Manager Allan Johnston's first signing of the upcoming January transfer window has been confirmed as centre half Callum Morris, who will be making a return to East End Park following his 2 year spell at the club earlier this decade.
As a teenager, he had been signed by Newcastle United but was released after 3 years without making a first team appearance. He then played for Blyth Spartans, which was followed by a period at the Glenn Hoddle Soccer Academy in Spain, during which time he played for Spanish 4th division side Jerez. He then moved back to England to play non-League for Hayes, then Morpeth. In August 2012, Pars boss Jim Jefferies made Morris his next signing in a new-look Pars squad following relegation from the Premier League. Morris quickly established his place in the team, making 30 appearances in all competitions that season. The team had led the First Division (now Championship) before the enforced break-up of the first team squad due to administration. Relegation followed after losing the play-off final to Alloa. Despite this, Morris was named in the First Division team of the year, as voted by his fellow professionals. 

Since joining on loan from Celtic, Paul McMullan has gradually established a place in the Pars starting 11 thanks to his skillful, direct and entertaining style of play. A hard worker in addition to being one of the team's most creative players, Paul also scored one of the Pars goals of the season so far with the first of his two goals in the Scottish Cup game at Buckie when he weaved through the opposition defence and slipped the ball past the goalkeeper. 
Here are some photos of Paul this season. 
​All photos by Pars Review. Edited photo by www.instagram.com/dunfermlineloyal/

All photos by Pars Review.

The blood and thunder of Pars/Falkirk games appears to be a thing of the distant past with today's game being a second successive tepid meeting of the clubs. The opposition might as well have been Queen of the South, Morton or any other team and not our supposed rivals from Grangemouth. While Dunfermline will point to having more efforts directly on goal, none of them were struck with sufficient accuracy to score until Rhys McCabe's well taken second half penalty kick. 
There was a minute's applause before kick-off to mark the passing of Pars director Margaret Ross.
Pars manager Allan Johnston brought Andy Geggan back into the team at right back, with Callum Fordyce losing his place and Lewis Martin moving to central defence after playing at full back last week. In midfield, John Herron replaced Nat Wedderburn, and Joe Cardle came in for the suspended Kallum Higginbotham, with Paul McMullan moving from the left side to the right wing. 
The Pars had a couple of early efforts with Lee Ashcroft coming closest when his header was cleared off the line in the 9th minute. One minute later, Falkirk went ahead. Geggan was posted missing at right back, and although Ashcroft pulled the shirt of his opponent, the ball broke to Miles Hippolyte to score. Slack defending. 
After 21 minutes Nicky Clark's header hit the bar, then Cardle failed to take advantage of being put through, delaying his shot and then losing possession, as he did almost every time the ball was given to him. Geggan was then booked for a late foul. ​

The second half began with Falkirk having the majority of the ball but unable to test Pars keeper Sean Murdoch. Dunfermline's attacks were sporadic and there was no great fluency to the Pars play. Only Paul McMullan of the attacking players was having a good game, with several direct runs and good link-up play with his team mates. On the left side (or wherever he drifted to) Cardle was having a poor game, his cutting inside now so predictable, and the Falkirk defence able to dispossess him easily. 
Dunfermline were awarded a penalty by referee Euan Anderson, who decided that the ball had hit Falkirk's Tom Taiwo on the hand inside the box. It seemed a very generous award in keeping with the festive time of year. The referee then booked Falkirk's Aaron Muirhead who had claimed the ball was not on the penalty spot, when it clearly was. This piece of gamesmanship did not put off Rhys McCabe, who easily put the ball past Danny Rogers to equalise. 
In the 70th minute Cardle was in a great position to play in any one of Clark, Herron or McMullan but tried a shot that hit the Falkirk defender standing in front of him. Pars boss Johnston yet again failed to make a substitution until it was too late in the game, with Gavin Reilly replacing the Moff in 81 minutes, followed by Michael Paton replacing Cardle with only 5 minutes remaining, and Farid El Alagui given 3 minutes in place of Clark. Reilly had one effort at goal that failed to trouble Rogers, the shot hit with no real conviction. Falkirk had a couple of late efforts, with John Rankin smashing the ball high over the bar when in a good position to test Murdoch. 
Pars starting 11, with marks out of 10:

Photos by Pars Review.
Tomorrow: full match gallery. 

Image by www.instagram.com/dunfermlineloyal/  Michael Paton photo by Pars Review.
Full match report/opinion and Pars player ratings will be online this evening.

The Away Day Images gallery (in site menu, above, and link below) now contains 42 photos of away grounds at Pars games, all taken by Pars Review, over the past 2 years. It includes the venues of first team League & Cup games, plus pre-season friendlies & Under 20s games. The gallery was updated today to include the most recent away game at Queen Of The South. The various photos include the images seen here, plus many more. 
www.parsreview.org/away-day-images.html

After spending 3 years at East End Park as a young goalkeeper (2005-2008, making 5 first team appearances), Sean rejoined the club in the summer of 2015. Last season he set a club record for minutes without conceding a League goal and has been one of Dunfermline's key players the Championship this season. He also currently leads the Pars Review Player of the Season table, with the highest average points score per game of any Pars player so far this season. 
​Here are some photos of Sean this season. 
​All photos by Pars Review. Edited photo by www.instagram.com/dunfermlineloyal/

Last season, Pars Review had a Player of the Season award based on which player won most man of the match awards in the blog match report. This season, to more accurately rate each player over the full season, marks out of 10 are given for all League and Cup games. The Player of the Season will be the one with the highest average rating for all competitive games, and who must have started a minimum of 50% of all games. So far, the team have played 25 competitive games this season. The overall points total is as follows, and the average points per game table is also shown.
As always with player ratings, it is based on opinion and should reflect consistency combined with the occasional outstanding performance over a period of time. Every player rating in match reports is given objectively, without bias/favourites/scapegoats. 

All players listed alphabetically, then top 5 of highest average points.
First team starts only (no sub appearances rated or included).

Sean Murdoch, the player with the highest average rating on Pars Review so far this season. 

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Another case of points lost due to defensive slackness in a game where 3 points were there for the taking. Manager Allan Johnston brought Lewis Martin back into the team following his suspension, and Nat Wedderburn into midfield to replace the injured John Herron. The remainder of the starting line-up was the same as in last week's win over Morton. 
The first half was a dreadful exhibition of football, with barely 3 passes made by either team before possession was lost or the ball was hacked out of play. A truly dismal 45 minutes that was summed up by the opening goal after 40 minutes. A corner kick from Queens' Mark Millar was flicked on by Lee Ashcroft, with the Pars defender's header sailing over Sean Murdoch and into the goal. 
The second period was an improvement. Nat Wedderburn was a solid presence in midfield, Kallum Higginbotham was the team's main creative force, and the opening 25 minutes of the second half was largely dominated by Dunfermline. The equalising goal was a superb strike from Jason Talbot. The Queens defence cleared the ball but it was met by Talbot 20 yards from goal, and his thunderous shot flew into the net: 1-1 after 62 minutes. 
The Moff was playing well, linking up with his team mates. However, he had a miss of biblical proportions in the 64th minute. Nicky Clark and then Higginbotham had shots that were charged down by the home defence, only for the ball to fall to Moffat 5 yards out and an open goal. The Pars striker sent the ball high over the bar. 

Eight minutes later, Moffat almost made up for his miss with a glancing header that just went past the post. A minute later, the Moff helped to create the second Pars goal. His pinpoint cross-field pass was met perfectly by Higginbotham, whose header beat Lee Robinson in the Queens goal. 
As in so many games this season, Dunfermline were in a position to pick up crucial points. Clearly the better team, and having seemingly eliminated defensive errors in recent weeks, old problems resurfaced in the 78th minute that allowed Queens to equalise. Failure to cut out an attack on the Pars left side led to Derek Lyle shooting, Murdoch saving and then Stephen Dobbie tapping in the rebound. Criminal defending.
Queens took heart from their equaliser and came close a couple of times in the final 10 minutes. The Pars attack had run out of steam, and although Joe Cardle had been brought on to replace Paul McMullan in the 70th minute, there were no further substitutions despite having 3 strikers on the bench. Fresh legs may have been able to test the veterans in the Queens defence in the last part of the game. 
A point may have been welcomed before the game but this was another day where points were thrown away. 
Pars starting line-up, with marks out of 10:

All photos by Pars Review.
​A full match photo gallery will be posted tomorrow. 

​Designed by https://www.instagram.com/dunfermlineloyal/   
Match report with player ratings and photos will be posted this evening.
Full match photo gallery will be posted tomorrow. 

Desperately sad news about the passing of DAFC director Margaret Ross. One of the driving forces behind the club's recovery from administration, and a genuinely nice, helpful person, Margaret will be hugely missed. RIP. 

Scottish Championship - Saturday 17/12/16 - KO 3.00pm - Palmerston Park
Odds (Skybet): QOS 19/20; Draw 5/2; Dunfermline 13/5
August's meeting between the teams at East End Park was the first since April 2011. Tomorrow's visit to Palmerston is Dunfermline's first since February 2011, when the Pars won 3-1. A Dunfermline win this weekend would see them leapfrog Queens into sixth place in the Championship.  

Queens topped the division in the early weeks of the season before a miserable run of form that led to manager Gavin Skelton leaving the club, followed by an unsuccessful spell in charge for interim boss Jim Thomson. A run of 7 straight defeats between mid October to early December was ended last week in a 2-2 draw at Falkirk. The Queens' goals last week came from the veteran striking partnership of Stephen Dobbie and Derek Lyle (combined age 69). After a run of 6 League games without a goal, Dobbie has now scored 3 times in the past 2 games to take his season tally to 15 in all competitions. Lyle scored just once in the 6 League games he played in from mid September to early December - a period in which he also missed 4 games through injury - before netting last week. He has 10 goals this season.
Queens appointed Gary Naysmith as manager on December 1, although it was agreed that he would remain in charge of East Fife until their Scottish Cup replay against Edinburgh City on December 7, which they won. Naysmith's first game in charge of Queens was the draw at Falkirk. 
​Here is the current Championship table:

Based on results over the past 5 games, Dunfermline would be joint fourth in the Championship, with opponents Queens in last place. While the Pars' performances have been far from scintillating, there has been a resolute approach to recent games that was missing earlier in the season. It is noticable that the defence now clear the ball at every given opportunity, eliminating the dithering that led to mistakes and opposition goals in the opening months of the season. The whole team is now working as a unit, and results have improved. 

Pars line-up: the manager's selection
​Injured players: John Herron, Ben Richards-Everton
Suspended: none
Allan Johnston has more squad availability for Saturday's game than he has enjoyed for some time, with no suspensions and the long injury list starting to clear up. Unfortunately, a new injury for John Herron during last week's game against Morton will rule him out for Saturday, but players including David Hopkirk and Ryan Williamson are fit again. Andy Geggan has trained this week but hasn't played since 12 November. Gavin Reilly was an unused sub last week, but is another player who has not played even for the Under 20s since his injury. Johnston has to decide whether to play Lewis Martin at right back now that his 1 game suspension has been served, or start with Ryan Williamson, who made an impressive 30 minute substitute appearance last week. Conner Duthie, who filled in at right back last week, will likely be on the bench. Nat Wedderburn will be expected to take Herron's place in midfield, although Lewis Spence is also available.The other areas of the team will almost certainly be unchanged from last week. 
Preferred line-up (with squad numbers):
Looking at current form and from who is available, I would select the team below.

​Photos by Pars Review.
Tomorrow: Game Day image and, later in the evening, a full match report/opinion, photos and Pars player ratings. 

Before each away game, Pars Review looks at the venue we will be travelling to: its history, with rare photos showing changes to the opposition club's stadium over the years, and how it looks now. On Saturday we travel to the Palmerston Park, home of Queen Of The South.
Palmerston has been Queens' home since they were formed, in 1919. The ground is located in an area of Dumfries that was once a farm, named Palmers Toun.
​The photo below was taken before Queens' first ever game in August 1919 and shows the original main stand at Pamerston.

Like many grounds at the time, the main stand was the only seated area and the remainder of the ground was uncovered open terracing. 

As years went on, the enclosure started to show its age. The photo below, taken in the 1960s, shows graffiti and a decline setting in. 

The next photo shows the enclosure shortly before it was demolished. The 1934 roof sign was long gone and replaced by advertising painted on the roof. 

​In 1995 the enslosure was knocked down and a new stand built in its place, named the East Stand (see photo below). It is currently sponsored and is known as the Rosefield Salvage Stand. It has more seats (2192) than the main stand (1185). Home and away fans are seated in this stand. 

​In 1965, the main stand burned down and was replaced with what is still the club's main stand today. 
​The main stand is sponsored and is currently named the Gates Power Stand (see photo below).

​The area behind both goals at Palmerston has always been terracing. Portland Drive terrace, which houses home fans, was covered in the late 1950s. It is characterised by a large clock that is positioned in the centre of the terrace roof. The terrace is typical of many Scottish football grounds from past years, but with many clubs either moving to new purpose built stadiums, or replacing terracing with stands, the Portland Drive terrace is now the largest all-covered terrace in Scottish football with a capacity of 3345. It is currently sponsored and is known the Oakbank Services Terrace. 

​Floodlights were installed at Palmerston in 1958 and at 85 feet high are the tallest free-standing floodlights in Scottish football. ​Two of the floodlights are seen in the photo above, of the Portland Drive terrace.
Palmerston's other terrace is Terregles Street (see photo below), which holds away fans. It was closed for a number of years but was re-opened in 2014 after work was done to upgrade the terracing. 

​A 5G artificial pitch was laid for the start of the 2013/14 season. Palmerston's capacity is currently ​8690, of which 3377 are seated.
​The final photo shows an aerial view of the stadium, with its 2 terraces and 2 stands.

A mixture of first team squad players and some of the regular Under 20s team were selected for the latest SPFL Development League game on Tuesday afternoon in Kelty. As part of the business partnership that The Pars have with Kelty Hearts, the Under 20s home games are now being played at Kelty's New Central Park ground. Conner Duthie, Michael Paton, David Hopkirk and Joe Cardle came into the team that lost 3-0 at Hamilton last week. The latter 3 players were joined by Euan Spark and Lewis Spence (both still 20 years old but outwith the age group for Under 20s) as overage players. 
Dunfermline started brightly and had 2 chances to score early in the game. David Hopkirk headed wide from close range, and Callum Smith was denied a chance to shoot by an excellent tackle in the box when he looked certain to score. Kilmarnock striker Florent Bojaj then wasted a good chance when his final touch was too heavy after he had been played through on the Dunfermline goal. 
In the 25th minute, Michael Paton had to be replaced due to injury, with Johnny Galloway coming on, and Scott Lochhead moving from centre midfield to the right wing. Two minutes later the Pars went ahead when referee Kyle Hall generously awarded a penalty following an apparent foul on Hopkirk. Joe Cardle struck the kick confidently to put Dunfermline 1-0 up. 
Dunfermline continued to press the Killie defence after half time, with Lewis Spence firing a shot over the bar from 25 yards, and Hopkirk caught out by the offside flag when making a run through on goal. 
Against the run of play, Killie equalised in the 57th minute when Florent Bojaj scored from 6 yards. The goal was one of the few Killie efforts on target, and it was no surprise that Dunfermline continued to look the more threatening team. Cardle was put through but took a bad touch and the chance was gone. Hopkirk then shot wide when he looked more likely to score. Ciaran Lafferty replaced Callum Smith after 82 minutes and missed a great chance to win the game with a header from a few yards out that missed the target. 
Euan Spark had a good game at right back, constantly getting up the pitch to support the attack, and in the final minute got into the Killie penalty box, unmarked. The ball spun in the air, Spark shouted to Hopkirk to head it to him, but the striker glanced the header beyond Spark and the Killie defence cleared the ball upfield. That was the Pars' final chance to win the game, which on the balance of play should have resulted in a home win.
​Pars starting 11:

Match photo gallery.
​All photos by Pars Review.

Dunfermline recorded a crucial victory today at East End Park, showing great resilience with several excellent individual displays in an overall good team performance. A rejuvinated Michael Moffat got the goals, and with keeper Sean Murdoch and winger Kallum Higginbotham also in top form, the team deservedly claimed all 3 points. The win moved the team up 2 places in the Championship table and in sight of the teams immediately above.
For much of this season, Dunfermline have gifted opposing teams goals through basic defensive errors. The Pars have also missed an unusually high number of penalties. Today, both factors were turned around in key incidents in the game, that went in Dunfermline's favour instead of against them. After missing 2 penalties last week, a spot kick was awarded against Dunfermline in the 5th minute of today's game, at the same home end that saw Kallum Higginbotham have 2 efforts saved last week. It seemed to be the worst possible start to the game, until Sean Murdoch made an excellent save, getting down low to his right hand post to save Thomas O'Ware's kick, and hold it. This seemed to give the team belief, and 7 minutes later they went ahead. Morton's Jamie McDonough was short with a pass back to his goalkeeper. The Moff was in the right place to capitalise on the error and shoot past Derek Gaston to make it 1-0 to the Pars.
In the 23rd minute, the same combination of poor Morton defending and clinical Moffat finishing doubled the Pars lead. This time it was Mark Russell who underhit a passback, which Moffat intercepted, and expertly placed the ball past Gaston. It was an excellent finish, much more difficult than the chance presented at the first goal. 
Morton's main danger was coming from pacey striker Jai Quitongo. Early in the game he forced Murdoch into making a good save, but his game ended before half time when he fell awkwardly after Murdoch got to the ball before Quitongo from Jason Talbot header. Quitongo attemped to get to the ball before the Pars keeper but failed, and was injured as he fell to the ground, and had to be substituted.
Morton pulled a goal back a minute before half time. Aidan Nesbitt shot home after the Pars defence were unable to clear the ball. 

​Nat Wedderburn replaced the injured John Herron at half time. 
Barely 20 seconds into the second half, and with Morton on the attack, Jason Talbot was forced into a goal line clearance from another effort by Nesbitt. Murdoch then made a good blocked save to prevent an equaliser. At the other end, Paul McMullan came close with a shot that Gaston saved but then allowed the ball to spin out of his hands. Luckily for the Morton keeper the ball just failed to reach the incoming Nicky Clark. 
Referee Stephen Finnie was having a dreadful game. After stopping play in the first half with Dunfermline running in on goal, only to give the Pars a free kick  in a less dangerous position, he spent the remainder of the game constantly behind play, making some bizarre decisions and cementing his reputation as one of Scotland's worst referees. 
Ryan Williamson replaced Conner Duthie after 60 minutes and had his best 30 minutes of the season, looking much more solid defensively, and having a couple of great runs up the wing. The final Pars sub saw Clark replaced by Farid El Alagui, who sadly displayed the mobility and speed of an elderly tortoise. The Moff was still running at full pace, and was unlucky not to get his third goal when challenged in the box, a strong penalty claim being turned down by the useless Finnie. 
​The game ended with Morton finding the Pars defence impossible to break down. Callum Fordyce did the simple things simply, and the whole team looked much more of a cohesive unit than was the case a few weeks ago. 
​Pars starting line-up, with marks out of 10:

​All photos by Pars Review.
A match photo gallery will be posted on Sunday.