Andy Kirk's First Interview

"We loved it so much the last time that I always said to my wife that if we settle anywhere it could be in Scotland.

Andy Kirk drove up from Yeovil on Thursday to join Dunfermline on Friday. He explained that the decision to choose Dunfermline in preference to SPL and other English options was based on his family:-

"I lived in Scotland before when I was at Hearts and my wife loved it at the time. I had got to the stage where I was fed up moving my wife and two kids about. My kids are starting school soon and being from Belfast, Scotland is a home from home for us.

"We loved it so much the last time that I always said to my wife that if we settle anywhere it could be in Scotland. Sammy McIlroy put an offer in pre season to go to Morecambe that I turned down. I had offers from Luton, Inverness and a few other teams down south as well. I just never felt that it was right for me to go.

"When I got the call from Jim (McIntyre) something felt good about it. At the end of the day, once we had sorted out the contract side the decision to move to Scotland was easy really.

"I have played against Jim when I was about in Scotland before, he is young manager and when he spoke to me he said that he was enthusiastic and worked hard. It proved to me that he wanted me to come up. Location obviously had a big part to say.

"I know Dunfermline are a big club; they might not be in the SPL at the minute but they have ambition and that's something that I want to be a part of. The whole thing came together with it being Jim and Dunfermline's location. It all fitted and was the right thing for me to do."

The move re-unites Andy with Austin McCann who were together at Hearts and Boston United:-

"I have followed Ozzie about a few times. I had a chat with him; I had pretty much my mind made up then but we had a chat. He said 'the boys are great, the training was brilliant and the facilities were good' and that he loved it.

"I could have stayed down south but I wasn't prepared to move about every year or two years. It was a family decision."

Andy is 29 year old and feels fit and able to score goals:-

"My aim with Dunfermline is to get myself playing at the top of my game which can only benefit Dunfermline. I want to score as many goals as I can and hopefully achieve what everybody wants to achieve which is obviously promotion.

"The Manager will decide if I am playing tomorrow. If I don't start tomorrow I will get my opportunity soon I'm sure. I have just arrived and finished my first training session, there are boys who have been here all pre season and played all the games. If he plays me I will give it everything I have got, it is his decision.

"I have played against a lot of the guys before when I was in Scotland before. First impressions are that the squad are very together, they look very very sharp in training and all the boys look happy. They look excited, hungry and eager to get things started."

Asked what kind of striker he was, Andy said:-

"I am a goalscorer to be fair, I am not one of these target men who barges defenders about all over the place. I try and get in behind them. Give me the chances, I will score goals.

"The gaffer was telling me Graham Bayne is a big target man so hopefully we can hit it off very quick. Sometimes it takes a few games just to know how each other plays, other times it takes just a matter of minutes. We'd like to hit it off early doors."