Sleeves rolled up demands Jefferies

09/08/12: Very appreciative of the fans commitment, JJ asks them to back the team at Central Park

Jim Jefferies is looking forward to the new league season that kicks off on Saturday at Cowdenbeath. Although a large turn out of home fans will be expected to witness the Second Division championship flag being unfurled, the Pars boss is hoping that the Dunfermline Athletic fans will travel in their numbers to support his new look team. Acknowledging that a good start is essential, he is looking for a confidence boosting win for his young team.

"The supporters have been fantastic; there are 1600 season ticket holders and they have been buying up tickets for the Cowdenbeath game. I am very appreciative of that. They have bought into the way that the Club has decided to go; they are looking forward to it and happy to come along and see a younger element going in there and giving everything.

"We had to work in the pre season friendlies, each game we have gone on to play harder and I think, whether or not the Forfar game too early, I still feel that we did enough to win that game. It is our own fault that we lost bad goals but we had chances to win it.

"We have improved. We played Bristol City who are a really good team but we gave them a real test particularly in the second half. That was encouraging for a young team that had just been put together. They are trying to develop and I think they should show signs of gelling together in every game that they go into now. I am happy with the balance of the side."

Jim wants to be up there challenging for promotion and playing sweet attractive football that fans will enjoy and want to come out to see. The importance of patience while the new team gel together is stressed and possibly a further season while his young players mature.

"We want to build the foundation for the future but we feel that we have a good mixture of experience and youth. Stephen Jordan is not too old at 30 and wee Craig Dargo showed on Tuesday night that he has something to offer in this division. Training has been terrific, the tempo has been good and they know what we are after."

Added bite in the opening game is not just the fact that it is a local derby but also that it pitches Jim Jefferies against former Hearts players Colin Cameron and Lee Makel. The Pars boss travelled to Montrose last Saturday after the closed doors game against Peterhead and saw the Third Division side win through to the Second Round of the Scottish Communities League Cup.

"Colin Cameron has the same appetite and desire as a manager as he had as a player. He is involved in everything and that kind of attitude and commitment rubs off on players. They will be very difficult opponents. Lee Makel was the quieter one of the two but he will be in the background; he is a deep thinker about the game, knows what is expected or required. He was on the bench because of their injury list. They are good lads and they did a great job for me when I was their manager. They will be trying to put something over on me but they will know that it will not be that easy."

Jim Jefferies is asking his team to roll up the sleeves, fight their corner and win their battles. "The football will look after itself if you are the better team."

The gaffer claims that he still has room to bring in a defender and has not ruled out pre season trialist Ian Murray:-

"Ian is certainly in contention; he is terrific to work with, good about the Club and gets on with his job. He helps younger players and when you bring in experienced players they have got to be the right type. He ticks all the boxes in these terms so it is just a case of seeing if he is the best option for us. Another couple of trialists (one foreign and one British) will come in next week for us to take a look at before I make a decision that I will have to do in the next ten days or so."

Ian Murray

Having gone through pre season virtually injury free the injury list ahead of the trip to Cowdenbeath now includes striker Ryan Wallace, Joe Cardle (thigh strain) and Alex Whittle (groin). Jordan McMillan has not trained since Tuesday and tried to join in on Thursday but had to give up.

"There are two or three problems at the moment and Andy Kirk has just returned to training this week. Friday will be a real fitness test and we are hopeful that some of them will be okay. The most doubtful are Ryan Wallace and Joe Cardle."