Fife football fans will come together this afternoon to mark almost 20 years since the death of former Dunfermline Athletic captain Norrie McCathie.
McCathie died on January 8 1996 from carbon monoxide poisoning, aged just 34, at his home in Fife. His 26-year-old girlfriend Amanda Burns also died.
The tragedy shocked Scottish football and it still resonates with Pars fans who remember the impact the man known as ‘Mr Dunfermline’ had on their club.
With the anniversary only days away, the Pars have commissioned a one-off strip for today’s league match against neighbours Cowdenbeath, replicating the last strip McCathie ever wore for the club in 1996 at Love Street, Paisley.
It is the iconic blue and red quarter strip, and will bear the number four on the back McCathie’s number.
Pars managing director Ross McArthur said: “As our former chairman Roy Woodrow said at Norrie’s remembrance service, ‘the spirit which he had will live with us for a very long time to come’.
“Without question, his spirit lives on at DAFC, and to me all of the qualities that Norrie epitomised leadership, fighting spirit, work ethic and community focus are still evident at our reborn community club today.
“I remember only too well, that after Norrie’s tragic death, our club vowed to win the old First Division championship for him in 1996, which we managed to do by all pulling together, particularly up at Tannadice.”
Club legend Jim Leishman is expected to be one of the thousands packing in to East End Park today, and news of the death hit him hard at the time. “Everybody at the club felt it but nobody more so than Norrie’s family,” he said. “I will always remember that day.”
An exhibition all about McCathie, which has been laid on by Dunfermline Athletic’s Heritage Trust, opened at East End Park on Tuesday and will be open from 11am to 3pm today.