Ryan's Rollercoaster Ride at Dunfermline

Fife Derby Crowds - "When there is a crowd like that it gives you an extra ten per cent that can make all the difference.

Ryan Thomson might only have turned 22 last Saturday but he is now the Pars longest serving player. Ryan joined the Club at Under 15 level and came through the DAFC Youth System to claim a regular place in the first team.

With a crunch match looming against Cowdenbeath on Saturday, Ryan expressed how things have changed during his days as a Pars player. Speaking exclusively to the website he said:-

"The last important derby was obviously to try and get promoted to the SPL. This is a totally different situation that we are in just now! I think I have been through everything with Dunfermline.

"It's a massive game. Cowdenbeath are going to come and try not to lose. They would then have the confidence to go on and preserve their First Division place. We had a good win last Saturday that gave the young boys a great confidence boost, hopefully we can get out of the position that we are in."

The Pars midfielder played in derbies against Raith Rovers and Cowdenbeath in season 2010-2011 as the team went on to lift the First Division title. A crowd of over 11,000 turned out in April of that season to witness the Martin Hardie clincher and Ryan would dearly love the same sort of bulging, vociferous Pars support to turn out on Saturday. The passion that can be transmitted from the stands is something that can have a major effect on the players he claimed.

"Everybody knows how hard times are these days. Everybody is tight for money and struggling but this is probably our biggest game of the season, or maybe even a few seasons. If Dunfermline are in the play offs then obviously they would have a second chance but if Dunfermline were to go down to the Second Division there would be massive problems at the Club. A club this size can't go down that far. They dropped out the SPL but the Second Division is too far."

Too far was also Thommo's view of his team mates desperate appeals for support at the Hamilton game :-

"We need as many fans as possible to turn out. I think Andy Geggan was getting a bit desperate to invite fans to bring their hamsters to the game but we was on the right track by saying that. We just like as many seats as possible to be filled."

A packed stadium gives you the buzz claimed Ryan:-

"When there is a crowd like that it gives you an extra ten per cent that can make all the difference. The last game against them was a crazy type of game to be honest. It finished 4-2 and they will be confident since they beat us but beating Morton away was one of the hardest results to get. They needed a win to stay in the title fight with Partick Thistle. We are at home so we need to be confident and we need to win the game. "

With the strike force being under strength in the absence of Ryan Wallace who is currently out with the ankle knock he sustained against Livingston, Thommo has been handed a role upfront and he admits to be enjoying the change:-

"I played there for the Under 19s I seem to remember but I was slight at that age and wasn't holding the ball up. I did not expect to end up playing upfront but I am enjoying it now especially if I can score goals to help the team."

Against Morton he felt he could have done better than just score the only goal of the game. Allan Smith had created a good second hand chance that had team mates crying out for a pass. Ryan expressed the feelings of his teammates at the time:-

"I had a go at him at the time but then the wee man did brilliantly for the first goal even though I felt he took longer and longer to give it to me. He eventually released it for me to get the goal."

Ryan feels that the 19 year old striker is ideal playing alongside him since he makes up for the pace that his game lacks. The youngster has lots of energy and puts in an incredible amount of effort that ends up with him struggling with cramp on occasions.

"It helps me a lot to have someone to chase defenders down in the way Andy Barrowman and Ryan Wallace did. I hope that we can form a partnership, the two of us have done well together so far so hopefully we can go out and cause problems for the Cowdenbeath defence on Saturday."

Not many people had expected Dunfermline to take a point never mind all three of them:-

"If we had gone home six points behind then Cowdenbeath would have taken confidence and we might have got a lot worse.

"If we can win against one of the better teams in the league, you can do it against the rest. The three games that are left are important if we want to avoid even more cuts that we already have seen."

Ryan who has now made 75 appearances for the Club, finds it hard to comprehend how this season has turned out to be such a roller coaster. It was only four months ago that the focus was all upwards and challenging to regain an SPL place.

"It has been a crazy last few seasons. One going to win the league, one being relegated and then going from promotion contenders to avoiding relegation again. You couldn't have actually made that up. We just need to get out of this position."