Rollercoaster event absentee

"I thought that I had missed the boat on professional football but to end up getting seven years at Dunfermline was absolutely out of this world.

Grant Jenkins (left) with former Par Kenny Thomson who will be inducted into the Pars Hall of Fame on Saturday 7th November

Grant Jenkins is deeply disappointed not to be able to attend the Pars Supporters Trust's Rollercoaster 80s night at the Alhambra next Friday night. Grant will be in Villamoura on the Algarve on a golfing holiday but he has recorded his thoughts to be shown on video on the night.

Grant joined Dunfermline from junior side Jeanfield Swifts in February 1981 and by the time he left he had played in every professional football ground in Scotland.

"I had a great time at Dunfermline. My start at Dunfermline wasn't that good, we got relegated but when big Leish took over it was all upwards from there, it was tremendous.

"It was good playing up front with big John Watson -he was a good lad, not that I would say that to his face and big Norrie was a leader - he was great you could play him anywhere."

John Watson, Bobby Robertson, Grant Jenkins and Norrie McCathie

Grant made 37 appearances in season 1985-86 when Dunfermline won the Second Division and the following season when the team won promotion to the Premier League he made 30 appearances, being virtually ever present after missing a spell at the beginning of the season when he had considered leaving.

"I thought that I had missed the boat on professional football but to end up getting seven years at Dunfermline was absolutely out of this world. The first couple of years weren't too good but after that it was just superb."

It came as a bit of surprise when he was signed by Dunfermline:-

"My brother played with St Johnstone but the manager there at the time - Alex Rennie - never watched Jeanfield and I just jumped at the chance when Pat Stanton wanted to sign me. It was the best thing that I have ever done."

On Halloween 1983 Jim Leishman became the manager of Dunfermline Athletic and Grant looked back on the years under Leish:-

"There is nothing players know that the public doesn't know, what you see with Jim Leishman is what he is like. All the poems and silly jokes, it was tremendous it really worked for him. He was a great character."

Grant will miss the Rollercoaster Night but other former managers and players will be in attendance. Harry Melrose, Kenny Thomson, Bobby Robertson, Ian Campbell, Jim Bowie, Hugh Whyte, Ross Jack, Stevie Morrison, Ian Westwater and John Watson are just some of the cast who will grace the Alhambra stage on Friday 6th November.

Tickets, priced £10, are still available for the Rollercoaster 80s night from the Club Shop, Pars Supporters Trust, Alhambra and Ticketmaster.