Boot Boy Returns

"It's good to be back, I am delighted. It all happened in the space of a few hours - it was really quick. ... it didn't take me long to make up my mind that I wanted to leave Dundee and come here."

Pat Clarke hopes to have left the frustrations of regularly warming the substitute's bench at Dundee to return to the club where he played his youth football.

"It's good to be back, I am delighted. It all happened in the space of a few hours - it was really quick. Dundee had told me that there was interest from Dunfermline and asked if I would be interested in speaking to them. As soon as I heard that I was excited and it didn't take me long to make up my mind that I wanted to leave Dundee and come here."

Pat only joined Dundee for the 2009-10 season but managed only five starts for the Dees. He continued:-

"I was struggling for a regular game at Dundee because it was a large squad. Naturally I was frustrated at being on the bench. There is only so much you can take of that before it gets to you. You always want to play the game. I tried to be patient and wait for my chance that never quite materialised."

Pat left Dunfermline in 2004 and wants to fire in the goals in front of the West Fife crowd:-

"I was just a kid when I was here before - 17 or 18 but I loved my time here - all the groundstaff and cleaning people's boots. It was a great thing and great place to learn your trade.

Craig Brewster, Noel Hunt and Simon Donnelly were the strikers and the likes of Billy Mehmet was also contending for a first team place, so it was well nigh impossible to get into the first team.

"I felt that I had to go somewhere and play first team football. I went to Raith Rovers who were still in the First Division and played there. But when Mixu Paatelainen got the Cowdenbeath job he phoned me up and said that he had seen me play and that he was desperate to sign me from Raith Rovers. The appeal of Mixu Paatelainen persuaded me to go there."

Pat Clarke behind Scott Wilson at Broadwood

Cowdenbeath was where the real potential of Pat Clarke began to shine through in terms of goalscoring. In January 2008 he left part time football to go full time again at Clyde:-

"We were never the greatest of teams but I scored a few goals there that I believe earned my move to Dundee. Clyde was beneficial for me although for a lot of others boys it never worked out when the financial problems arose and boys got released."

Greg Shields and Calum Woods attempt to keep Pat Clarke out

Bravely some would say, at Clyde Pat played in front of Jorg Albertz and his team mates included current Pars Chris Higgins and Neil McGregor:-

"I had two good seasons there, scoring a few goals in the First Division. Clubs noticed and Dundee signed me after that.

"My main focus is to score goals and I cannot wait to get started. I never played a lot of football last season, in contrast to playing every week I missed a year. It is not easy. I just want to get back training every day, getting sharper and then into the games."

From the outside Pat noticed how Dunfermline caused Dundee problems last season in every match against them:-

"There were two games in particular Dunfermline really battered us but couldn't quite get the goals. We scored a penalty one games and a few lucky goals but there is width at Dunfermline with great wingers here. Delivery is what I thrive on as a striker.

"Obviously I want to be in the box as much as possible but you have to do other things at times outwith the box."