Macca on Friday

25/08/08: "We will be going with our first team squ

Jim McIntyre confirmed at lunchtime that he has both Scott McBride and Iain Williamson available for the Challenge Cup game against Stirling Albion. With potentially nine fixtures between now and the end of August it might be just as well that he has players returning. Graeme Holmes was running under the physio's supervision today and is expected to back in full training next Thursday.

The Manager knows that he requires games to keep his squad match fit but accepts that as many as nine games could be as bad as it is good. It is unlikely that he will start tomorrow with anything other than his first choices:-

"It is a double edged sword but at the end of the day Stirling is our first competitive game and it is a game that we want to win. We do not have the luxury when you talk about young boys.  you could probably only put out three, four at the most. No, we will be going with our first team squad for tomorrow."

The performance of the under 19s like Paul Willis, Scott McBride, Harry McGregor, Ryan Thomson and Jordan White who have played in the first team friendlies has not been missed by the Manager:-

"They have done excellently. I am very pleased with them and they have shown a great appetite. That's been great, they are good to work with and eager to learn. Obviously we know that they are not ready but you can only go with what you have got."

Jim hopes to have at least one, if not two, more players in by the start of the league campaign but was not expecting any of the money coming back to Dunfermline as part of the transfer deal involving former fans favourite Noel Hunt's transfer from Dundee United to Reading:-

"I think that will go to the club. There is no news on Bamba as yet. The clubs are discussing a fee and if a fee can be agreed then he will go."

Macca said that he could not expect the fee in his budget but obviously Sol's wages would help him bring in players "but not the fee".

Sol could be Watford bound