Wilson ticks all the boxes for Pars boss Crawford

Stevie Crawford insists new signing Iain Wilson “ticks boxes” for Dunfermline as they eye Championship success next season.

The 21-year-old has penned a two-year deal after being freed by Kilmarnock back in May.

The midfielder made his Rugby Park debut in December 2016 and made 51 first-team appearances for the Ayrshire club.

But Crawford believes it is Wilson’s experience in the second-tier during two loan spells with Queen of the South that could prove invaluable for the Pars.

The youngster becomes Pars’ sixth summer signing after they slashed 17 players from their squad at the end of May.

He follows Steven Whittaker, Paul Watson, Declan McManus, Dom Thomas and Kevin O’Hara in joining the new-look East End Park set-up.

Crawford said: “Iain is a player we see as one that we can help develop. He has made over 40 appearances for Kilmarnock over the years, so he has experience of being around a premiership squad.

“The appealing thing is that he has spent the second half of the last two seasons on loan to Queen of the South due to him not being able to force his way into a Kilmarnock side.

“Credit to him, there is no negativity in him where he feels like he has been hard done by.

“He took the opportunity to go out and play men’s football and his Championship experience ticks boxes for what we are going to face this year.

“When you look at Iain he has got a presence, he is a big lad but he has also got good mobility to get about the pitch. We see him as a centre midfield player, he can play as a sitter but he has good legs to get up and down as well.

“We think that we can help him become a goal threat as well. He has a good strike on him.”