Jim McIntyre Post Airdrie

01/05/10:- "I think it is important that the fans know that next season is going to be harder because we are going to be running with a lesser squad.

Jim McIntyre spoke at Airdrie on Saturday after the first 1-0 win of the season

"We dominated the first half and had a couple of really good opportunities and we are always wondering if that is going to come back to haunt you. We knew Airdrie would come out after the break and have a right go at us, which they did and all credit to them. They put us under a lot of pressure but our defence held firm and I was very pleased to keep a clean sheet."

Chris Smith's first shut out in eight matches for Dunfermline pleased the gaffer:-

"We were talking about that before the game and I asked 'any chance of a clean sheet'? He said 'well I will do my best'. The defence did well but the midfield did as well getting back to defend when Airdrie had us penned in a wee bit.

"Second half we were really dangerous on the counterattack but the final pass let us down all too often; you are always worried about that."

Airdrie were fighting for their First Division life but the Pars too had plenty to play for:-

"We also had something to play for because we had the chance to finish third. We managed to do that so we are delighted with that and that gets you into the later round of the Scottish Cup. We finished third last year and we didn't want to finish below that. We have also finished with a better points tally; there has been improvement there from our point of view. It is not as much as we'd like and looking back on the season there are a lot of games where we should have put it to bed."

Dunfermline finished seven points better off than last year but the target of doing even better next season is already underway:-

"We let five players go on Thursday and it is cost cutting measures. Every club in Scotland is going through that just now and we are no different. We are going with a smaller squad next season so it is going to be even harder next year. It is going to be harder for everyone but in terms of what we want to improve upon I will keep that to myself.

"I think it is important that the fans know that next season is going to be harder because we are going to be running with a lesser squad. Most clubs will be going with lesser squads but Dundee will spend again because they have a new manager. There will be the team relegated but that is not to say that we cannot get there. We will be striving to make this team better, another year under their belts together and we will try to add one or two players to complement the quality that we already have.

"I have been looking for a long time, obviously the budgets that have been put in place only allow you to do so much. There will not be vast changes, five have left and two or three players maximum will come in."

There is not much room for sentiment in football but was there any part of Jim McIntyre that is glad that Dunfermline didn't send his old team down?

"Definitely, I want Airdrie to stay up and I will make no bones about that. I had a really good time here as a player and have the utmost respect for Blackie and Boyle - they are good football people. You will find no harder working manager than that guy, he is at every game you go to."

Jim McIntyre will take a few weeks off to recharge the batteries but it is unlikely that he will be far away from his telephone even during that period.