On-loan keeper’s artistic efforts to boost Pars’ fundraising drive

Owain Fon Williams is hoping to canvas support for Dunfermline’s fundraising appeal after donating a painting to help raise money for the club.

The on-loan Hamilton Accies keeper is a budding artist in his spare time and has produced a retro image of fans in traditional flat caps walking up to the East End Park main stand.

With chairman Ross McArthur confessing the Fifers face “substantial challenges” because of the SPFL shutdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 33-yearold Williams was eager to help his temporary employers.

Fans launched Support the Pars almost a fortnight ago, with more than three-quarters of the £40,000 target already pledged.

And Williams is hopeful his artistic efforts will draw in a few more quid to help the Championship club through the global health crisis.

The Welshman said: “My partner, Claire, showed me something she had seen about Dunfermline’s fundraising efforts and that they were looking to raise £40,000 because of what was happening with coronavirus.

“Clubs rely on fans coming through the gates to keep people employed and keep the club going, and without people turning up there’s no income and obviously big problems for a lot of teams.

“I’m on loan at Dunfermline but I’ve become friends with a lot of people at the club, and some of them have been working for the club for donkey’s years. I am worried about people like that at this time, just like I’m worried about a lot of others, because we’ve all got to live and we’ve all got bills to pay and mortgages and whatever else.

“If there’s something I can do to help then I’m going to do everything I can to help, and what I can do – a painting – is something I enjoy.

“So I painted the old East End Park in a scene from the 1960s, which was the club’s glory days, and I hope fans like it and it helps bring in some money for the club.”

Owain Fon Williams’ painting will help Pars’ fundraising efforts.