Dunfermline manager James McPake believes rivals Falkirk will ‘add’ to an already difficult Championship this season.
The old foes are getting ready this week to face each other in the second-tier for the first time in over five years.
They did meet in League One two seasons ago, when the Pars romped to the title with an unbeaten record against the Bairns.
The pair could go into Saturday’s encounter at East End Park in different frames of mind, given Falkirk’s own ‘invincible’ League One triumph last term and their opening victory over Queen’s Park.
McPake’s side, on the other hand, lost their first league game against Livingston after losing three straight games in the Premier Sports Cup group stage.
But the Dunfermline boss insists all the Championship teams will know they are in for a tough 90 minutes every single week in a division without one of Scotland’s ‘big guns’.
He said: “I think, as much as Dundee United have gone up, Livingston have come down.
“But Falkirk coming up adds to the league most definitely, in my opinion.
“Whether you have a Dundee United, Hibs or Rangers, no matter how big you think your club is, no team comes into this league and gets an easy time of it.
‘It’s enjoyable for about 5 minutes’
“Every team that’s in this league needs to fight and battle to get anything from the league and I mean week-in, week-out.
“And it will be no different this year, it’s a tough, tough league. It’s demanding, there are different styles of play, just a bit of everything.
“It’s enjoyable for about five minutes after a win, then you are thinking about the next game!
“It will not be short of entertainment and controversy all season I’m sure.”
Meanwhile, Dunfermline are sweating over the fitness of wing-back Kieran Ngwenya after he had to be substituted in the first-half of the 2-0 defeat to Livi with a groin issue.
