Effort for Existence

04/04/13: JJ- "Now is the time when we need eight thousand for the next three home games ..

Dunfermline Athletic fans have proven in the past that when it comes to crunch end of season matches they are willing to turn up in great numbers. It doesn't just have to be cup finals either. Jim Jefferies has been reminding us that the visits of Dundee and Raith Rovers have actually generated the kind of crowds that he is hoping will show their support for the Club on Saturday when Hamilton Accies are the visitors.

"When you look back the records, there were over 11,000 here for a Rovers game just two seasons ago. They would have brought a few as well that day but there must have been six or seven maybe even eight thousand Pars fans there. Jim Leishman told me that they had three games remaining when Davie Hay left and there were more than eight thousand here for the game against Dundee. That was a fantastic response but now is the time when we need eight thousand for the next three home games.

"It takes a lot of money to get out of administration but also to sustain the Club going forward. These next three games are far far more important than any of those games that I have just highlighted. To be in a position to challenge at the top, you have to be in existence. Right now that is what we are playing for and so that Dunfermline can have big games like that in the future."

Jim Jefferies felt that the performance of his young players against Livingston gave everybody at the Club a lift. Now he anxiously awaits to see how many league points will be deducted by the SFL Board as a penalty for the Club going into administration.

"We just need to go into each game and try our best to pick up as many points as we can. It will not be easy because especially on Saturday, Hamilton will have a lot more experience than us. They have given us difficult games here even when we have had a strong squad but we have no fear, we will give our all like we did at the weekend. It paid off for us, especially in the last twenty minutes when Livingston got in front.

"You couldn't ask for them to react any more than the way they reacted. They thoroughly deserved to get the point. Once they got in front Livingston did not push us as much as they could have and we took full advantage of that."

Jim expects to be better placed for choice this Saturday. To allow recovery time the team were given Monday and Wednesday off but training was buzzing on Thursday. That is a concern too however because the gaffer cannot afford any more injuries to his threadbare squad. Striker Ryan Wallace could to be out for the remainder of the season with the ankle injury he sustained at Livingston. He is certain to be out for the next two to three weeks.

Andy Geggan and Callum Morris might require fitness tests on Saturday morning, Craig Dargo is a doubt with a cold and ankle injury. On the positive side John Potter is improving and could make the team.