The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Groundwork for Pars return was laid in January – Mcmanus
East End Park new boy has ‘unfinished business’ at Fife side
Declan Mcmanus admits he is delighted Dunfermline manager Stevie Crawford came back in for him after declining the chance to return to East End Park in January.
The striker, who notched 13 goals and racked up six assists for the Pars during the 2017/18 campaign before heading to Ross County, signed a two-year deal with the club on Friday.
Mcmanus was one of three recruits along with fellow forwards Kevin O’hara and Dom Thomas on the day prolific marksman Kevin Nisbet left for the Hibs.
And the 25-year-old, who found the net 24 times for Falkirk on loan from the Staggies last term, admits Crawford had been keen on him since January.
He said: “I spoke to the manager in January and he wanted to get me in then but at the time I just felt that what I was doing was working.
“I didn’t want to change it.
“As an outsider looking in Kevin was scoring a lot of goals and at that point I wasn’t sure of systems the manager played.
“What I was doing was working and at the time I did not want to jinks it.
“I had a good chat to the manager and said ‘it was a no right now but come the summer then I would definitely be really excited to work with you’.
“A few weeks ago he got in touch again and the interest was still there so I met him and for a striker speaking to a striker who has played at a high level, he knows what he is talking about.
“From the chat I knew that I could learn from him and he could help me because he has obviously helped Kevin. That is a big selling point for me but I got a general good feeling.
“Playing here before and loving my football here. Knowing everybody at the club makes it a bit easier as well.
“It would be nice if I could replicate the player of the year award this season with a few more goals. In the first season that I was here I had scored 13 goals by January and then dried up a bit.”
Mcmanus scored on his last appearances for the Pars two years ago in what proved to be a consolation strike in the Premiership play-off semi-final loss to Dundee United.
After departing on that low, the marksman is keen to create more happy memories at the Fife outfit.
He added: “I am buzzing, delighted to be back and I feel that there is unfinished business for me here.
“I really really enjoyed my year here and leaving at the time wasn’t an option that was easily taken.
“At Tannadice I scored the goal that put us ahead and then had a big chance that looking back maybe could have sealed it at the time.
“It ends abruptly if you don’t get through and it was hard because we felt if we got through that tie we could have gone all the way.
“I was disappointed to leave because I had really enjoyed my year here.”
Mcmanus, who struggled to make an impact at County during the 2018/18 season, scoring twice in 12 Championship starts, added: “From the outside looking in it might look like I went for the money or I went to a club that I thought was bigger or better at the time but it was nothing like that.
“When the offer from County came I knew I was going to be going to challenge for the league again.
“Apart from that it was not a decision that I made easily because I loved my year here.”