Aidan ready for Stark reality of Fife Derby
Friday, 18th Jan 2019“They’ve got a good team now and we can’t go down there thinking that just because we’re in the league above we’re going to go and run all over them.
Dunfermline’s Aidan Connolly has experienced Dundee derbies and has even played in three rare Glasgow derbies between Queens Park and Rangers but he has never experienced the Fife derby before.
“I was at Raith before but I didn’t play in a Fife derby. I’ve played in the Falkirk one for Dunfermline and I didn’t realise what I was going into. I think the whole of Fife loves football so the crowd’s really good.
“There’s going to be a big crowd and a decent atmosphere. The boys will be fired up for it, there’s been a buzz about the place and hopefully if we can get a win we can kick on in the league.”
The home derby against Falkirk in November was Aidan’s 20th appearance for the Pars since signing in the summer but following that game he had a small operation in the hernia area. After two months out the 23 year old made his comeback in last Saturday’s game against Dundee United. He is now hoping his season is back on track.
“It’s going to be a big end to the season for me, but obviously it’s about the team first and I want to do well. On a personal level, you want to play in every game, you want to do well, but it’s about the team first.”
Aidan has got to know Stevie Crawford since he came in as John Potter’s replacement and feels that he has a good relationship with him.
“He’s got a good buzz about the place, and everything is for the team first. He’s still easy to approach and talk to, which is good.
“I wish Allan Johnston the best of luck. It’s never easy and it’s not nice, but that’s football, it happens. You’ve got to move on and Craw’s come in, and he knows a lot of the boys because he’s been here since the start of the season.
“He knows what to expect, it’s not like a new manager coming in and getting rid of everyone. I think a lot of the boys had a good relationship with Craw when he was in charge of the youth team and we know what he’s like, we know what to expect. He knows we’re good players, who are maybe under-performing just now. We’ve got a good squad, so we need to kick on from here.
Aidan made seventeen appearances for Raith Rovers while on loan there from Dundee United in the second half of the 2015-2016 season. He scored five goals and was only on the losing side twice and both times it was against Rangers. Optimistic about his return to Starks Park in a Dunfermline strip, Aidan added:-
“I think the reception I get will be good because I did okay there. It’s maybe not going to be like other places, where you get booed or whatever.
“I was there under Ray McKinnon and we did well, we got to the play-offs. We had a good squad and there were a few boys who are here now - James Craigen and Louis Longridge. We had a good team and I enjoyed my time there.
“They’ve got a good team now and we can’t go down there thinking that just because we’re in the league above we’re going to go and run all over them. It’s going to be a tough game. I know a few of their players because I was there and they’ve got a lot of good players, but hopefully we can do well.
“When I was there, Raith had high expectations and they’re a big club. They’ve gone down, it happens to teams but they’ll be expecting to win, especially at home. They’ll be wanting to win and that’s what they’ll be saying in the dressing room. We’ve got to go there and expect to win too!”
When the draw was made for the next round of the William Hill Scottish Cup the pairing of the two Fife rivals was one that was welcomed by both clubs and their fans. It will be the first Scottish Cup tie between the teams for over 33 years. Aidan admitted that as a player, these are the kind of derbies that you want to play in but more than that:-
“These are the ones you want to score in and get the limelight in, especially as a forward player. But the team comes first and the first 11 and the bench need to think of the team first before they think of themselves.”
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