Team seeking place in history

JC:- “We can turn it into a very special season with records and hopefully it can be a team that`ll go on to be remembered in years to come.

Standing between Dunfermline and an unbeaten home record this season is a Clyde team that is fighting for its League One existence. Clyde’s last visit to the KDM was in November, their first game under Jim Duffy after taking over from Danny Lennon, and that required the Fifers to come back from two goals down to draw the match.

Jim Duffy is a manager that Pars midfielder Joe Chalmers knows very well since he was his gaffer at Ayr United and is wary of the 64 year old whose managerial experience has come from no fewer than nine different senior clubs.

"They`ll come here and work hard, they`ll give 100% and if we don`t match that work rate we`ll be in for a long afternoon. So we need to be on the ball, the manager and Dave Mackay have kept us up to our work this week, so we should be ready to go.

“Jim Duffy will do his work on the training pitch. He will come up with a game plan and a set up on how to go about it. He knows the game, he`s been about for long enough and probably in this situation a lot. I`m sure he`ll have something up his sleeve."

Joe has witnessed the motivation of away teams coming to a bigger stadium but knows that Clyde this time will have added motivation of trying to beat the champions:-

"Being in that position before, coming to a bigger stadium, you get a lift and you want to go out there in front of a bigger crowd and put on a show. I think even more so now that we`re the champions. If they can come here and get a point that they can ensure safety, but they`ll be trying to win. Doing it here would be even sweeter for them.

"You watch teams that have won the league on the telly, you`ve seen games and if they don`t win then it definitely takes a bit of the edge off it. You want to get the fans up, get the fans involved in it and hopefully put on a good display. It would definitely make it a better day if we do our jobs on the pitch first."

Dunfermline have plenty of their own motivating factors, Joe continued:-

"We`re on an unbeaten run and we`ve broke a lot of records but we`ve still got more records to target. We`ve got stuff up in the dressing room making us aware of what records we can still break. It`s been a brilliant season but if we can keep this going, we can turn it into a very special season with records and hopefully it can be a team that`ll go on to be remembered in years to come.

"We`ve still got that chance for record points tallies, unbeaten at home and stuff like that. It would be brilliant to get them. Wighty`s got one where he can become one of the only players to score 20 goals. Even ones like that, it drives us on that we can help someone like him to get. We`ve still got loads to play for, pride as well. You don`t always get the chance to play in front of such big crowds. There`s plenty of motivation for me anyway."

Saturday’s trophy presentation will be a special end to a season that Joe will be sorry to see end:-
 
"I`ve enjoyed every minute of it, that`s what I`ve tried to do. Just playing every week and getting the confidence and the belief from the manager has helped me. Playing with good players, younger players that are driving each other on. I try and do my best to help them and help the team - I feel like I`ve managed to do it this season. I don`t want it to end!"

Joe has been the master of assists with some superbly targeted passes and he has delivered more than his fair share of setpieces, he added:-

"I`ve been known for corners at other clubs but usually there would be some other boys that you`d maybe share them with but this season, I`ve hit nearly them all. 

"It`s something that I practise and something that I really enjoy doing. On a Saturday I look forward to getting the chance to do that. The manager and Dave come up with good setpieces that we try and carry out. It`s been good fun on that side of things.

"The manager will set up stuff and we`ll have our standard corners that we`ve got, but if I see something or somebody else sees something, he more than encourages to try that stuff.  If I looked up and saw someone at the edge of the box, he encourages me to try and use that. He backs you even if it didn`t come off, he`s not going to come in and hammer you. So it gives you a wee bit more confidence to try things."

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