Kev's Title hopes

"I evaluated the squad from the outside and felt that Dunfermline had a real chance of going on to succeed this year. Hopefully I can play a part in that."

Dunfermline's new central defender is one of a rare breed who has both musical and sporting talents so title success has more than one meaning. Having played King Tuts a few times, Kevin Rutkiewicz will be releasing a single in March and will be the support act for Midge Ure in Kilmarnock but Jim McIntyre is hoping that his bigger performances will be on the football stage. Rutkiewicz has recovered from a hernia operation and when he was on a look out for a club where he could get back to match fitness, he says there was really only one club he wanted to join:-

"I was looking what clubs were available; obviously you cannot loan in the same division so I was looking at the First Division. There were a couple of clubs interested but I spoke to all parties concerned and felt that this was the best move for me. I evaluated the squad from the outside and felt that Dunfermline had a real chance of going on to succeed this year. Hopefully I can play a part in that."

Following winning promotion with the Saintees, Kevin managed only seven SPL appearances in season 2009-10:-

"After two years with literally no injuries I just picked up a few last season and this season."

Kevin pledges to work hard to get into the team and then even harder to stay there. It has been sometime since he played competitive football and he hasn't started a match since 6th November but he is now injury free and keen to get back in action:-

"It is just a matter of getting my head down, working hard and getting into the gaffer's plans. There are loads of boys here competing for positions but more competition can only be good for the squad. Hopefully my arrival will bring the best out of the boys who are already here; if I will push them all the way for a place in the team it can only be conducive to a good outcome for Dunfermline."

In his seventh season at St Johnstone, Kevin's contract there is up in the summer. Captain during their First Division championship season he views the move to Dunfermline as best for all parties:-

"I wasn't doing anything at St Johnstone so it was better for them to free that wage and give me an incentive to go, get a team and be part of a title challenge. That is what I am here for. There is no bigger prize than winning the title; ok there is a cup game on Sunday but the bigger prize for me comes in May. We must look at getting into the Premierleague again.

"You will get remembered for getting to Finals but you go down in history for winning titles. I will be part of St Johnstone's history for winning that title and getting back into the Premierleague and I'd love to be part of Dunfermline's history here when people can look up that team that won that league and got us back into the Premier. That for me is the big incentive; I am joining a team that is capable of going and having a right title charge. That was the big carrot for me."

Kevin made his professional debut in 1999, and amassed 53 appearances in total during his 6 year stay with Aberdeen so it is fateful that potentially he could make his Dunfermline debut against his first senior club. By coincidence his last appearance for St Johnstone on 20th November was at Pittodrie.

"I joined St Johnstone from Aberdeen and I thought we'd get promoted within a season or two but it took six. Then my first game at Dunfermline could be back up at Pittodrie. It's good. I remember playing Dunfermline a few times with Aberdeen, they were always good games. Craig Brown has made a difference up there; he has definitely tightened the ship and made a couple of good signings as well. They look as though they are going in the right direction."

Dunfermline will travel to Aberdeen as underdogs. The Pars players and fans will enjoy the experience; the team can go into the cup tie pressure free and Kevin feels that creates a great opportunity for the Dunfermline players to show what they can do. Kevin could find himself up against old team mates at Aberdeen - Zander Diamond, Derek Young and Andrew Considine.

The new man has been training with Dunfermline all week and he confirms what every newcomer says - "they are a good bunch of boys"

"They are not really strangers to me; I have played against a lot of them and played with a couple of them over the years. You find it easier as you get older to settle in as well."