Manager John Potter
Tuesday, 16th Dec 201416/12/14: John Potter spoke to this website about his appointment as manager of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club:-
"Jim Jefferies told us his thoughts, what he was thinking. The plan had been that this would happen at the end of the season. We had talked about it for some time, the Board were happy and wanted it to happen as well. It was going to happen at the end of last season but he decided to stay another year or up to Christmas at least.
"That is what has happened. He has decided to move on; he thinks that is the best thing at the moment and the Board agree. I am just delighted that they have given me the opportunity to take over. I am confident, I am looking forward to it. I am just keen to get started now. We trained this morning after the manager said his goodbyes to the staff and the players. We will get started tomorrow morning to get our ideas into action.
"Initially it will be different for me but it is not as if I have been played every week. I have been on the coaching side for a few years now and obviously had to dip in and out playing one or two games. It is different in charge of a first team instead of Under 20s, there will be more pressure I know that but I am looking forward to it. Hopefully we can make a success of it."
John has gone from player to manager and his allegiances go back even further:-
"I am from Dunfermline, I supported them, played here, left then came back. A lot of my family and friends are Dunfermline fans and for that I am really proud of the achievement. It is a big thing and I have worked hard in the last wee while to try and get here. I think I deserve a shot at it and I am pleased to have the opportunity. It is up to me to take it and hopefully do quite well."
Saturday brings Stranraer back to East End Park just ten days since Steven Aitken's soide dumped the Pars out of the William Hill Scottish Cup and the new manager knows just how important that game is with fourth placed Pars taking on the second placed side:-
"It is massive and we got straight into it. I prefer it that way, a really important game. We still have a few injuries and we will find out in a couple of days just what the squad is. It will be up to me and Neil (McCann) to pick a team and try and get a result. I am sure that the fans will be behind us even though the last couple of weeks have been disappointing.
"We know that in general the first four or five months of the season have been inconsistent and disappointing but I still believe that the players that we have got are good enough. It is just up to me to get more out of them and get them back on winning ways."
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