Nick Phinn at East End

DAFC's youngest ever Premier League start brings no change of luck for Pars

Nick Phinn was delighted to be back to East End Park for the match against Peterhead.

"It was nice of Chris Wishart to phone and invite me for hospitality. I came back as a Dumbarton player and came through to watch the play off game against Stranraer."

Nick was brought to Dunfermline in 2004 by Billy Bennett who knew that Hearts Boys Club in Glasgow was being wound up. He made his SPL debut in 2006 while still only 17. After a very promising start his latter years at Dunfermline were plagued by injury.

After leaving Dunfermline Nick played briefly with Stranraer, Stenhousemuir and Dumbarton but also maintains an interest in Stranraer because his former Pars team mate Steven Bell is back playing there.

"I do not get to many games on a Saturday because I still play amateur football with Colville Park in Motherwell. There is no pressure to be fit so if I pick up a wee niggle I just rest. That's why I didn't try and continue in the senior game, if I wasn't going to be playing it wasn't fair taking a wage. I didn't want the pressure of forcing myself to declare myself fit.

"I am only 26 if I could get some sort of cure that could guarantee my fitness for a year I would love it and try and get myself back to the highest level that I could get to. I definitely do miss it.

It was April 2006 at Tynecastle when Nick was handed his first team debut by Jim Leishman then in his second spell as manager. He recalled:-

"I will always remember my debut, Greg Ross had been sent off as we drew 0-0 against Hearts. We had a lot of injuries at the time including Gary Mason and Darren Young so that's how I got into the team."

The following week Nick was selected to start at the Falkirk Stadium. Aged 17 years 5 months and 28 days became Dunfermline Athletic's youngest ever player to start an SPL match. Nick's place in the team really didn't become regular however until two seasons on. He continued:-

"When Stephen Kenny came, he went with experience rather than youth but when we got relegated it gave me a better chance to get a few games."

Having missed out on first team football for the entire 2006-2007 season Nick was to make 21 appearances in the First Division the following season, the majority after Jim McIntyre's appointment. He did however start that season on a high note as he started in Scott Thomson's Testimonial Match against Manchester United.

"They played Scholes, Giggs and Fletcher in the middle of the park and that will be something that will live with me for the rest of my life.

"Macca and Gerry McCabe got the job when Stephen Kenny left and I remember I had got myself really fit in pre season so that I could hit the ground running. I scored my first goal in December 2007 against Queen of the South. That was really the season before I got a run in the team, I had come on as a sub and that was typical of that season. The goal was at the Norrie McCathie end."

It was appropriate that Nick had chosen the Peterhead match to attend since up until this season he and Andy Kirk were the only Pars players ever to have scored against the former Highland League club.

"It was in the Scottish League Cup early on in the season. We won 2-0, apparently I supplied the ball for Kirkie and he the one for me. I do remember that, it wasn't a great goal, the keeper parried Kirkie's shot and I finished it."

Nick scored 23 goals from 138 appearances for Dunfermline and one of his most important was in the 2008-09 Scottish Cup Quarter Final against Aberdeen. His 82nd minute equaliser took the tie to a replay which the Pars won on penalties.

"It was a great game with a great atmosphere because it brought the two Jimmies back from Aberdeen. I think a lot of fans turned out because of that and to take it to a replay, go up there and eventually knock them out was great.

"Another good experience was the Scottish Cup Semi Final against Falkirk. It was fantastic to play at the National Stadium just a pity about the result. Neil McCann was one of my opponents that day as he came near to the end of his playing career."

There were to be 44 first team appearances in 2008-09 and a further 39 the following. Then in the championship winning season 2010-11, Nick's struggle with niggly calf injuries restricted him to just 22 appearances.

"That was a great dressing room to be in, eventually lifting the trophy. I was on the bench the day Martin Hardie scored the two goals against Raith Rovers but played at Morton and scored a double against Falkirk on the day that we were presented with the trophy."

Nicks last match for Dunfermline was on 26th November 2011 when he came on as a sub against Aberdeen. It was his one and only game of that injury plagued season.

"A recurring hamstring problem that they eventually decided came from my back kept me out. I went up to see a doctor in Dundee and he gave me an injection that worked. I was able to get back training."

He made a comeback the following November but managed just 16 more senior appearances at Stenhousemuir, Stranraer and Dumbarton. He finally left senior football in October 2013.

Nick is now employed by Glasgow Housing Association looking after the interests of tenants who are not as fortunate as others but says he will never forget what became a home from home for him.

"I moved through here when I was 15 and stayed with Mo Hutton. He and his wife Helen looked after me until I moved back home. Obviously I was here for years after and the best memories are winning the league, and playing against Celtic and Rangers. Coming from Glasgow that was a dream come true for myself. I have lots of really good memories and that's why I was delighted to come to the match against Peterhead."