The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Johnston ready to face former club favourites
Allan Johnston insists there are no hard feelings as his Dunfermline side prepare to take on two former favourites for the second weekend running.
The Pars will come up against ex-team-mates Callum Morris and Declan Mcmanus when they bid to keep their 100% start to the season going at home to Ross County tomorrow.
Morris announced his departure from East End Park during the close-season because he wanted to try his luck in English football, only to sign for County a couple of weeks later.
Mcmanus was wanted on fresh terms by Dunfermline but decided instead that his future lay in the Highlands.
Last week the Fifers managed to get the better of former duo Nicky Clark and Fraser Aird in their 3-2 win over Dundee United at Tannadice.
Johnston is hopeful of a similar outcome against Morris and Mcmanus.
He said: “As a player you always enjoying playing against your old team. It’s always that bit special.
“So, it’s great that we came out on top against United.
“But we’ve got another two boys on the opposition who did really well for us last season.
“We’ve got to make sure we put in a really good performance to keep them quiet.
“We wanted to keep Callum, and it was the same with Declan as well.
“I think the two of them have a new agent, an English guy, who said to them he was going to get them a move down south.
“But sometimes things don’t work out, and they’ve ended up at Ross County.
“We wish them well.
“They did well for the they’re two good players.
“But they’re opposition players now and we need to make sure we go out there and put in a good performance and get the win at the end of the day.”
Dunfermline breezed through their Betfred Cup group stage with four wins from four and kicked off the league campaign with a bang as they picked up a first victory at Tannadice in seven years last weekend.
The start has boosted confidence at East End Park following the uncertainty of a summer of changes to Johnston’s squad.
Only four of the starting 11 against United had played in the play-off encounter between the sides in May, whilst all three scorers were new recruits.
Johnston believes the way the Pars roared back from going a goal behind to take the three points will have given his new-look squad heart for the campaign ahead.
He added: “I think it’s massive for the players to know that it doesn’t matter if they lose a goal, because they can come back and score.
“If the opposition score one, we’ll score two, hopefully. They’ve got that belief that we can score goals.
“We’ve got a lot of creativity in our team, we’ve got boys who can make a difference in the final third, with pace and with quality.
“So, I don’t imagine there will be many defences who will like playing against us.”
Defender Danny Devine, who limped off against United, is expected to be fit for the visit of County, but Lewis Martin is again expected to miss out through injury for the Fifers, who will have Ryan Williamson and Kallum Higginbotham back from suspension. club,