Craig Easton puts pen to paper

"I am looking forward to getting involved at Dunfermline. I still have the same engine that I had and in fact at this moment in time, I feel as fit as I have ever been ..

Having done a full pre season training programme at Southend United, Craig Easton is hoping to be fit to challenge for a starting place in the Dunfermline team soon. Craig was offered a new contract at Southend United but failed to agree terms. Nevertheless he says that he is fit and ready and he explained to the website how his move back to Scotland came about:-

"Jim McIntyre heard that I was available and asked me to come up and train for a few days. I really loved the training and it was really good that Jim asked me to sign here. It was really good to have done the pre season training because when I came to Dunfermline it was really good tempo and I enjoyed the way they trained.

The 32 year old was a team mate of Paul Gallacher at Tannadice and knows Jim McIntyre from playing together there as well:-

"I know the way he is; very professional and his training would be the same. I knew that I needed to be ready to come in and join in with the boys because they have made a really good start this season.

Craig has spent six years in English football but knows some of his new team mates from playing against them in the SPL while at Dundee United and Livingston. Austin McCann played with Craig's brother, Stuart, at Airdrie and has been an opponent as well.

"I am looking forward to getting involved at Dunfermline. I still have the same engine that I had and in fact at this moment in time, I feel as fit as I have ever been in my career. When the gaffer was at Dundee United he was fit as well. Now older in my career I still feel as fit as I did when I was 22."

The transformation of Jim McIntyre from player to manager is not one that surprises Craig and he is looking forward to working with him:-

"I was still quite young when he was at Dundee United and he was always trying to help the younger ones. You don't take it in so much when you are younger but you always try to learn from the older pros who have done well in the game and obviously still playing at a good age. Jim was one of them and he looked as though he was definitely going to be a coach. He looked as if he had it in him to be a manager so I am not really surprised that he has become one."

Saturday's defeat to Motherwell was Craig's first sight of Scottish football for a number of years so he will find it fresh again to comeback north. The English experience was one that Craig thoroughly enjoyed.

"I was at Leyton Orient for two years, Swindon Town for three and then Southend United for one. I loved it to be honest; it was something different again. We won promotion and had a good cup run in my first season at Leyton Orient. Everywhere I have gone, I have really enjoyed it. Swindon was good and Southend was a challenge but good because even though the club wasn't doing well at the time, we did well as a squad to come together and finish mid table.

"It was just unfortunate in a way that I couldn't carry on with them but things happen for a reason sometimes and it has worked out with the gaffer coming in and given me an opportunity here."

The highlight of Craig's career in England was scoring in Orient's FA Cup knock out of Fulham at Craven Cottage.

That was on 8th January 2006 when he faced a Fulham side that included international stars like Luis Boa Morte and Tomasz Radzinski and left with a 2-1 win. He added, "I have loads of happy memories from down there but I am really looking forward to coming back to Scotland at Dunfermline."

So far the biggest impression at his new club has been the training:-

"The boys are really enthusiastic to train, they train at a high tempo and the training is very organised. A lot of people maybe think the game is slower down in the lower leagues in England but the tempo is very similar to the tempo in the Premier League. You play Saturday, Tuesday a lot of times so sometimes you cannot do as many intense training sessions but I felt that training with the lads here was definitely a higher tempo than you get down there."

Craig's deal will see him at Dunfermline initially until January. Both parties will have a chance to assess the situation again then but Craig knows that it is very much up to him to show what he can do. "It is a new challenge that I am looking forward to."