This Friday night, Dunfermline Athletic will meet Raith Rovers in one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season—the Fife derby. With both teams looking to claim bragging rights, it’s set to be a fiery contest under the lights, live on television. For Chris Hamilton, Dunfermline’s 23-year-old vice captain, this clash offers a chance not only to secure three points but also to set the record straight after a painful series of defeats to Raith last season.
Chris displaying optimism ahead of the derby, acknowledges the magnitude of the occasion. “We’re looking forward to it. It’s obviously always a big game, and being on Friday night on the TV makes it that wee bit more special,” he said. For Dunfermline, it’s an opportunity to show how far they’ve come after a challenging start to the season, with recent performances indicating signs of improvement. “We’ve not started as well as we would have liked, but the performance in the second half against Hamilton and in the last two games, against Ayr and East Fife, have been a lot better and a lot more like us.”
Dunfermline’s form has been on an upward trajectory in recent weeks, with subtle tactical adjustments playing a role in this resurgence. “There’s maybe been a wee tweak to the shape, and I think it’s made us a wee bit more organised,” Chris explained. “I feel like we’re harder to beat and harder to play against.” This newfound resilience has given the Pars the platform to create more chances going forward, a key element Chris and his teammates are eager to build upon come Friday.
Improved performances against Ayr United and East Fife has been crucial for morale, and everyone believes these results have injected a much-needed boost in confidence to the squad. “It helped to back up the performance against Ayr United and get the win as well, which keeps the confidence going,” the midfielder said, emphasising the importance of momentum in a competitive league like the Scottish Championship.
For Chris, the pain of last season’s league encounters with Raith Rovers – where Dunfermline suffered four narrow defeats – is still fresh. However, he sees this derby as a chance for redemption. “Last season hurts us, and I know it hurts the fans. It’s a chance to try to put things right. They do have one up on us just now, so we need to make sure first of all we bring the performance and the work rate… and hopefully things will change.”
Raith’s success last season often came in the form of late goals, edging Dunfermline by the slimmest of margins. Chris acknowledged the frustration of those games, where the team felt they deserved more but came away empty-handed. “Their season was a bit like that, with all the late goals they scored and winning games by small margins,” he reflected. Yet, Hamilton knows that football can be unpredictable, and all the Pars can do is focus on themselves. “We can only control us and if we go and work as hard as we have been… then hopefully that will be enough.”
Raith Rovers will also be looking to continue their dominance in the fixture after a record-breaking five straight victories over Dunfermline last season. This string of victories has seen the Kirkcaldy side taste defeat just once in the last 13 meetings between these two rivals.
Neill Collins, Raith’s new manager, is aware of the recent history between the two clubs and feels that the team’s recent success can give them an edge in the upcoming derby. “I’ve heard about last season and about how dominant we were,” Collins, who played in Sheffield, Black Country and Yorkshire derbies during his time as a player, said. “That brings a different challenge with it, because I’m sure James McPake and Dunfermline will be well motivated to try to turn that around.”
A win on Friday would be more than just three points; it would symbolise a turning point for the Pars. “This league is like that. You can build up a wee bit of confidence and momentum,” Chris added. With a tough start behind them, the Pars have a chance to string together positive results and move up the table.
The rivalry between the two clubs adds extra fuel to the fire, and Chris is keen to stress its importance to both the players and fans. “It’s a new season and we’ve both got new players and they’ve got a new manager, so it’s different. But Raith Rovers still beat us five times last season… we do need to use it on Friday night.” Chris Hamilton knows this is more than just another game – it’s a chance to give something back to the fans who stand by them week after week.
Assuming captain Kyle Benedictus remains sidelined, Chris will lead Dunfermline out and it’s a role he cherishes deeply. “It was tough at times last season being captain when we were on bad runs,” he confessed. “But it’s about reminding myself how big an honour that is. If I’d known as a young kid that I was going to do that, I’d have been amazed and incredibly proud. A few of the boys have been asking questions about last season. They know how important it is to the fans and us as a group that we put things right. It’s a chance to go and perform again and really kick-start the season.”
The first Fife Derby of the season is just a few days away. Get your tickets now for what is set to be a massive night of football under the lights in the William Hill Championship!
Offer is valid from midnight Monday 20th November through to midnight on Monday 27th November.While stocks last. William Hill ChampionshipDunfermline vs Raith RoversFriday, 13th September 20247:45pmKDM Group East End Park, Dunfermline
Away fans will be housed in the Macklin Motors Community Stand, access via turnstiles 10 – 15.
Tickets are priced at:
Adults – £22Concessions – £16Under 18s – £10Under 12s – £7Carer – FREE
Concessions are – Over 65s, Disabled, unemployed and full-time students. Please bring proof of concession with you on the day as you may be asked for this on arrival.
SLO Contact: [email protected] or via X using @officialdafcSLO
Ticketing enquiries: [email protected]
Supporter Information:
The North Stand Car Park will be open to supporters.
Please note – Due to BBC production vehicles, space in the car park will be very limited and operated on a first come first served basis.
Parking costs £5 for cars and £10 for buses. Entry to the car park is from Leys Park Road.
Please do not park in the Dunfermline Cemetery, and be mindful of the residents if using street parking. Free parking is also available in the council carpark on Leys Park Road.
Supporters are encouraged to arrive in plenty time ahead of kick off, as increased searching will take place at the turnstiles. The use of pyrotechnics is dangerous and illegal. Police Scotland will be in attendance at the match and anyone found in possession of a pyrotechnic device will be liable to be arrested and reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Any supporter identified as above, or who engages in unacceptable behaviour, may be banned from attending matches.
Match Preview:
It’s the first Fife derby of the league season this Friday evening, as Raith Rovers make the short trip to East End Park, as both sides look to kick start their season.
James McPake’s Dunfermline side are without a win in the league so far and sit bottom of the table, although there have been more encouraging signs of late, with a draw against Ayr United followed up by a 2-0 win last weekend in the SPFL Trust Trophy against another side from the Kingdom, East Fife.
The former Barnsley and Tampa Bay Rowdies boss will be hoping to extend Raith’s excellent recent record in this fixture, which saw them reeling off five consecutive wins last season against Dunfermline, and has seen Rovers lose just once over 90 minutes in the last 13 meetings.
The second in November was far more straightforward, as goals from Jack Hamilton, Lewis Vaughan and Stanton again saw Rovers ease through to the fourth round of the Scottish Cup at the hosts expense.
It was back to being a tight affair in the New Year however, with Daniel O’Reilly’s brace sealing a 2-1 win for Ian Murray’s side.
Friday evening’s match referee will be Craig Napier.
Head-To-Head Record:
Dunfermline Athletic Wins: 52
Raith Rovers Wins: 48
Draws: 31
Back to News The former Sunderland, Wolves and Sheffield United defender was no stranger to derbies as a player.
Neill Collins built up plenty of derby experience as a player – but admits he will take ‘comfort’ from Raith Rovers’ Fife derby knowhow.
The Stark’s Park men rewrote the history books last season when they clocked up five straight victories over rivals Dunfermline.
Unbeaten across the campaign in the fixture in 2023/24, the Kirkcaldy outfit have tasted defeat just once in the last 13 meetings of the local rivals.
There are new players on both sides and Collins is a fresh face in the Raith dugout as he makes his derby bow.
But the former Sunderland, Wolves and Sheffield United defender believes Rovers can lean on their recent success as they bid to earn the bragging rights yet again.
“I’ve heard about last season and about how dominant we were,” said Collins, who played in Sheffield, Black Country and Yorkshire derbies during his time as a player.
“That brings a different challenge with it, because I’m sure James McPake and Dunfermline will be well motivated to try to turn that around.
“Equally, I know we’ve got some players – like Lewis Vaughan – who have had some great moments in this fixture.
“The biggest thing I recognise is how much it means to both sets of fans.
“This is what they love and what they’re passionate about, and then you can talk about bragging rights and everything.
“I know how much it means to them.”
He added: “Yes, we’ve got new players, but we’ve got players that were part of last season.
“It’s very much a part of them being comfortable. So the players who played will know what it takes to win a derby and how to handle themselves.
“That’s important. It’s definitely comfort knowing that we’ve got a lot of players who have done it before.”
Sam Stanton was Raith’s talisman in the derbies last season, scoring four times in six games and netting two outright winners.
Vaughan has also scored a double in a 5-1 victory and a first hat-trick for Rovers in the fixture in almost a century.
“You make the decision based on now,” added Collins. “But there’s Lewis Vaughan’s past in the fixture, Sam’s good record, and you consider that.
“You always do what you think’s going to win the game over the 90 minutes. But all these things have been going through our heads and we’ve had talks about them.”
Collins has been thrown in the deep end somewhat with his team’s fixtures since his appointment last Tuesday.
The SPFL Trust Trophy encounter with league leaders Ayr United ended in a 3-2 defeat after an impressive first-half display had Raith two goals ahead at half-time.
And now he has a derby to contend with as Rovers seek just a second win in eight games.
However, the ex-Tampa Bay Rowdies and Barnsley boss says he is settling into his new surroundings.
“The day-to-day things are slowly starting to settle down,” he explained. “The first few days there was a lot going on, a lot of people to meet and getting to know people.
“But, from a training perspective, I’ve been really, really happy with how the players have worked and their attitude.
“I’ve got to consider that you can’t overload them, you can’t try to build Rome in a day, as they say.
“But I think you could see on Sunday more than enough positives, and it’s another challenge on Friday night to see it again.”
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