Dunfermline fans face ‘manageable’ season ticket hike

Dunfermline have blamed “rising costs” for increasing the price of their new season tickets.

The Pars have launched the briefs in a video with the help of club legend Jim Leishman and using the message “It’s you”.

The Fifers had around 3,600 season ticket holders this term, which helped push their home crowds up to the largest average in nearly two decades.

Helped by big attendances against rivals Raith Rovers and champions Dundee United, East End Park housed an average of 5,444 across the 18 league games.

However, it was a disappointing campaign on the pitch for manager James McPake and his squad, who were hampered by a succession of luckless and lengthy lay-offs.

After flirting with a relegation battle following a run of nine games without a win, the team eventually finished sixth in their first season back in the Championship.

Supporters will now be hoping the club sets higher ambitions for the year ahead and rewards their loyalty with investment in new signings.

With United promoted and being replaced by relegated Livingston, the secondtier currently appears to be wide open for next season.

But the East

End

Park outfit did lose more than £1 million for the 12 months they were in League One and are expected to have budgetary pressures again this year.

A message to fans said: “Season 20232024 again proved to be a rollercoaster of emotions and full of challenges.

“But the spirit shown on the pitch and in the stands helped secure our place in the Championship.

“Your support is never taken for granted. The numbers that continue to back us at home and on our travels is fantastic.

“On the pitch, the much-discussed injuries situation disrupted large parts of the season, but when at our best we saw we could match anyone in the division.

“Like so many industries, rising costs across many factors mean we have had to increase season card costs this coming year.

“However, we have tried to do so in a fair and manageable manner.”

Most categories show an £18 rise from the season just finished, which works out at a £1 increase per match.

Adults will pay either £333 or £363, while for under-18s, prices have gone up by £5 to £55.

That is matched in “walk-up” charges, which have increased by £1 to £22 and £24 for adults.

Andy Steeves is hoping that plunging into ice baths can help Montrose deal with the heat of their winner-takesall Championship play-off clash with Inverness this afternoon.

The Gable Endies were unfortunate not to take a lead into the second leg after an excellent performance at Links Park on Tuesday night, in which they spurned a handful of good opportunities.

They head into their third game in the space of a week re-energised after their latest training session was combined with recovery work.

The players took advantage of the indoor training facilities at the Oriam and afterwards, they were able to use the state of the art performance wing at the Edinburgh complex.

“We trained on the indoor Astroturf and the starters from Tuesday finished a little early, went into the ice baths, hydro pools and those who needed a bit of an MoT from the physios were seen,” Steeves said.

“In terms of being the club in the division below, I think our recovery process was as good as any.

“I don’t think you’ll find too many people that have access to that sort of facilities and knowledge.

“It’s a clean bill of health, I think everyone was pretty happy with how the recovery process went.”

Montrose have been a part of the Championship play-offs in four of the last five seasons, but have yet to progress beyond the semifinal stage.

Steeves admits their play-off journey has been one littered with heartache, misfortune and spectacular collapse, but he is determined to avoid a repeat when they head for a Highland fling with Duncan Ferguson’s side.

“We’ve found every single way possible to lose a second leg of a play-off game,” he added.

“We’ve got a good bit of experience, especially within the group of players and the same staff that have been with us the whole way through.

“We’re really looking forward to it and well prepared – there’s no nervousness, no anxiety or pressure.

“We know how not to lose the game and now it’s a case of finding a way to get over the hump.”

The Montrose fans turned out in their numbers to back the team for Tuesday’s first-leg and the team will again be backed by a large travelling support for their biggest game of the season today.

“It’s been a fantastic experience for the fans as well, they’ll be just as they were on Tuesday – vocal, loud and excited to be there,” the defender said.

“Our pressure is a really exciting one. Hopefully, we can ride on the crest of that wave and who knows, maybe play on the pressure that Inverness have on them. I would certainly much rather our pressure than theirs.”

Caley Jags goalkeeper Mark Ridgers, who pulled off several key stops to deny Stewart Petrie’s side an advantage on Tuesday, underlined his belief that Inverness’s squad deserves to be in the Championship next season.

He added: “We finished ninth in the table and were only one win away from finishing fifth.

East End Park saw good crowds this season.