Calderwood braced for hot reception on return to old stomping ground

Published on Friday 6 March 2009 21:41

AS WITH any divorce, there are some break-ups in football more acrimonious than others. It's a measure of the bitterness which fuelled the scorching of bridges between Jimmy Calderwood and Dunfermline in 2004 that many of the Fife club's supporters still feel lingering hostility towards their former manager and won't hesitate to remind him of their rancour when he brings Aberdeen to East End Park this afternoon for a Homecoming Scottish Cup quarter-final tie.

Whatever else may be said on this raw subject, the enduring level of anger directed at Calderwood is a reflection of both the success the manager enjoyed during his time in Fife as well as the period of decline which followed his departure to Pittodrie. Calderwood became a convenient scapegoat for Dunfermline's ills after his departure from the club was tarnished by a fall-out with chairman John Yorkston.

No matter the rights and wrongs which surrounded Calderwood's parting from Dunfermline – "the truth will come out one day," insists the manager, "it got very bitter at times and I was bitter at one time, but not now" – the four-and-a-half years he spent in Fife were a rewarding time for both parties.

As Calderwood built a reputation which eventually earned him a better-paid job with a bigger club, Dunfermline secured promotion under his care, reached the final of the Scottish Cup in 2004 and qualified for European football.

Before Calderwood travelled north to succeed Steve Paterson five years ago, the Fifers reached the dizzy heights of fourth place in the SPL and finished that season 19 points clear of Aberdeen in 11th place. Just 12 months later and Aberdeen were up to sixth as Dunfermline slumped to 11th. Relegation beckoned for the Fifers in 2007. Dunfermline are still marooned in the First Division and currently lie nine points behind leaders St Johnstone.

"My relationship with Dunfermline soured towards the end, but I had a wonderful four-and-a-half years there," Calderwood recalled. "The club paid 200,000 to bring me to Scotland (from Nijmegen in the Netherlands] when Jimmy Nicholl could have been appointed manager. I have a lot to be thankful to them for.

"We had a successful time there in winning promotion, finishing in the top six every season and getting the club into Europe. The club did me a favour as I met Jimmy, who became a great colleague and a wonderful friend."

Supporters view the world through such partisan eyes that most departures are damned as betrayals. Professionals see the game differently and it was no surprise to hear Jim McIntyre, the Dunfermline manager, sing the praises of both Calderwood and Nicholl.

"They took the club into Europe, a cup final and had an excellent standard of play here at the time," recalled the former Kilmarnock and Dundee United player. "I have nothing but good words to say about those two.

"Now the two Jimmies are coming back to their old stomping ground. They did a marvellous job here and should be applauded for the work they did. As a player, these are two guys that I would have loved to have worked under. I always liked the way their teams played. We always had a good bit of banter when they came to Dundee United."

Although Calderwood struggles to forget the abuse once vented at his wife in a local supermarket or the foul-mouthed insults which were hurled in his direction on a previous return visit, the manager knows this afternoon's tie is less about him upsetting the home side's followers than pleasing the 5,500 Aberdeen supporters who have bought tickets for the game.

The wounds of defeat from recent cup losses against Queen's Park and Queen of the South remain salty. Indeed, Calderwood is still haunted by the memory of being knocked out of the competition by the Dumfries club in last year's semi-final.

"The trip back from Hampden was the worst experience of my life," he recalled. "Buses carrying Aberdeen fans were passing us and the supporters were rightly giving us dog's abuse. I was so embarrassed by what had just happened I couldn't look them in the eye. That will be a motivating factor."

Missing the injured Lee Miller, Aberdeen may not be too disappointed if the match unfolds in the same manner as the last cup meeting between the sides 20 years ago. In 1989, an outstanding display from goalkeeper Theo Snelders at East End Park earned the visitors a draw before they won the replay 3-1 at Pittodrie.

On the other hand, with experienced players such as Stephen Glass, Queensland-bound Scott Wilson, Greg Shields and Scott Muirhead in their ranks, Dunfermline believe they can cause an upset. "There's experience in the dressing room of knowing what it takes to get to a cup final," explained McIntyre, who expects his side to shrug aside a poor run of three losses in their last four league games.

If the wrath of his former club's supporters is water off a duck's back to Calderwood, he accepts some of his former charges will have a point to prove. "I will see some of my former players and they will be determined to get one over on me," he acknowledged. "There will be an extra edge to the tie."