Dunfermline Athletic

Kit History

1885-1887 a b m

1887-1888 b m

1888-1985 a m

1896-1901 m

1901-1903 m

1903-1906 m

1906-1909 m

1909-1911 a m

1911-1913 m

1913-1914 m

1917-1918 m

1919-1920 m

1920-1921 m p

1921-1922 m

1925-1928 m

1928-1932 m

1932-1936 c m

1936-1940 m

1948-1951 m

1954-1955? h

1955-1956 m

1959-1960 m

1960-1961 f

1961-1962 m

1962-1967 c m

1967-1968 e m

1968-1971 d h m

1971-1972 m

1972-1976 m

1976-1977 m

Bukta

1977-1978 m

Bukta

1978-1980 h

Bukta

1980-1981 h n

1981-1983 k

1985-1986 h

Umbro

1986-1988 k

Umbro

1988-1989 h k

1989-1991 h k

1991-1992 h

Hummel

1992-1994 h k

1994-1996 h

Le Coq Sportif

1996-1997 h o

1997-1999 h j k

1999-2000 g h

2000-2001 h

2001-2002 h

2002-2003 h

2003-2004 h

2004-2005 i

2005-2006 i

2006-2007 a

Adidas

2007-2008 a

Puma

2008-2009 q

Background

In 1874 the members of the Dunfermline Cricket Club formed an association football team to keep members involved during the winter. The Dunfermline Club played at Ladysmill (now McKane Park) and soon became the leading side in the area. A dispute in 1885 led to the formation of Dunfermline Athletic FC who took up residence at East End Park, adjacent to the site of the club's modern home. In 1887 they won the Fife Cup but they were then suspended from senior competition due to a dispute with the Dunfermline Club and in August 1892 Dunfermline Athletic joined the Scottish Junior FA. In 1900 it was decided at a general meeting to reinstate the club as a senior professional team.

There are several theories about the origin of the club's unusual nickname, "The Pars." According to Jim Paterson and Douglas Scott ("Black and White Magic" - 1984) in the early days when the Football Club was closely connected with the Cricket Club, the footballers were renowned for their performances at the bar and so were called the "Paralytics". However in the early 1900s it is known that Athletic's nickname was the "Dumps" - shortened from Dunfermline - and this is said to have been coined by English sailors visiting East End Park when their ship docked at Rosyth. After the 1914-18 War they were known as the Pars and some believe the parallel black and white stripes to be the reason. Another school of thought involves English workers who came to work at the armaments depot at Crombie and at Rosyth Dockyard; they kept their association with their local team by forming the Plymouth Argyle (Rosyth) Supporters Club and it is said that the Dunfermline nickname comes from the banners in evidence around the ground. Although almost certainly coincidental, there is also a curious resemblence to Dùn Phàrlain, which is the Gaelic name for Dunfermline.

In 1909 the side from the "Auld Grey Toun" adopted their now traditional black and white colours and joined the Central League. The following season they won the championship as well as the Fife Cup. In 1912 they won the Qualifying Cup and were elected to the Scottish League Second Division. In 1915 the Second Division was suspended and Dunfermline played in the Eastern League until 1920 when they resigned their membership in protest at the refusal of the First Division clubs to reinstate this competition after the Great War ended. They went on to help form the rebel Central League, which was incorporated as the reformed Second Division in 1921.

In 1926 Dunfermline won the Second Division championship and spent two seasons in the First Division before they were relegated. They returned to the top level in 1934 and spent three seasons there before returning to the lower division.

In 1950, while playing in Division B (second tier), Dunfermline reached the final of the Scottish League Cup but were beaten 0-3 by East Fife. In the late 1950s the club endured a yo-yo existence. On the final day of the 1958-59 season Dunfermline beat Partick Thistle 10-1 to stave off relegation on goal average. The following season the Pars adopted the candy-striped shirts that have become their signature kit, revived on several occasions. In March 1960 Jock Stein arrived as manager and under his leadership the "Pars" won the Scottish FA Cup in 1961, their first major honour, sensationally beating Celtic after a replay. Stein left to manage Hibernian in 1964 but his legacy at Dunfermline was dramatic and the club played regularly in Europe during the decade and won the Scottish Cup again in 1968.

In 1972 the Pars were relegated but bounced back immediately. They struggled and in 1976 they found themselves in the Scottish Second Division, which was now the third tier following the creation of the Premier Division. In 1979 they were promoted to Scottish Division One (second tier) but went down again in 1983. In 1986 the Scottish League was again restructured with the formation of the Premier League and Dunfermline were given a platform in the new First Division from which they achieved promotion to the top level in 1987. Relagated after one season, they returned as Division One One champions in 1989 and this time they stayed in the top flight until 1992.

In 1996 Dunfermline won the First Division title once more and remained in the Premiership for three seasons before relegation. In 2000 they returned to the Premier League yet again but they are now struggling to retain their status.

Historical Football Kits

Kit History

Background

Sources