Jim Jefferies has urged his Dunfermline side to revel in their unusual underdog status and “make a wee name for themselves” in tonight’s League Cup tie against under-pressure St Mirren.
The Pars are aware they will go into virtually every game this season as favourites, their full-time status in League One bringing with it a level of expectation they must grow accustomed to as they seek promotion back to the Championship.
However, in Paisley tonight the Fifers will come up against a St Mirren outfit whose manager Tommy Craig is already feeling the heat following his elevation from assistant in the summer to replace the sacked Danny Lennon.
The Buddies have lost all three Premiership games they have played this term, without scoring a goal, and Craig can ill-afford another defeat against opposition from two divisions below.
In contrast to the rest of the campaign that lies ahead, Jefferies reckons the backdrop to the tie leaves the East End Park men heading west with freedom.
And after a disappointing draw and defeat in the league, Dunfermline who defeated Annan Athletic 5-1 in the last round will go into the tie buoyed by a 3-0 win over Airdrie at the weekend.
Jefferies said: “It will be nice to be the underdogs. All the pressure will be on St Mirren.
“I know they think they’ve been playing well but have been missing their chances, so hopefully they continue missing their chances against us.
“I know Tommy well and they’ve got a lot of good players, so we’ve got to make sure we’re at the top of our game.
“But it will be different. The onus has always been on us to go and get at teams, whereas in this game we know we’ve got to be nice and solid and concentrate hard, but still go and play and cause them problems.
“They’ll be itching to get off the mark but there’s no pressure on us, we can just go and play. Our priority is in the league.
“But this is a chance for the players to make a wee name for themselves and to get into the next round.”
On Craig, Jefferies said: “I don’t think he’ll be under pressure from St Mirren as a club, it will be more from the media and a wee bit from the fans.
“He’s on his own but he’ll always be linked with being part of the previous manager.
“They’ve got to give him time. People shouldn’t be too critical at this stage. He’s only just in there.”