We as a club finished last season on an obvious high - promotion to the SPL after four long years so let's enjoy it!! Many people believe that the close season is a quiet time at a football club, but behind the scenes the Stadium Manager, Kenny Arnott and the Groundstaff (Kevin and Willie) faced a battle and a half to be ready for the off which was earlier than ever. The Administrative team face similar major challenges over the weeks ahead.

The programme we faced was frightening: -

1. Remove the turf and soil from the pitch (over 100 tons), re-seed fertilise and pray that it grows. The initial dry and cool spell doesn't help and watering has to begin almost at once. The green shoots take some time to emerge. With the first game only 8 weeks after the work started, it was a huge task to get the pitch in the best possible condition for Jim McIntyre's team. All the hard work has paid off with the pitch looking in its best condition in years, despite the best efforts of Mother Nature with all the rain she sent for the Huddersfield game!

This picture was taken on Saturday 14th May.

2. Irrigation systems and undersoil heating received their annual close season service.

3. Purvis Group were amazingly successfully in managing to meet the tight deadline and completed the new three hospitality boxes within 6 weeks. We would like to thank everyone involved in the work on the boxes.

4. Area alongside new boxes prepared to home the Youth Players/Coaches and family on matchdays.

5. Major repairs to the 'undercroft', changing room areas, following extensive damage during the harsh winter months. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems fully refurbished, KDM Shopfitters working flat out to meet the tight deadlines. During certain weeks of the close season, there were tradesmen everywhere!

6. Floodlights repaired and fresh bulbs installed - not the easiest of tasks.

7. General stadium painting and maintenance work undertaken - see the fresh white paint!

8. A new season ticket system was put in place. Brian Duncan did a great job having most of the work done for the St Mirren game.

9. Safety Certificate related worked ongoing. Pass with flying colours on 5th July!

10. There has been extensive painting and cleaning of all the lounges including the new trophy unit for Championship trophy.

11. All seats were given a deep clean before the new season, which wasn't a quick job with nearly 11,500 seats to clean.

12. Fresh cabling to link all turnstiles to central control system.

13. New fencing installed/painted at Norrie McCathie entrance.

14. Planning permission applied for display boards on Main Stand exterior facing onto Halbeath Road to give a fresh look to the stadium, watch this space!

15. The Pavilion at Dunfermline Academy of Sport is undergoing a huge programme of refurbishment and upgrading.

16. Preparing for re-surfacing of Pitreavie 5 aside pitches, which should be complete in August.

17. We have ordered new dugouts, which should be arriving in September.

18. New advertising boards have arrived in droves.

The list isn't complete but we've run out of space. In the period of 8 weeks all of the above has been completed and our sincere thanks go out to Kenny, Kevin and Willie along with the support and assistance from Iain Jones and Rodney Shearer and The Purvis Group. The amount of work, which has been completed, is a great achievement.

Everyone on the Board of Directors at DAFC would like to extend a huge thank you to every member of staff at East End Park and Dunfermline Academy of Sport for their continued hard work.

The end is not however in sight, a 2/3-year programme to maintain and upgrade the stadium and Pitreavie is being prepared.

The programme is also costly with well over £150,000 spent in 9 weeks!