Pain is Bayne's gain

Graham Bayne returned to make his 60th appearance for Dunfermline in the important win over Falkirk on Saturday.

After sixteen months fighting his way back from with plantar fasciitis in his foot, the sensation of ice on his shin after a match was unbelievably welcome to Graham Bayne. His last outing for Dunfermline had been in December 2009 at Ayr but very early into his return to Dunfermline, Graham got a knock that floored him, he thankfully he was able to continue.

Graham explained the events that led to him making his 60th appearance for Dunfermline on Saturday at Falkirk. This was all the more bewildering since the former Pars striker had turned out for Dundee against Partick Thistle the previous weekend as a trialist and then for the Dees against Cowdenbeath on Tuesday:-

"It happened really quickly and Barry Smith (Dundee) wasn't intending using me this weekend anyway. He was using Neil McCann as a trialist on Saturday but even ever since I went in he panned out the three games for me. He was going to save me until next week against Falkirk but then the gaffer (Jim McIntyre) phoned me from Dunfermline on Thursday night just asking what my situation was. I spoke to Barry Smith and he said 'look to be perfectly honest with you, I'd love to keep you but we can't sign players. You have a better chance to go back to Dunfermline and prove you are still fit to them and they can still sign you'.

"Dunfermline have been really good to me so I am delighted to come back and help out after I got the call. It is again a three game trial. Last week was my first 30 minutes after 16 months and I had 90 minutes on Tuesday and another ten of fifteen on Saturday. It is just going to take time but I am delighted just to be back anywhere to be honest.

"I have only one trial game left with Dundee but I believe in theory I could go back there for that. It sounds a bit nuts but I won't be doing that because Dunfermline play against Dundee in a couple of weeks. Because I am a free agent I think I have up until 31st March since that's when the transfer deadline is.

"I would like to come back to Dunfermline since they have been great to me. It is no small thing to say, my career could have been over if they had never looked after me and given me the facilities and use of medical staff to get me back fit again. I owe them a lot and while I am here I will be giving my all to try and prove to them or anyone else that I can still do it."

Graham was overcome with the reception he received from the Pars fans when he came on as a 76th minute substitute for Alex Burke.

"I don't remember being that good! No, ever since I first signed - I don't know if its because I'm a Fife boy as well and there is a stronger connection there - they have been really really good. You can't replicate that winning feeling and the feeling that the fans give you. They recognise how unlucky I have been with my injury and that reception gives you a massive lift."

Looking ahead Graham doesn't really know how is career will go:-

"It just happened on Thursday night and the Manager just said come and get games under your belt and then you never know what can come of that. I need to prove that this injury is totally gone and that I am clear of it. I understand every team's caution about it."

Graham was incredulous when he was told that Jim McIntyre had contemplated putting him in goals when keeper Chris Smith lay injured ten minutes from time. The keeper recovered and maybe just as well since Baynee revealed that he had never ever played in goals:-

"It's maybe because I'm better at keeping it out the goal than I am at putting it in the goal" he joked.

The striker was delighted to get involved in Dunfermline's promotion push:-

"It was a massive result for the club, it's huge. Raith Rovers got beat so it's back in their hands again. I have said all along while I have doing the Press Association work at the majority of Dunfermline's home games and from other games that I'd seen that Dunfermline have by far got the best quality in their squad. It is just a case of trying not to concede goals because they are always going to score. They are not going to be far away so let's home that I can help them."