Dunfermline have suffered a hammer blow with the news that Paul Gallacher is out for the rest of the season.
The goalkeeper has been one of the Pars’ top performers since he rejoined the club from St Mirren during the summer. The 32-year-old’s form at the start of the league campaign even prompted some observers to start believing he was deserving of a recall to the Scotland squad.
However, he injured his shoulder three weeks ago when Hearts’ Rudi Skacel landed heavily on top of him. Gallacher has had to wait to have a scan to let swelling reduce and some movement to return to the joint.
Now, he and the club have received the shattering results.
Pars manager Jim McIntyre said: ”Paul Gallacher is out for the season. We got the results on Wednesday night and obviously it’s a huge blow to the team and Paul himself. It would take the physio to tell you the exact nature of the injury but he is getting checked by a specialist to see whether or not he will need an operation.
”He has a fracture going on and a floating bone. There’s a fair bit of damage so I think it will definitely be an operation. It’s a massive blow as he’s a top goalkeeper and he’s done very well for us.
”On the plus side, Steven McDougall and Kevin Rutkiewicz are back in training and Joe Cardle has had no reaction to his knee over the past couple of weeks.
”Craig Easton has also trained for a couple of weeks now so we have better options in the outfield. But we need to get a goalkeeper in and we have our eye on a couple.
”I don’t want to say too much on it though until we definitely have someone. But we also have Chris Smith here and it’s his chance to keep the jersey.
”We have run our eye over another couple of players in other positions and we will continue to do that.”
Dunfermline have again been linked with making a move for Raith Rovers striker John Baird, a player they tried to sign without success during the last transfer window.
However, when asked if he was considering resurrecting his side’s interest in the player, McIntyre said: ”A striker is definitely not on our list of priorities.”
Dunfermline travel to Inverness on Saturday on Scottish Cup business on the back of a dismal league run that has seen them fail to win in the last seven games and not even score in the last three.
However, McIntyre is confident that having drawn twice with Terry Butcher’s side already this season, his players can go one better.
He said: ”We firmly believe that one result will turn things around. It is important that we realise we are still in there fighting in the league. Our form hasn’t been good enough in the last couple of months there is no other way of dressing it up.
”I have already spoken about January being a big month for us and we have to pick up points it’s as simple as that. And the cup game is as tough a draw as we could have had.
“But two of our better performances have come this season against Inverness at home and away. We should have won both games and Saturday is a chance to go up there and get a result.”