Manager on Thursday

04/08/16: "We still want to be challenging in the top four. That is where we want to be, that is where we set the bar so hopefully we can get there."

Manager Allan Johnston is looking forward to Saturday when after a gap of three years Dunfermline return to play their first game in the second flight of Scottish football. He told the media today:-

"It will be a great occasion. After the success of last year we need to get that bit of momentum going again this year, the positivity about the club and carry on into this year as well."

The manager won the same title back in 2013 with Queen of the South but had left to take over at Kilmarnock before the league flag was unfurled at their opening league game of season 2013-14 against Dundee. This time he is only looking forward to the event if it precedes a win!

"It is great to celebrate what went on last year but it`s a new season, new challenges and one that we are all looking forward to.

"The support week in week out, almost 3000 season tickets and even after what wasn`t a great result against Inverness you could see the reaction of the fans getting behind the team. We are going to need them this year. We are not going to win every game so it is important that you get the fans on your side and backing the players."

The manager stressed that no matter which division you are playing in it is impossible to win every game. He maintains that you need to expect defeats and have to learn from them.

"We still want to be challenging in the top four. That is where we want to be, that is where we set the bar so hopefully we can get there."

The manager is still on the look out for a striker but with Faissal El Bakhtaoui signing for Dundee this week that has ended hopes of a return by the French Moroccan who scored 30 goals in 41 appearances last season. The manager continued:-

"We are disappointed to lose out on that one. The club tried their very best to get him back on board so it is disappointing to lose him because he was a massive player for us last year. We wish him well because he gave everything for the club last year but we move on. Hopefully we can bring in another striker capable of scoring a few goals for us this year.

"We felt right up to the last minute that we had a great chance of getting him but Dundee came in and pipped us at the post. The club made the best offer they possibly could and if Dundee had never come in, then I think Faiss would have come back.

"We move on and we have a good squad in place, maybe just short of one striker. Then we would have competition in all areas."

Asked to comment on how he thinks Faiss might do in the Premiership with Dundee, AJ said:-

"He is a really talented player, he has a lot of ambition and he is still at a great age. That is why we tried so hard to try and keep him."

As far as signings ago the Pars gaffer feels that it is all about getting the right calibre of player:-

"So far we have managed to do that with the players we have brought in. You are wanting quality so we are still on the search."

After using all his substitutes at Tannadice on Sunday due to injuries, Allan Johnston commented about the number of injuries incurred already this season.

"There are more contact injuries than anything else. Ryan Williamson should be back after his sickness. Nat (Wedderburn) came off with an ankle injury but he will be okay, Rhys (McCabe) came off with a shoulder injury but he should be okay. Gavin Reilly should be back and Andy Geggan will be back from suspension. Michael Paton played 60 minutes for the 20s (v Falkirk on Monday) so he should be back. Callum Fordyce played another full game in that 20s game so he is coming back. David Hopkirk is still out.

"You can see the amount of players that we have missing, it is frightening when you look through the whole squad. You can see how strong a squad we are going to have when everybody is back."

A few ex Pars players will be in the opposing team on Saturday when Stevie Aitken`s Dumbarton are the visitors - Gregor Buchanan, Andy Stirling and Robert Thomson. Josh Todd signed for Dumbarton after a pre season trial with the Pars.

"It is always the same, as a player coming back to the club you were at before you are always going to give that wee bit more. That usually happens but it is up to us on the day how we perform.

"Dumbarton are a hard team to play against, they make it really difficult with the experience that they have got. They don`t lose a lot of goals, they have a lot of height and guys like Gregor is really dangerous at setpieces. We are going to have to defend but we need to be attacking, on the front foot that is when we are at our best."

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