Jack in the Box

"It is a special club - everybody that plays here says that. I was fortunate to play with some great players in a great era and I just love coming back here.

After seeking out the Dunfermline Athletic result on a Saturday night, Pars fans have often next look up how former players and managers have fared at their current clubs. There is a fair bit of interest in how Dick Campbell's Forfar Athletic does, how Stevie Crawford has done with East Fife, Dorus de Vries at Swansea City, Adam Hammill at Barnsley. Not surprising either is the interest in the team currently sitting ninth in the Scottish Third Division. They play in black and white but the reason Elgin City attracts Pars supporters interest is because former striker Ross Jack is now their manager.

Ross scorer of 55 goals in 135 starts for Dunfermline, was back for the Pars Supporters Trusts Rollercoaster night at the Alhambra at the beginning of the month and played on the Match for Mary on Sunday 8th November. He told the website:-

"It's absolutely fantastic. The whole weekend was very very special. Unfortunately I couldn't make the Hall of Fame but the crowd turning out on Sunday was great; it is a special club - everybody that plays here says that. I was fortunate to play with some great players in a great era and I just love coming back here.

"It was good to meet up with Raymond Farningham, Stuart Rafferty and all the boys. To have a guest appearance by Ally McCoist was great as well."

The Elgin City manager claimed to have taken much out of the experience he had at Dunfermline:-

"I am loving my time in management. Jim Leishman had a massive influence on a lot of us. He might have been a bit of a joker at times but he had a serious head and I learned a lot. I try to be personable with my players now. There is a line in the sand, you can have a laugh and a joke but cross that line and you know you are in trouble - Jim was the same."

Resources are not overflowing at Elgin City but Ross took over in 2008 when the club was at "rock bottom".

"I had to get rid of some of the dead wood and get my own players in. It is long term, not short term. Although we are doing well and playing some good stuff, it is a long term build and I have been given a three year deal to get it right.

"I am thoroughly enjoying the whole role at the moment, I am full time, helping the community and doing all these things. It will not just be the first team that I will be judged on - it will be on young kids right through from the ten year olds right up to the 19s. We introduce coaches, new systems and into schools to get the whole thing buzzing again. There is tons of potential in the area, we need to start producing our own because football has changed - you can't go out and buy people."

06/11/09: Trevor Smith and Ross Jack

Dunfermline paid a bargain £15,000 transfer fee to bring Ross from Dundee on 23rd October 1987. He scored on his debut the following day in the 3-2 defeat at Motherwell. His Pars career only really came alive the following campaign however, with his being top scorer with 18 goals as the club won the First Division. A Premier League season followed and Ross waded in with a remarkable 21 goals, and was again top scorer under Iain Munro with 10 goals before moving onto Kilmarnock in July 1991.

John Watson and Ross Jack

"I have some fantastic memories of my times at Dunfermline, it was a brilliant club for me and I loved every second of it. I know people say that but it is true - speak to players of my era, we partied, we played the same way, we worked hard and got on with it. There were no superstars, no egos and just enjoyed the successful period that I was here. The crowds that we got will not be equalled for a long time."

Ross still plays at amateur level, even though he describes himself as "past it". His funniest recollection is really a visual one but he explained:-

"Iain Munro and I had a disagreement at training down at Pitreavie. We had a fall out because I disagreed with what he was trying to do so he told me to get back on the coach. I said 'that doesn't do anything' I said 'no'. Jim Leishman was training the Under 19s on the next pitch so Iain Munro said 'right go and see the gaffer'. Like a wee schoolboy I trudged across to Jim. He asked what happened so I told him."

Leishman gestured furiously raising with his arms up and down while saying "pretend I am angry with you." Ross was then accepted back to train with the first team squad.