Pars signing plans boosted by ‘good players’ staying put

Dunfermline boss Stevie Crawford is targeting new signings this month after celebrating hanging on to Aaron Comrie.

The Pars, who secured the defender on a new two-year deal, recently also agreed a contract extension with attacker Ryan Dow.

Speculation surrounds the future of skipper Euan Mu r r a y, with Aberdeen said to be keen on the versatile centre-half.

But sitting second in the Championship, five points adrift of title favourites Hearts, Crawford is working hard to bring in fresh faces during the Ja n u a r y transfer window to strengthen his side’s promotion challenge.

He said: “At a club like Dunfermline we have got to make sure that we are ambitious. It can be a hard thing to try and get going, but I think there have been improvements in terms of where we find ourselves in the league at the moment.

“It’s about having that genuine ambition to be competing at the top end of this league, and bringing players to the club who have their better years ahead of them.

“We are working behind the scenes. It doesn’t guarantee that we will get anything over the line in January because I know there are a number of things you have to overcome.

“But I have had really good conversations with the chairman to see if we can try and bolster the squad to help them.

“I don’t want to take away anything from what the players have done so far, but you are going to be tested. We have come through the first third (of the season), we still have two-thirds of the season to go and I think we are going to be tried and tested over that period.

“If we can do something to help the squad then it is something that we will look to address.”

Former St Johnstone full- back Comrie was linked with a possible move to the Premiership, and Dundee were credited with an interest in him before he penned his fresh terms earlier this week.

Crawford is thrilled with the 23- year- old’s decision to commit to Dunfermline until 2023 and is hopeful it can also encourage others to view the side favourably.

“We are delighted to get a further two years on to his contract. He is a player who has come in and improved in his time with us,” he said.

“He has p l ay e d 45 games but the important thing for me was that Aaron was keen to sign and he believes that he can get better,” he added.

“You want to play with good players and you want to be part of a squad that has good players. Aaron Comrie and Ryan Dow definitely come into that mould.

“It is having the belief that you are giving people opportunities and what happens is that you get the knock-on effect of other players wanting to come and sign at the club. I think that we are reaping the rewards from that.”

Stevie Crawford is hoping to make new signings.