Manager on Thursday

25/11/21: “If we get that bit of luck and the fine margins go our way, we can keep winning football matches.”

The manager and the club have enjoyed Scottish Cup success in the past and John Hughes is keen to do well again with Dunfermline:-

“I have good history in the Scottish Cup, I enjoy it. I have been a very lucky man to go to two Scottish Cup finals as a coach and a manager. I have been a very lucky guy to go and win it one year, I know what it is all about and I know the history of the Scottish Cup at this club.

John Hughes took Falkirk to the Scottish Cup final in 2009 losing to Rangers by the only goal of the game. The following season his Hibs side was knocked out by Ross County on their road to the final. Then when at Inverness Caley Thistle took the club to its first ever cup final only to lose out after extra time and penalties to Aberdeen. The next season he led the Highlanders to their first major silverware with a Scottish Cup final success over his old club Falkirk to conclude the club`s most successful season.

“If you are a Dunfermline player coming in with the mindset of appreciating the history and size of this club, saying ‘I fancy a bit of that’, then jump aboard, because that’s where we are going to go.

“If it’s not them, it’ll be somebody else. If it’s not me, it’ll be somebody else. No-one is ever bigger than the club but we have the chance, as a group, to try and bring smiles to fans.”

“We know what is at stake and that message will made clear to the players. We’ll need to hit the heights that we hit against Ayr to make sure it is us going through to the next round. We will be right up against it, we are playing Partick at home. They are keeping clean sheets and winning every week so game on.

“Ian McCall is a good friend of mine and he does a good job. I played under him at Falkirk, I know his coaching staff - Scally and those guys - and I’m really looking forward to it.

“If I can touch on Saturday there, it was a performance and first home win of the league season that the fans deserved. I felt that they enjoyed it, we are in the entertainment business and it was great to see them enjoying themselves, singing along and playing their part. I’ve been at this club when they were flying high and there were 10,000 here - maybe more. I know what this club is all about.

“If we keep entertaining and playing good football, we can double our attendance. It’d be nice for the next home game, if everyone can bring someone along - a school pal, a golf pal - just tell them we need them. If we can keep building the crowd and the momentum, it all plays a part. That’s us rolling in the one direction.

“I think a lot of fans are disillusioned and start moving on to something else but if we can get them back in and show them what we are doing, they’ll get it again.

“I’ve worked at provincial clubs where you are driving in and you see the Old Firm buses going the other way. Now, I’m not against that. Each to their own but a top, top true supporter stands by the community and supports their community club.

“This is a call to arms. We need you. We need you in your numbers. We’re not getting carried away but there’s a wee taste of something. We cannot get carried away, it is football and we are where we are for a reason.

“We have challenged the team, every game from now until the end of the season - the other team will know that they have been in a game. If we get that bit of luck and the fine margins go our way, we can keep winning football matches.”

Stressing that he feels that the processes are all in place for Dunfermline Athletic to recover from the poor start made to their Championship season, Hughes believes that recovery could be greatly helped by a confidence building Scottish Cup run. He continued:-

“Winning football matches and where we want to go? The processes are all in place and I think they all know what I expect and what I’m looking for.

“We’re hoping the process takes care of the football, but that’s not always the case. Part of the process is getting beat every now and then but it’s about where you go from there. We are in a good place, we’ve had a great response and we want to keep winning.”

The manager hopes to have a fully fit squad to select from including Rhys Breen who missed out on the Ayr United match but John Hughes warned that the 21 year old who joined Dunfermline on 26th July 2021 from Rangers, will face a big challenge to get back into team.

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