Manager marks report card

30/10/12: JJ - "We need to keep in touch, keep winning games and try to win or get something out of the tough matches

Jim Jefferies says that he is very pleased by the level of performance that his team has achieved and the workrate put in:-

"When they cross the white line and go on to the pitch, they have to do it. They have to have a togetherness, a will to win, the mobility, the blend of experience and youth with everybody pulling together when things go against you. We have found that in the last few weeks and come through it.

"I am not saying that I didn't think that they were capable, because that's where my judgement comes in - I picked these players hoping that they would get to a level - but credit to them for doing it earlier than we thought. I have always said that the remit this season was to be up there challenging. If we miss out then we will not have a lot of work to do the following year because we will get better.

"As long as we are playing a brand of football that the fans come along and enjoy. They are not coming along to see Dunfermline win the league although I'd love to see Dunfermline win the league, we all want to see Dunfermline win the league. But the main purpose is to have them come along and enjoy what they are watching. All the feedback that I get is, hearing from people who have not been for years, saying to their mates they are buying a season ticket because they had seen articles and comments.

"There are more doing that and the atmosphere that they can create in coming to the game to enjoy the game is a big thing for us. That means that there is less pressure on us to win anything. Don't get me wrong, we want to win it, the fans want to win it but if we don't they can go away and say 'well they just lost out but I enjoyed watching that season - they are a good team to watch and playing the right way'.

"That's what we are trying to do and I believe, having played the first quarter, that we are good enough to win the league. I would never go out and say that we are going to win the league, that depends on a lot of things - suspensions and injuries can happen, how the other teams adapt, who improves, so we will have to wait and see how it goes.

"The nitty gritty is just after the turn of the year when you get to the heavy grounds; who handles it best, who has tiredness or has a fresh squad of players. Right now, to date we are delighted with our players. We need to keep in touch, keep winning games and try to win or get something out of the tough matches but there will be three or four others thinking that."