Stevie’s feeling blessed
Stevie Crawford has revealed Robbie Neilson fully backed his decision to become Allan Johnston’s No.2 at Dunfermline.
Crawford served as assistant to Neilson at Hearts and MK Dons until the pair were sacked by the English side in January.
He remains convinced Neilson will be back in the game soon but couldn’t afford to wait around for it to happen.
He said: “When Robbie and I were told we were no longer wanted at MK Dons I got stuck into my Pro Licence work for the first four or five weeks.
“All of a sudden it hits you and the phone calls stop. I’ve been fortunate to have been involved in full-time football since I was 16 and the longest time I have had out was from January.
“It’s been great to be back at Dunfermline and I’m delighted I’ve committed myself to the club.
“I spoke to Robbie. From the day he asked me to help him at Hearts, and the highs we experienced at Tynecastle, to a very tough 13 months at MK Dons, he has been brilliant with me.
“I have no doubt that, with the way he works, something will come up for him but it was only right I committed to Dunfermline and I had that conversation with Robbie.
“I’ll be delighted when he gets back into it, sooner rather than later, and he’s got a lot to offer someone.
“But I had to be honest with him, that’s the way he was with me.
“The dilemma I had when the interest was there from Dunfermline was, ‘Does it then put our partnership in jeopardy?’
“It might be that I end up working with him further down the line, or he has to bring in his own man, but it felt right for me to take this up at Dunfermline.”