Managers Post Alloa

19/05/13: JJ - "The 15 point deduction which was a shocking decision and that

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Jim Jefferies felt the first leg result put Dunfermline in a difficult position:-

"We have come out today and gave a fantastic effort against a team who had time on their side and didn't have to go chasing it and tried to hit us on the break a couple of times. We got away with it but couldn't put them under pressure.

"We had one or two decent chances if we had just hit the target or got a wee ricochet, but credit to them for the way they defended. I think if we had got another goal quickly then it gives you plenty of time to have a right go at them. We went three at the back late on and four and three up front, but Hubby getting sent off was a blow.

"We kept plugging away and you couldn't fault the players for their attitude, it was just superb today. They tried hard to recover, just like they did last week. They succeeded then, but not this week."

John Potter pulled his calf and was replaced at half time. The Manager revealed his injury situation was worse that he would have liked to have revealed:-

"I had Andy Geggan and Alex Whittle playing, but if I had a bigger squad then they wouldn't have been playing today. Dargo is just recovering from injury and illness. There are boys out there who have had a lot of games for a young team, but mentally and physically it can take a lot out of them. The one thing is they will have learned a lot, have grown up very quickly and we will see what develops next year. At the end of the day lets just hope that we get the finances to keep the thing going and progress. That is the most important thing.

"I know we have an embargo and we can't complain about that because you can't go signing players that you are at risk of not paying wages of players already in there. I am not against that, and it is one of the things you just have to accept. What I wasn't happy with and I made my feelings known today, was the 15 point deduction which was a shocking decision and that has relegated us.

"The bottom line is - was it the players fault - no - but they are the ones who will suffer. Are you angry or disappointed at how the season has panned out? "I have always been angry with the decision and I also think we didn't do enough to contest it. It was easy to accept it but it's a good job I wasn't at the meeting because I would have made my feelings known. The supporters don't deserve it, the players don't deserve it, but for some people it is an easy out, isn't it. What does that do, what does that affect. All you are doing is affecting the players and the supporters, they didn't put the Club in the mess."

So what happens now?

"The most important thing I have always said for weeks, is not being in the First or Second Division, the most important thing is that this Club survives because I would hate to see it going into liquidation after the effort that has been put in, the type of Club it is with the tradition that it has got.

"The signs are good, but nobody has clinched anything yet and the test will be in the first couple of weeks in July when it has to come to a head and they have to get it sorted out. What I hear is that things are promising, but until things are signed, sealed and delivered that's the only time you can say that the Club is safe."

So what about Jim Jefferies, does he want to stay?

"I have said all along, it didn't matter what division we were in, if whoever takes over and the Club will be run the right way and we won't have any more of what I have had to go through this year with the players. If those assurances are going to be met then that's what I want to hear, because I don't want to go through the same thing again - having to pick them up, feel sorry for them, all the distractions it causes with people not getting into training.

"What these boys have come through its just magnificent and to perform like they have done - it can't have been easy for them even coming in to the Club."

Alloa Athletic manager, Paul Hartley spoke after the match:-

"You couldn't imagine that when you take a job on how its going to turn out but what a roller coaster we have been on for the last two years. Some of the guys have been with us two years and I've just said to them that you have to enjoy these moments because football has a strange way of working.

"You get a wee bit success, then you don't get success and you are a failure, so I think you have got to enjoy these moments. It wasn't just over the two games that we won this, it was over the season, consistency in our play. I thought we were brilliant today, I know they got a goal and we got spooked a wee bit, but Kevin could have scored three or four goals in the first half.

"They are a great bunch of boys, you see that with their work ethic and workrate, I'm delighted for them. When you get to be a manager, you are under pressure straight away to win games and it will be pressure again next year in the First Division. We need to consolidate and get some quality in.

"I think we will enjoy tonight and the next few days but then get back to work again. As a manager these were two high pressure games where you are under scrutiny but we have come through it with flying colours"

In response to be question re being applauded by Dunfermline fans:-

"It's not the players or manager here who has been put in this position it's the mismanagement from the people who have been in charge. It's the way Scottish football is - Hearts, Rangers and Dunfermline all struggling financially and we can't afford to have so called bigger clubs being in a financial mess and playing in the bottom tier of Scottish football."

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