Kerr out to make a Mark

New Signing - "I know the boys think a lot of Jim McIntyre, he makes training exciting and fun but he has a strict side as well.

Mark Kerr gave his first interview as a Pars player to the website. First question had to be to enquire how the move to Dunfermline came about?

"Basically I came back about 10 days ago and I had spoken to the gaffer and a few other people as I was thinking of coming back home. He asked me to come in and train and see what he thought and obviously because I had been away he needed to see what condition I was in.

"After a day, the Club committed and offered me a contract. Obviously I had a couple of other things down in England but that didn't really suit me to go there until the end of the season. To me this was more appealing coming to Dunfermline.

" I also trained with Kilmarnock and they were interested and tried to offer me a contract but they had more difficulty with the Chairman and their priority was a striker. They wanted me to wait but I had the offer from here and didn't really need to wait for anybody else.

"There are good facilities and good boys here and I didn't really need to wait any longer so I made the decision yesterday. I phoned the gaffer up and asked if he still wanted me and he told me to come along today and sign. It's now just the Greek side of things that need to be sorted but hopefully I might be able to play tomorrow."

Mark played over 300 games in Scotland but did not play as much after he arrived in Greece. He regarded the move to be an opportunity:-

" It was a good league, money, good lifestyle, better weather, so just the total package and lifestyle. That was the reason I went there. I thought the football was really good and it was. I started great and was playing and then a new manager came in and then in another month there was another new manager, so there was about five managers in a year and a half. The Manager who watched me and wanted me to move to Greece was only in charge for 14 games before he was out the door.

" I played 18 games and last year I only played 12 but I injured my calf and was out for about ten games. That was my first ever injury in my career. I had a lot of reasons to go, I really enjoyed it there and don't regret it. I think I have come back a better player. If I came back out of condition then why would I have wasted that time in my career.  I would have kicked myself had that happened but it didn''t.  I feel that I can do a job at Dunfermline.

"In Greece, if the organisation was better and there was a bit more stability at the clubs it would be perfect. I was one of the lucky ones in that I didn't have any problem."

Jim McIntyre has described Mark as a versatile midfielder who can play in a holding role or in an attacking role. The 29 year old related how his career had created many opportunities:-

"It is just something that has come about over the years. At Aberdeen I was mainly sitting because I played with players who just didn't want to do that job. I am a team player so if someone is going to sit there for me I will go and join in. I will put myself in the firing line for my team which was different from how they play in Greece. They are a bit more selfish but I am back in Scotland and I will play my part in the team to fight off relegation."

Mark scored many goals for Falkirk from midfield but his game changed away from such an out and out attacker. He professed to be comfortable playing any role in the centre of the park.

"When I played at Dundee United I played on the right side but then I moved inside." He claimed to be happy in the middle of the park and of course he played alongside Jim McIntyre at Dundee United and he is very pleased that he is his new gaffer:-

"I know the boys think a lot of Jim McIntyre, he makes training exciting and fun but he has a strict side as well.  Apart from that sometimes it is better to know who you are working under and if he shows belief in you, you go and show that extra confidence on the park.  I hope that I can come in, hit the ground running and make the fans like me. It might take me two or three games to get back into my full flow again."

Mark has played with Paul Gallacher at Dundee United while Mark had Ian McCall (and at Falkirk), Gordon Chisholm, Craig Brewster and Craig Levein as his boss. He knows John Potter and is friends with Martin Hardie.

"When you know one or two it is easier to fit in. It has been easy here because it is a good dressing room and a good club."

"I have been watching Dunfermline from the start of the season and wanted them to do well. They started really well and I know what it is like. When I was at Dundee United we spent money trying to get ourselves out of it and eventually succeeded by the end of the season. I have played in teams where there have been good players who get into a rut. We need to do something about it but if we get out of this position that we are in, it won't be up to me - I won't come in and be a hero, that is not going to happen - it will be down to the boys in the team to turn it around and they are up for it."