Dunfermline Athletic

First day at school Mark claims that he will soon speak Lithuanian

Thursday, 30th Sep 2021

“I want to come out and play football and thankfully Dunfermline have given me that opportunity, so I owe them one.“

Mark Connolly was parachuted in for Wednesday night’s Fife derby and required a fast learning experience to get to know his teammates and the way Peter Grant wanted him to play. The 29 year old who was signed on loan from Dundee United on the morning of the match felt happy to take a point:-

“We could not get to grips with their shape in the first half and got outnumbered in wide areas. It was difficult for the full backs but we played a bit more in the second half and O’Hara and Wighton made a big difference when they came on.

“You want to win games and my plan when I came in was, ‘lets win because we haven’t won one but we’ll take the point and take the positives and I’m sure when that win comes I am sure our fortunes will change.”

If Mark’s own fortunes change simultaneously then it will be a win-win situation for both clubs as well. He has had a tough year losing his father in February, then being out of the team after incurring a Posterior cruciate ligament in the second last game of the season. He has only come back earlier this month as a sub against St Mirren and so having missed a lot of football this year his priority was to get out and play some football and “get the love for it back, and enjoy it.”

The Irishman was stunned by the speed of the arrival of his Dunfermline debut from leaving East End Park on Tuesday night at half nine to find out that he was selected to play against Raith next day.

“I got a late call from the manager at Dundee United and got over to the stadium at Dunfermline about half seven, eight o’clock, got the deal done and then I met the boys at Stark’s Park in the dressing room, that was it.

“It was my first game in five months. You have to roll your sleeves up and get on with it and it’s great to be out playing football again after being injured. You want to play games and thankfully Dunfermline gave me that opportunity. I just want to help them as much as I can.”

He certainly provided help right away, meeting some of his team mates for the first time in his life in the dressing room before the game and laying the full 90.

“That’s football isn’t it” was the reaction from Mark who claimed that was experienced enough and has played enough games to know how it all works.

“I spoke to a few boys before I came in and everything they said was spot on. It’s a great group of boys, they want to do well and there are some really good footballers in that dressing room. We just need the fortunes to change. When you’re bottom of the league it’s tough, that’s three points in the last three games and you want to be winning.

“I didn’t have to take into account where Dunfermline were in the table, the biggest thing for me is that it’s a big club in the Scottish Championship. I also looked at the team itself, in my opinion it’s a team that should be fighting at the top end of the table with the players they have and the size of the football club. That was one of the biggest reasons why I came.

“I could have gone to other teams in the Championship but Dunfermline was a team that I felt should be better in the league and hopefully I can come in and help out on and off the park.

“It’s hard when you’ve not won games, tough for any player young and old so hopefully I can come in with a fresh mindset, new eyes, new mouth and if I can help out I’ll try and do it.”

Being paired up with Lithuanian internationalist Vytas Gašpuitis was equally new but Mark was positive about the impact they could have together:-

“He’s a great big guy and I’ll hopefully be speaking his language by the time I leave. I tried to talk to him quite a bit and he understood. He’s a good player and we have so many players in the team. It was tough tonight but we rolled our sleeves up.

“We are desperate to get that win to get their confidence up so we can crack on. You have a staff there who are pushing, speaking to them last night they were so eager and want to do well for the football club. I am delighted that I can be a part of it and hopefully help out.

“It was my first day back at school but it’s been brilliant, the boys, the club and the staff have been very welcoming. I am looking forward to getting a training session in with the boys and getting to know people a bit better. The main message was go out and play some games to help myself getting back from injury but hopefully I can help the football club. I want to come out and play football and thankfully Dunfermline have given me that opportunity, so I owe them one.“



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