Player of the Month’s score of goals

Congratulations to Craig Wighton who has been named cinch League One Player of the Month for April and joins the ‘Score and More Club’

Having scored five goals in the six league matches in April, Pars striker Craig Wighton made it an easy decision when it came to naming the cinch League One Player of the Month for April. Everyone at the club congratulates Craig for this achievement, an accolade also won by Kyle Benedictus in February. The 25 year old striker agreed that it is nice to get the recognition:-

“I`m delighted to get that. It was a good month in terms of goals, but, as a team, you probably could`ve given it to anyone for the last month. We had some big games, and big Lewis McCann as well did really well, he set a few of my goals up. It`s a real team effort, but it`s always nice to get a few personal things as well."

In April Craig helped Dunfermline maintain their push for the League One title scoring against Falkirk, Peterhead, Queen of the South and Airdrieonians and he commented:-

"It was a big month with some big games. We knew it was going to be a tough month, with some hard fixtures, but it`s good to get it in that month. I scored a few goals, so I was delighted with that."

Craig opened his season’s account at Alloa in October and another at Alloa on Saturday saw him become only the sixth Pars player this century to score 20 goals in league and cup matches in a season. Speaking after the match Craig suggested in the first
half it looked like he was trying his hardest not to get it!

“I should have scored, I could have had a hattrick on another day. I’m glad in the end that I got it. I was maybe trying too hard in the first half because it was in the back of my mind obviously.”

After Kane Ritchie-Hosler sent Lewis McCann into the Alloa box, the striker released a shot that keeper Jay Hogarth could only parry and leave Craig with one of his simplest chances of his 20 this season, he was confident that his opportunity would come:-

“We had a lot of chances and even though if it wasn’t that one I knew that we would keep getting the chances. They had a good block at the start of the second half but I should definitely have scored one, if not two in the first half. I was disappointed with that but I will take the twenty and hopefully beat that next season.”

He described the chance for the goal:-

“It was just a wee bit behind me but I’m glad that I got the touch on it. I’m delighted like I say I could have scored more but I’m glad that I do have the twenty.”

In the ‘Score and More Club’ Craig Wighton joins Faisal El Bakhtaoui (30, season 2015/16), Stevie Crawford (23, season 2002/03); Kevin Nisbet (23, season 2019/20), Andy Kirk (21, season 2010/11), Nicky Clark (21, season 2017/18).

After clocking up 42 appearances for Dunfermline this season, he is happy with his achievement and his season overall.

"It`s been good. I`m sure I`ve said it previously - it`s probably the most I`ve enjoyed my football, this year. I`ll look forward to a break, and then hopefully get better again next year, and get a good pre-season under my belt."

“It has been my best season and probably the most games that I have played in a season. I have been fit most of the season and it is probably the best that I have felt and the most that I have enjoyed my football. Like I say hopefully I can take that into next year and kick on.”

Craig has experienced Championship football before with five different clubs and he pointed out how tight a league he is likely to be playing in next season:-

"I think you look at that league this year, it`s right going down to the wire. The play-off positions, who`s going to go straight up? We`ll wait and see.

"I`m sure we`ll add a few. We`ll get pre-season out the way and see how we`re looking, but we`ll go into it full of confidence, like we did this year. We`ll keep whatever it is in-house but, we`re quietly confident that, if we work as hard as we did this year, we`ll see what happens."

With the likes of Josh Edwards, Matty Todd, Joe Chalmers, Rhys Breen and himself signing new contracts there is an element of building a team to go up and Craig reckoned that is a good thing:-

"I think most of the boys in the team have played at that level before, so it won`t be new to many of us, but it`s a tough league, as is this league. Every week, whether it`s here or away, it`s a different challenge. They`re all just as hard as each other, so we`ll see who`s in the league, first and foremost and then we`ll take care of that when it comes to it. If we can keep a lot of the squad together, and add a few more, then I`m sure we`ll have a positive season."

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