Fillip for Kenny as Wilson and Shields agree new contracts

The pair would have out of contract in the summer been free to join other clubs, but they have instead penned new two-year deals with the option of one further year at East End Park.

With the Pars eight points adrift at the foot of the Bank of Scotland Premierleague, the news has handed the relegation-haunted club a timely lift.

Wilson, who will be 30 next month, came through the Rangers youth system and signed for the Pars in August 2002.

Current captain Shields, 30, currently has a hamstring injury but has been an automatic choice since joining Dunfermline for a second spell in January 2004, from tomorrow's opponents Kilmarnock.

Both players had opened contract negotiations under previous manager Jim Leishman and have now secured their futures. Kenny said: "It's a boost for Dunfermline. Greg has had a couple of different injuries since I've been here. But he trains extremely hard and has just been unlucky with the flu over Christmas and now a hamstring injury.

"It's been that type of season for him but he is an example of a very good professional.

"Scott is not as straightforward a character, he hurts a lot and expects high standards. For a central defender, he has a good all-round game and is a natural defender. Scott is ambitious himself and will be an important player for Dunfermline in the future."

Kenny is desperate to kick-start the club's bid to avoid relegation with victory over CIS Insurance Cup finalists Kilmarnock at East End Park today.

The Irishman has watched his side fail to score in their last nine league matches and they have gone 12 league games without a victory. Their last league goal was in the 2-1 defeat to Celtic on 10 December and their last league win came against Dundee United at home on November 18 - the day Kenny arrived. He added: "I feel we need one league result to act as a catalyst for a resurgence. Last week at Aberdeen was a setback to lose 3-0, but in our last three home games we've played Rangers twice and Hearts and they've been three decent performances. If we're going to salvage anything, our home form is going to be pivotal to that."

Meanwhile, Kilmarnock striker Colin Nish will take no pleasure if he helps the Ayrshire side beat his former club.

The gangly 25-year-old was sent packing from East End Park in 2003 by then manager Jimmy Calderwood before Jim Jefferies offered him solace at Rugby Park.

But Nish insisted he is more concerned about the possibility of the Pars staging a comeback than Killie adding to their woes. He said: "It's always good to go back and play against Dunfermline. It seems years ago when I left East End Park and there has been a lot of changes and a few changes of manager as well. But I don't really want them to go down. I would like to see them staying up. And I think they are going to beat somebody soon.

"I've watched them a few times on the television and I think the new manager Stephen Kenny is getting them going.

"They will beat somebody soon, I just hope it's not us - we have to be ready for them."