The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Crawford picks brains of former team-mate on challenges of training
Stevie Crawford has revealed he is picking the brains of pal Barry Nicholson as he bids to piece together a pre-season schedule for Dunfermline.
Nicholson is part of Joey Barton’s backroom staff at Fleetwood Town and is in the midst of helping prepare the Cod Army for their League One play-off semifinal against Wycombe Wanderers early next month.
The 41-year-old spent five years at Dunfermline, sandwiched between spells at Rangers and Aberdeen, and played alongside Crawford with the Pars and Dons.
The pair have been discussing the challenges of players returning to training during the coronavirus restrictions, and Crawford is hopeful Nicholson’s advice will come in handy when the Fifers eventually get back to work.
Crawford said: “Because the players are still furloughed I cannot officially give them anything, in terms of their training regime, but I have spoken to them and I know the players have been looking after themselves, going out and doing running.
“I made a point of going through all the squad just to see how they were dealing with things, mentally.
“The consensus from speaking to the majority of them is that they are desperate to get back. They just want a bit of normality in their life, whatever normality is going to be moving forward.
“The challenge for us is when we eventually do get back, it’s going to be the type of training that we are going to give them. They have had longer off now than they have ever had.
“I am also keeping in touch with Barry (Nicholson) on Zoom. Fleetwood are ahead of us because they started back two weeks ago, working with smaller groups.
“(We’ve been discussing) the challenges that that brings; things that have already worked for them, things he thought weren’t so good.
“Because I have a good relationship with Barry, we are keeping in touch, (he’s) just giving us some good ideas. All right, we have some ourselves but (it’s) to try and get levels that worked for them and what didn’t work for them because they have a big game coming up in their League One Championship play-offs.
“That is something that we will have to face but, in the main, the boys are just desperate to get back training again.”
Meanwhile, Dunfermline chairman Ross Mcarthur has called for the backing of fans after launching season tickets.
With the agreement that the Championship will kick-off on October 17, the Pars chief finally feels ready to put seats on sale, even though there is uncertainty over how many games will be behind closed doors.
In a message to supporters, he said: “The revenue that we receive from season tickets allows us to plan with some certainty for the coming season.
“This year, perhaps more than ever, we need to have a good idea of the likely level of that revenue.
“So, I now appeal to as many Pars fans as possible to assist our club in preparing for the coming season by purchasing a season-ticket card.
“We need to determine, as quickly as possible, our likely income. This will allow us to plan and provide Stevie with an appropriate budget to strengthen the playing squad.
“I am acutely aware of the many financial challenges individual families may have at this time, and I am hugely respectful of this fact and appreciative of the donations we have received to date, which continue to make me feel very humbled.
“However, I would not be doing my job as club chairman if I did not issue a rallying call to our fans to support our club in terms of planning for next season.
“We need your further support more than ever as all football clubs face significant challenges in the coming season.”