Kevin Kyle is not known for his silence off the pitch but Jim Jefferies has warned that Dunfermline’s Scottish Cup dreams could hinge on whether they are able to keep the Ayr United striker quiet on it.
Jefferies rescued Kyle from a faltering spell south of the border when he signed the big marksman for Kilmarnock in January 2009, a move which saw him recalled to the Scotland squad and earn the last of his 10 caps in the 3-0 friendly defeat to Wales in November that year.
The pair were then reunited at Hearts when Jefferies signed Kyle for a second time in the summer of 2010.
Last season at Rangers, the 32-year-old managed just four starts as the frustrations mounted, but he is back amongst the goals at Ayr United, grabbing a late winner in last week’s 4-3 victory over Stenhousemuir.
It was a perfect reminder for Jefferies, if any was needed, of the ability of a player he knows only too well could threaten the Pars’ hopes of progressing past their fourth round tie at Somerset Park.
He said: “We know if Kevin plays on Saturday he’s someone that will always cause teams problems.
“He still knows where the goals are. He still knows where on the pitch to go, he can hold it up, he’s very difficult to get the ball off, so he’s definitely somebody who will always be a threat.”
Having squeezed past the unknown quantity of Elgin City in the last round, Dunfermline can head for Ayrshire buoyed by a 5-1 victory over their opponents in the league back in September.
However, Jefferies admits there is potentially a lot more riding on the encounter, given the potential for a money-spinning tie for the winners in the next round.
With Dunfermline under new community ownership, Jefferies added: “We’ll be looking to get through into the hat and give ourselves the chance of pulling out something that could benefit the club financially.
“But the good thing is, we haven’t budgeted for it, so it would be a big boost for everybody and the club if we can give them that bonus.”