocated a corner in between the family stand and the East stand but is stretched further into the East stand if the away following is great.  I watched the game from the West stand almost in the corner level with the goal line, the view wasn't brilliant but at a cost of £32 was adequate for my purposes, I could have had a seat in the East stand with a marvellous view but at £48 it was well over what I was willing to pay for a game of this calibre.  The cheapest seats were at the other end of the West stand at pitch level and were £26 but it would have been virtually impossible to take in the majority of the game from this vantage point.
     I have to mention that the seats were quite comfortable with adequate leg room but could have done with being a little wider as it did seem to get quite cramped after sitting there a while.  The toilets were modern and clean which is a big plus in my book.
     If you asked me if I thought I had value for money then I must say that I think I paid a little over the odds, between £25 and £28 especially for where I was sitting would have been a reasonable price.

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