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Away From The Numbers

All good things come to an end. Or so they say. AFTN has been around since 1989, first as a fanzine and then making the jump to a website and forum in 2003. We've been through the many ups and down at East Fife in those 12 years but policing the forum has become a giant pain in the ass in recent years. As such, we made the decision not to renew it when it expired.

The forum is no more and will remain as a locked archive until it is eventually deleted by the host. We're looking in to try to save some of the content as an archive.

This is not the end of AFTN though. The site will continue and will be revamped and return in its full glory for the start of the 2016/17 season. Maybe even sooner. There will be a comment sections and possibly even a new, registered forum. Check our Twitter (@aftnwebsite) for all the latest info and we'll also post in on the EFFC memories Facebook page.

Until then, have a last browse here, thanks for all your support over the years, and 'Mon the Fife.

GoF

 

East Fife
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Re: Latest Score

Bayviewboy
Unknown fifer
There was someone in the bar after the game with an East Fife tracksuit on who I didn't recognise, anyone know who it was?


May have been Paul McManus. He warmed up with the squad today. Been in training trying to regain fitness after 8 months out.
na it wasn't Paul MacManus. Guy with brown hair, average build. Was about 5" 10, was with a bald guy.

Re: Latest Score

Well done the Fife for defeating the dirtiest team in the league to reach the top. Stirling had three booked but should have had five and two sent off but the ref bottled it. Teams like this who play negative spoiling tactics are destroying the football in this league, and I wish them no success. I hope the league is decided between ourselves, Annan and Elgin, the only teams playing good, clean, honest and entertaining football.i feel a team is often formed by the character of the manager and coaching staff and in our case, since we got rid of our dirtiest player, Allan Walker to Berwick, the Fife has the best disciplinary record in the league, and I am certain that has been due, in no small measure to Gary and his staff, because in years gone by teams with poor records at this time of year falter due to racked up bookings etc. Again, to Gary and the boys, well done, knew you would come good, keep it going. Mon the Fife.

Re: Latest Score

The last 2 games the scoreline has flattered the opposition! We are flying at the moment but there's still a long way to go. Well done Gary, you have turned us round when many including myself thought you were a lost cause as manager. Let's hope we can remain injury free and get out this horrible league. Every game will be like a cup final for us. Mon the Fife!

Re: Latest Score

Just noticed why Elgin are title favourites on sky bet they have 7 home games out of remaining 11 games albeit i think if we do well next 2 games both away to queens park nd elgin we will b hard to beat to title

Re: Latest Score

Maybe the bald guy was Paul McManus!!
As for the result a very positive one again. I said months ago that we needed to get a settled team on the park, and for Gary to be leading from the front. That has been the case over the last 5 or 6 games, and any changes have been due to injury or suspensions. The team picks itself at the moment and the guys on the sidelines will just have to grin and bear it.
As for the performance I wasn't overly happy with it compared to some. However the bottom line is the result, and I can't argue with that. My main concern was young Fash's first 30 minutes. He didn't look up for it for some reason, hardly got his feet off the ground for the arial challenges that were needed, and generally looked as though he wasn't all that interested. Sulked about for a bit, and didn't make much of an effort to get back onside when a move broke down. Thankfully he got his act together, and played a big part in the win. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on the boy, but as ever I just say it as I see it.

Re: Latest Score

East Fife Legend we had one of your foes at Starks Park on Saturday for the Ally Gourlay tribute ,Tommy Hislop a no nonsence full back in the days full backs got to do the no nonsence thing. He's looking well and fit. I suppose you may have crossed swords with him on a few occasions?

Re: Latest Score

Mr East Fife Legend, I said exactly the same about Fash to the guys around me. For the first 30 mins his body language looked all wrong but he was getting a bit of bashing from the Stirling Hammerthrowers.

Re: Latest Score

Raithman, I did indeed cross swords with T.H. back in the 70's. He was more a defending full back whereas I was more of the attacking variety. We seemed to do quite well against them. We played them in the Scottish Cup in January 1970 and won 3-0. T.H. played in that one. In the September we beat them in a league game 5-1, and I think Bobby Reid there goalie was sent off at 4-0. For some reason or another T.H. did not feature in that one.Bet he was glad of that! Good to hear that, like me, he is still alive and well and in touch with his old team.

Not a very well known fact, but George Farm came to my house in Inverkeithing in September 1966. He invited me to come along to training on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I was 16 years old, and got the bus there and back. Apart from the first night I was there, he never spoke a word to me. That aside I never liked the man. He was arrogance personified (a bit like LVG). He was a great goalie in his time, but I used to wonder why he would bawl and shout on training nights telling out-field players how to play!! Even Ian Porterfield and Gordon Wallace. Anyway in the December Valleyfield Juniors wanted me to sign for them which I did. Of course I had to tell Mr Farm, who went radio rental, saying that if he wanted to sign me it was going to cost the club £100, the standard fee for a Junior in those days. He more or less told me to f--- off. I played for Valleyfield until the end of that season, and East Fife came in and signed me in May 1967. The rest, as they say, is history. Oh Raithman what might have been!

Postscript: Mr Farm finished up as a Lighthouse Keeper somewhere out in the river Forth. Best place for him.

Re: Latest Score

George Farm or Jimmy Bonthrone? Raith Rovers or East Fife?

A no-brainer as they say.

Re: Latest Score

Yes East Fife Legend I was at that scottish cup game I think we were still 1st div at that time but heading for relegation and was it not the Waddle brothers that ran the show with possibly Dewar on the wing. Aye we were a well beaten side that day. Was at Ally Gourlays funeral today of the older players eg your time I saw Gordon Wallace, Alan Miller, Brian Cooper there was probably more but it was a very busy funeral a great send off to a great guy. As far as George Farm went your right ended up a lighthouse keeper but as a football manager he had a few glory days. That Scottish cup game I think Jimmy Millar would have been our manager. I actually wish you guys had never left Bayview I have a lot of memories about that ground some good others bad but it had character and vibes.

Re: Latest Score

The guy in the tracksuit was Brodie Gray - the young lad we signed from Kennoway.

Re: Latest Score

Raithman, those were the days right enough. Didn't know Ally Gourlay, but obviously a Rovers man through and through, and not surprising the turn out for his funeral. Brian Cooper the best sweeper around at the time, and I include Celtic's John Clark in that assessment. Wee Davy C for the Fife took a bit of beating as well in that position. Great New Years Day games at Starks Park as well. 13,000 on the terraces, 90 percent ****** oot there heeds, and not a bit of trouble, whatever the outcome. You could even take your bevy into the game, no problem. I remember one New Year game arriving at Starks Park to hear that Benny McGuire had been arrested the night before, and was helping police with their enquiries. I was doing somersaults, as I hated playing against him!!!


Re: Latest Score

Do you remeber when Davie Clark had the hotel in Lochgelly, they had joined the Kirkcaldy and District Amatuers and we were playing them at the Bevvie park when who turns up stripped and ready to play but the man himself. We got the points and I think he was find by Glasgow but as you say what a player. I also had the pleasure of playing 5-a-sides whit Billy McPhee for a few years great laugh and what a left foot. Aye happy days that new years day game at Starks huge crowd slightly wobbly on my feet but can recall Billy Mitchell scoring one for us. A lot of happy memories of going to games in those days as there were for me a lot more characters in the game and that's not only on the playing field but on the terracing.