Joe Chalmers joins Dunfermline

Experienced midfielder signs an 18 month contract at East End Park

After a suitable compensation agreement was reached between the clubs, Dunfermline Athletic are delighted to announce the signing of Joe Chalmers from Ayr United on an 18 month contract for with a potential further year extension. Chairman Ross McArthur added:-

“We would like to thank Graeme Mathie and Lee Bullen at Ayr United for the professional way the discussions were handled”

Manager John Hughes said of his 28 year old signing:-

“I have seen Joe play for a number of clubs right away back to Celtic. He has experience of the league and we are a bit short of lefties on that left hand side. He brings a knowledge of the game, experience and he is a very very good footballer.

“You never see Joe getting flustered and he has a habit of passing it to his own teammates. I feel that he will be a fantastic addition to the team. I think he will fit right in and I really am looking forward to working him.

“I missed him at my time at Inverness, I was away when he went up there but I was speaking to a good friend of mine who I can trust and when I told him that I was signing Joe he looked at me as if to say ‘what a fantastic signing’.

“Joe was at Ayr United and we had to get into him that you want to come Joe. He is the one to give us that balance on the left hand side and competition for places. His experience, knowing that league, a winner and a fit boy at a good age with the best years in front of him but hitting his prime. We said ‘come on Joe, help us out and be a part of this great football club.

“Football teams need a bit of everything. You need your physicality, you need your runners off the ball and the boys who are going to dig it out. But you also need your boys who are going to keep the ball and look after it. You need the boys who are going to unlock the door - your Dom Thomas’ and your Lawless’.

“If I was to summarise Joe Chalmers, Joe would probably fit in there. Technically he is a very good footballer, never gives the ball away, knows the game, knows the position and brings a barrow load of experience to the team.

“Once again I think our supporters will look at it and say ‘I can see that’ plus a leftie. I was a right sided centre half, if I ever got asked to play on the left hand side like Lewis Martin is, I was a wee bit out of sync. With Lewis doing that you take your hat off to him, the position is not natural.

“Now with Joe playing on that left hand side, that left foot can hit those diagonal passes and he will be linking up with all those technical players. I am absolutely delighted that we have done that kind of business. I am looking forward to working with him.”

Joe Chalmers started his career at Celtic Park having come through their youth system from the age of ten to make his debut as an 18 year old when he came on to replace Emilio Izaguirre.

All three of his Celtic appearances were in 2012-2013 season with a start in the Scottish Cup against Arbroath and two appearances off the bench both times against Inverness. He went out on loan to Falkirk before in June 2015 he left Celtic for Motherwell, where he would make 31 appearances before being released by the ‘Well in May 2017, at the end of his contract.

Next Chalmers moved to the Highlands where he played for both Inverness Caley Thistle and Ross County, two clubs where John Hughes also spent time in charge but they were never together. Joe made 96 appearances for Inverness and 20 for Ross County.

Mark Kerr took Joe to Ayr United in October 2020 and he made 50 appearances for the Honest Men, including 14 starts and 5 as a substitute this season. Joe played 70 minutes against Dunfermline in November but was an unused sub in the match at Somerset Park.

Chalmers represented Scotland at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels.

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