Neil McGregor Post Dumbarton

"It was good to get such an emphatic win but the most important thing is that we all played well.

Neil McGregor felt that Saturday's trip to Dumbarton was a good performance and a good result for the team.  He was pleased with his first competitive match as a Pars player:-

"It was good to get such an emphatic win but the most important thing is that we all played well. The early goals got the boys confidence flying, hopefully we can carry that on into the first game of the season next week."

It was only last Thursday that Neil became a Dunfermline Athletic player and he confessed that it all came as a bit of a shock:-

"I was at Hamilton, they offered me facilities to get me back fit after re-hab. I did pre season there and got myself fit, when the Manager gave me a phone it was to see if I was interested. I knew I was interesting him last season, he spoke to me obviously knowing I was out of contract at Clyde. It was good that he was still interested after my injury."

The trialist showing against Coventry City on Wednesday night clinched the deal but Neil feels that he has more to give than what the Manager and fans saw that night;-

"If he is happy to praise me for that then that's ok, it was my first 90 minutes for nine months so there is a long way for me to go yet. The more games I get, the more I will come on."

Chris Higgins played alongside him at Clyde but Neil plays down the suggestion that the partnership would be first choice at East End Park:-

"There have been a few signings in defence with Andy Dowie, Higgy and me. Whoever plays will form a partnership.  We have played together for four years but we might not play every week so it is getting to know all the other boys, their strengths and weaknesses."

After playing against Dunfermline last season Neil was able to pass comment on how Dunfermline looked from the inside.

"It is a lot younger team this season, there are a few experienced heads that is really important and something we lacked at Clyde.  We have experience in the right areas and I think that can only be good for the season."

It was the experienced Jim McIntyre who noticed Neil when playing as an opponent.  A league match on 12^th April 2008 appears to have really drawn Macca's attention to the Clyde player:-

"He keeps reminding me about it, he seems to have scored and gives me a ribbing for that. It is all good banter."

What most of the new signings bring is experience of First Division football - Joe Cardle and Steven McDougall with Airdrie United, Greg Fleming with Gretna, Andy Dowie with Ross County and Chris Higgins and Neil McGregor with Clyde.

"That could probably help us. In the SPL there is more football played. The Manager is trying to drill into us that we need to play football but in this league games are going to be won by the odd goal at set pieces and by scrapping to get results.

"If we can play good football as well it would be a big bonus for me because I like to get the ball down and play."

The Ayrshire born player learned his trade at Kilmarnock but didn't experience SPL football there. Now he wants to go there with Dunfermline but is happy that the focus of SPL expectations is on Dundee and Inverness Caley Thistle.

"There have not been that many teams who have come down who have gone straight back up.We will be happy to go about our business quite quietly."

The season kicks off in earnest on Saturday against Terry Butchers Highlanders so Neil added:-

"It is a big test, they have just come down from the Premierleague and will be looking to get off to a good start as well. But after the Dumbarton game our confidence is high and we can look forward to that game as well."