Paul Gallacher Post Partick

"We came here for the three points and although we didn't perform too well, I thought the attitude and the workrate wa

Paul Gallacher was Dunfermline's Man of the Match on Saturday pulling off some fantastic saves and had the second half penalty kick been converted the Pars might have left Firhill with three points. He expressed his team mates feeling of disappointment that wasn't the outcome:-

"We're obviously not happy. We came here for the three points and although we didn't perform too well, I thought the attitude and the workrate was really good, I think that was plain to see.

"We didn't pass it as well as we'd have liked but one look at the park and it's plain to see why, so to take a point I suppose it's the only good you can take - not winning the game, we didn't get beat, we got a point but we came here for three points."

That's two matches now and two draws since Stephen Kenny left and Jim McIntyre took over in a caretaker capacity but despite the failure to win Paul felt that there was a definite difference in the camp:-

"Definitely. You see it in training as well, in the short time we've worked under Macca. He's upped the tempo slightly, no disrespect to the last manager Stephen Kenny who worked us hard but it's somebody that's new with his own ideas, he's putting that across so I think we're trying to get the fitness topped up. I think that was shown in the latter stages of the game; we battled through quite well whereas in previous weeks we'd have maybe sat back and probably lost a few goals.

"It's been the story of the season so far, we've been leaking goals but we all play a part in that. We are going through a really torrid time but on Saturday I thought we battled fairly well and showed some signs that the work rate was definitely up."

The return of Kevin Harper even though it was at right back was a welcome sight on Saturday:-

"I thought he was fantastic. He's one of those players you can put him anywhere and he'd do a job for you. The thing is he's been out for three months with a torn calf so to come back without playing reserve football is absolutely fantastic and it shows he's a fit lad. He keeps himself in good shape and I thought he put in a great shift today."

Gallacher's own work rate against Partick was phenomenal and as he denied his opponents time and time again he must have been beginning to believe that he was heading for his fourth shut out in 19 league games since arriving from Norwich City:-

"I did, for a wee while I thought it was one of those days you're going to keep everything out but they put a lot of pressure on us towards the end of the game. We dropped maybe a tad deep and I don't know where the boy's come from for the winner but he seemed to be in an acre of space and he had the whole goal to pick from.

"So it's disappointing especially when we missed a penalty. If that had gone in we would have easily got through the game. No blame to Glassy, he slipped taking the penalty, but we've got better players than most clubs in the division, with the greatest respect to them, we've got some right good talent at the club and we should maybe see out games better than we have done in the past."

The Firhill surface was criticised by Thistle Manager Ian McCall and the penalty taker had a Beckham-like examination of the penalty spot after sending the ball wide from the 70th minute penalty. Paul was equally concerned about the pitch which has deteriorated since rugby has been played on it:-

"It wasn't ideal and we had to change our game plan slightly. It wasn't pretty today, there were a lot of long balls from both sides. You have to adapt to the conditions. It let us down a bit at the penalty when he slipped at the vital moment, so the pitch wasn't great but I'm not making excuses. We've got a good squad of players and we should be seeing out games much better than we did."

A win over Partick Thistle at Firhill would have been the first league win there since 1988 but it was the failure to beat his old Dundee United boss that rankled equally badly with the Pars keeper:-

"I worked under Ian McCall, he binned me for a while but he's a good guy, a good manager and I would have liked to have got the three points and got one over on him today but it wasn't to be."

Paul Gallacher considers that his former United team mate, Jim McIntyre has made a good case for the Dunfermline Manager's job:-

"He's got his own ideas, he's bringing it into training. We look sharper, the boys are up for it, but that happens any time a new manager comes in. I'm maybe being slightly biased towards him because I've known him but he's come in and done a good job. It is showing on the park I think without actually getting the results we're aiming for."

Macca's style makes him look like a natural manager and that is something Paul Gallacher has recognised in him since they worked together at Tannadice:-

"I could see that he's got that sort of coaching mentality. He is one of the boys, he's still playing obviously, but he's got his own ideas and he's trying to put them across to us.

"It's going to take time obviously because it's been a pretty poor season for us. The players are the first to admit that things haven't gone to plan but he's putting his ideas across and we're taking them on board slowly. It's not going to come overnight, we'll need to work hard at it, but I'm sure we'll get up that league. You never know, never say never in this game."

From the players' point of view it is important to have the management position settled as soon as possible:-

"That would be fantastic to get some stability but at the moment we've got to get behind Macca and do our best for him.

If he gets the job fantastic but if it's somebody else we'll work under them and give them everything we've got."

Gallacher is unsure what his own personal future holds and whether or not he would be around to play under his old team mate should he be given the job. He maintains that he and his colleagues are happy to play at this level to get Dunfermline out of this position:-

"We're contracted to Dunfermline Football Club. We've got to give our all for the club. The players are doing that I believe, I just think we're so unlucky at the moment. We've lost by large margins in some games but we are committed and giving it our all. There's a great spirit in the camp.

We just need to bring that into the matches and with a bit of luck hopefully get results.

"I'm here until January 1^st. I've been negotiating for a few weeks now to try to extend the deal with managing departments at both clubs. People don't want to see me when they are losing their jobs. I'm getting first team football here and I'm happy here. The fans have been great with myself and I'm enjoying it. I think at Norwich it's not going to happen any more. There's been two new managers since Nigel Worthington so it's not quite happened there, so I'm happy here. The aim is to get promotion. I know there's a lot of points to make up but until it's mathematically impossible we'll give it our all."