Early March 1972. Talk of club mergers in Fife and Angus are suggested to "save money in a difficult economic climate". Celtic are top in Scotland, Hibs are preparing for a Scottish Cup Quarter Final and Dunfermline are bottom of the top division (two divisions of 18 and 19 back then 40 years ago). Fife neighbours Cowdenbeath are top of Division 2 and looking to bounce back to the First Division at the first attempt.
Arbroath and Dumbarton are chasing the Div 2 leaders as March '72 arrives but the Central Park side look odds on to win the title.
Cue a Cowdenbeath collapse in the last two months of the season, which includes defeats by both The Sons and The Red Lichties, which leaves the blues in 6th come close of play in May and Dumbarton and Arbroath as the promoted sides.
Three years later (1975) Cowden have gone from promotion favourites to the second worst side in the Scottish League proving when you're down there is sometimes only one place to go if you can't go straight back up again.
The omens are good that history will not repeat in 2012 after The Blue Brazil's 2-0 win at Dumbarton on Tuesday night (March 7th) and Saturday sees an important away derby at East Fife for Colin Cameron's side. Should Cowden win and Arbroath and Dumbarton draw it will give the Champions elect much needed breathing space at the top of Division 2 and then, as they say, they can only lose the title and automatic promotion.
"Saturday's game at Methil is a real six pointer" said Player-Manager Cameron after the win at Dumbarton thanks to goals from Joe Mbu and Marc McKenzie. "This is the time of the season when players really earn their wages and convince managers whether or not they have a place in a higher division, which is what we hope to achieve in the next month or so .''
Cameron may put himself on the bench for the trip to New Bayview at the weekend after six weeks out with an injury to give 'Beath more midfield options and The Blue Brazil will hope for a similar outcome to the last time they visited their Kingdom neighbours, a 3-1 win in a match they dominated.