Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies believes on-loan striker Lawrence Shankland will prove to be a real asset to the club’s promotion push.
The Aberdeen hitman enjoyed a dream debut at East End Park at the weekend as he came off the substitutes bench to net a 75th-minute winner against Stranraer to strengthen their grip on second spot.
Jefferies is delighted that the Fife club managed to beat off stiff competition for the forward’s services, notably a Championship club believed to be high-flying Hamilton.
“I don’t know what swung it for us maybe the fact that the under-20s played up there and Derek McInnes said we played really well that day.
“He said he was impressed with us and he was one of the managers who came out and said after the game against Rangers that he thought we played the right way.
“Not to say the Championship club didn’t, but maybe he thought we would be the right move for him. Maybe he thought Lawrence coming into a young side and developing would help.
“I know Derek well and Neil McCann knows him well, so maybe that had a wee bearing on it, not to say he doesn’t know the other manager whoever it was.
“But the bottom line is that he was happy to come. Maybe we were there before the other club and that just swayed it.
“Ryan Thomson has been a bit of a stop gap up front who has done a good turn and will continue to do that, but long-term we see him more as a midfielder so Shankland is in until the end of the season to try to help us get where we want to be.”
Jefferies was due to have a look at a couple of trialists in a closed doors game, one of whom was Dundee United defender Ross Smith who has been training with the club.
The Pars boss has admitted he is keen to increase his defensive options if possible after losing the likes of Callum Morris and Alex Whittle to injury in recent weeks.
“We might look at the defensive area because I think we’re very well covered in the middle of the park,” he concluded.
“We’ve got options there and these boys have done terrific for us.
“If Thommo (Ryan Thomson) is considered as a midfield player then that’s even more competition for places because we’ve got Shaun Byrne, Andy Geggan, and a couple of younger boys knocking on the door.
“We’ve had to lose a couple of players, although we’d have to have done that anyway because of the rules. But we’re looking to get in a wee bit of experience and if it’s not available we’ll just go with what we’ve got.”
An immediate change to the SPFL’s loan rules now permitting an SPFL club to lend a maximum of two players to another SPFL club so long as the receiving club plays in a different division could open the door for Smith to sign if he sufficiently impressed.
The Pars already have United striker Jordan Moore on loan and were unable to extend deals for Ryan Ferguson and Luke Johnston for that reason under the previous regulations, but Monday’s change means the Fifers could take a second United player on loan after all.
The club have confirmed that the first ever meeting of the DAFC Supporters’ Council will be held at 7pm on Monday in the Kingdom Suite at East End Park. All fans are welcome.