Annual General Meeting Comments

Steve Kenny and Jim Leishman express opinions

Manager Stephen Kenny gave shareholders attending the club's Annual General Meeting, his thoughts on the task ahead of him:-

"I am honoured to have been offered the opportunity to manage Dunfermline Athletic. I am very aware of their history and throughout the ground you see pictures of some great sides. Probably no club has such a contrast in terms of highs and lows over a period of time.

"I understand the seriousness of the position that we are in at the moment and the pessimism being six points off at the bottom of the league. Many would say it does not auger well. I gather that there has been a long injury list but there is hope on the horizon in that regard.

"Last week we had 10 to 14 players out unavailable. If we are lucky next week that might be down to maybe four. That is progress and there at the weekend we had two influential players, Phil McGuire and Mark Burchill coming on for the last twenty minutes. With a full week's training behind them they can be in contention for next week.

"Players like Andy Tod and Darren Young are not far away. The squad will get stronger over the next few weeks and with the games coming up against St Mirren, Inverness and Motherwell there are opportunities to try and get a result. Even after a couple of those games there will still be 20 games left. People talk about Rangers in relation to the importance of the Scottish Cup and the glamour attached to it. To play Rangers here, one of the highest profile teams around, to me retaining our Premier Division status is absolutely paramount. Three points against St Mirren or against Motherwell in a couple of weeks would be worth more than beating Rangers in the Cup without a shadow of a doubt.

"The players are aware of that and the importance of it. They realise that since I came in I have made a few changes already. The situation we are in you cannot take too long term plans. Undoubtedly there are medium term plans there in the way we are doing things and in relation to the conditioning of the players and the re-occurrence of the injuries."

The Manager is very determined that relegation does not happen to the club:-

"It would be on my conscious to be Manager of a team that got relegated. The players are very committed, having spoken to them over the last week, and the realise that they have to roll their sleeves up to make sure we stay up."

The Manager was asked from the floor to give an assessment of the players coming through the reserve side:-

"Because of the injuries youngsters have been given the chance to put themselves forward in reserve games. In relation to the first team, there are not many, if any that you could put in now. Basically the difference between the Youth team and the level we are at here is physical. They are one of the smallest teams I have seen. There are not many physically strong players, not that that is important, you want dynamic skilful players but there are no stand outs to come into a relegation battle.

"The attitude of the young players is outstanding. Hamish runs things very well; their attitude and commitment to hard work is very evident."

A further question probed as to whether or not there had been resistance to the changes, not all of which - like cancelling the Christmas outing to Liverpool - would be popular:-

"You are never going to keep everyone happy. You have to be realistic but the players realise that if they want to play in the Premier Division then you have to be true to the culture. The top clubs in England are not having two or three days away, that used to happen and more often than not they'd come over to Dublin. That has gone now and there are different ways to raise morale."

Another question asked for expansion of the reports that Steven Pressley was training with the club and could join Dunfermline. Steve Kenny felt that was unrealistic.:-

"Judging by the clubs that are in and salary scales, he will be out of our league. He was at Pitreavie alright but he didn't train with us. I wouldn't have any objection to him training with us, the problem was that the contract with Hearts prevented that."

The comments stimulated an enquiry to gauge the new Manager's thoughts about entering the transfer market:-

"I do think that their certain areas need to be strengthened. We will have to wait and see what develops. we have the basis of a decent squad there." It is difficult to assess players while they are in the treatment room but Steve Kenny ran through the players he is looking forward having available to him when they return from injury:- "Mark Burchill and Phil McGuire are very important to us. Andy Tod and Darren Young will follow and that will leave just four after that. Jim McIntyre is seeing a consultant tonight and we are hoping to have him back in January. Jamie McCunnie had a metatarsal injury and he has started running; we will see how he goes.

"Scott Thomson had an achilles operation on Friday; he is on crutches having had a fair amount of scar tissue removed. It is difficult to say but he could be back in a month or five weeks and then he will need to have some games under his belt. Noel Whelan has back trouble."

Addressing the AGM Jim Leishman thanked everybody for the support he got in the 16 month period as Manager of Dunfermline Athletic.

"The last month was very hard but I am sure now that we have the right guy. The club's future is in real solid and focussed hands. I know everyone here is behind Stephen Kenny."

The club's Director of Football went on to expand on plans to develop an improved facility at Pitreavie:-

"Pitreavie is a very exciting prospect. We have had three meetings of the Pars Trust at Pitreavie and there is great vision there."

Leish revealed that former Director John Meiklem would be looking into the drainage at the training ground with a view to improve the playing surface. The Academy of Sport would see Soccer Sevens with Andy Campbell taking over 400 kids, a possible indoor Soccer Centre and a full size synthetic surface. As well as benefiting the professional side it would also be a great asset to the community. Ladies football would be catered for with Dunfermline seeking to follow the way forward in a route that has seen Kilmarnock Football Club attract 200 female footballers to use their facilities.

A 50 year long lease for Pitreavie gives the club the confidence to invest in the training ground and Leish described it as having "fantastic" potential for the community.