Jim Jefferies on Friday

22/03/13: JJ - " I wouldn't walk away from them until the time is r

Jim Jefferies admits he has heard little by way of progress from the Steering Group and feels that time is fast running out if Dunfermline Athletic is to be saved:-

"There is nothing on the horizon to resolve it just yet but there's always hope. We just have to say that the position has not changed, they have put in two determined performances and we are trying to tell the boys 'you have got to do that'. They have gained a lot of favour because of your attitude."

Having heard from Jim Leishman, Bob Garmory and Jim Thomson on Friday, the Manager said that his players were taking advice from the players union:-

"They have to notify the League by 31st March.  If this club was to go to the wall they couldn't play for anybody else. They would have to wait until next season. Because they have not been paid some of them are good enough to have the opportunity of being picked up by other clubs. They would get a chance to get paid and earn themselves a contract through the summer.

"You can understand the players are anxious about what is going to happen. It is not a good preparation to go into a game. You try and put it aside and deal with it on Monday. Their attitude is first class but they were trying to find out this morning just how serious it is because, in their words, they have got to look after themselves.

"They have struggled for months to get their salaries. There is no sign of the remainder of their wages being paid for last month, they are still outstanding some money and then you have this month's around the corner. Their concern is that they cannot sign for anybody after 31st March so how could they earn money for the rest of the season and the months through the summer."

The gaffer has advised his players to keep taking the right advice and keep in touch with their union:-

"I have had to twist the whole thing around as an incentive. If that happens, you need to keep playing well because somebody might say listen 'I was at the game the other day and certain Dunfermline players could do a job for us'. It is in their interests to go out and play well, hopefully that will be the case but it should not be for these reasons alone, it should be to get this club going forward. Right now that seems to be on hold."

Jim Jefferies has impressed upon his players that should they play they have to go out to win. The Manager admits to enjoying being the Dunfermline boss despite all the financial concerns.

"The reason I am staying here is because I brought a lot of these players to the Club. It is easy for me to walk away, I don't need it and I am not doing it to be a hero. I am just doing it because I feel that there was something started here that people work hard to start. What I want to do is kick start it again and see if we can keep improving and go up with a team that will eventually stay there. That was the plan.

"I said that at the end of the year we would sit down and see where we were and how it was going before I made any decision. I certainly wasn't going to walk away from it and leave them thinking that I could afford to do that and they cannot. They probably need experience to guide them through and be positive. I wouldn't walk away from them until the time is right to do that."

Turning to the game against Dumbarton on Saturday that seemed to be an aside in the picture of thingsr, the Manager reported that he had Josh Falkingham and Andy Barrowman back in training but Callum Morris was a doubt.