Josh pleased to sign up for promotion bid

“He is clearly very happy with the squad that he has got and hopefully we can show him that he was right.

After agreeing a new two year deal with the club, Josh Edwards today expressed his delight:-

“I had a really good season so I am excited to get the deal signed and hopefully we can push on next year now. As soon as I heard that the club wanted to extend it I wanted to get pen to paper as quickly as I could. There was no hesitation at all.”

With 52 hours of game time in season 2020-2021 the new contract is just reward for what the 21 year old feels was his best season so far:-

“Compared to other seasons this is the one that I have played the most games in. Definitely it is the season where I have seen the most improvement in myself. I feel that I have got a lot better with the defensive side of the game. I have been fitter, playing better and finding passes easier.”

Josh who signed from Airdrieonians in July 2019 made 19 appearances, 13 starts in his first season at Dunfermline and started 34 of the Pars 36 matches last season. He now considers himself settled in as a first team player:-

“First season I was in and out of the team but this season I played near enough every game. It has been a big help that I have just been able to keep playing and keep playing. I have enjoyed this season, obviously I was disappointed by the way it ended but that will spur us on for next season.”

To lose in the play offs to Raith Rovers was disappointing for everyone at the club and Josh agreed that the goal is to do better than that in what will be a competitive Championship in 2021-2022:-

“It will definitely give us that edge for next season to go and start it well. With Hamilton and Killie coming down, two clubs that have been mainstays in the top flight for a few years now, it is going to be interesting to see how they shape up and how we face up against them.

“It is definitely going to be a tough league, there will be tough games. With teams like Queen of the South and Arbroath in the Championship there are going to be tough games every single week and we will have to be on it.”

Kilmarnock’s presence will likely attract interest in the Championship in the same way Hearts did last season. That can only be a good thing but Josh felt that encouragement can be taken from the way Dundee won promotion to the Premiership through the play offs:-

“Every game we had against Dundee was fairly tight and cagey. Maybe apart from the first one when we didn’t turn up for eighty minutes and then we came back. The other two games were really competitive, tough games. We had the better of the first half at Dens, they had the better of the second half and came back into it.

“The one at East End Park was just a tight cagey game. I didn’t feel that there was much difference between the two teams but they have clicked at the right time in the season, gone on a wee run and they have got their rewards for it.”

Josh has not had any contact with his new boss, Peter Grant, but admitted Stevie Crawford’s departure was a bit of a surprise:-

“I don’t think many of us saw it coming. We now just need to focus on the new season and hit the ground running.”

Even with the uncertainty of a new gaffer arriving Josh was still desperate to sign again with no hesitation on his part. He knows him well from matches against Alloa Athletic and sees Peter Grant’s statement to aim for promotion as a vote of confidence in the squad at Dunfermline:-

“That means he sees something in all of us and believes in us already. It can only mean good things if he is saying that in his first interview. He is clearly very happy with the squad that he has got and hopefully we can show him that he was right.

“He obviously likes keeping the ball and moving the ball, so it is exciting to see how we shape up with him. I am excited for the new season.”

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