Dunfermline look to Manchester United for help

Dunfermline Athletic interim administrator Bryan Jackson plans to contact Manchester United this week in a desperate bid to organise a glamour friendly which could aid the stricken Fifers’ survival bid.

Old Trafford legend and former Pars player Sir Alex Ferguson recently indicated a willingness to bring the Premiership giants north of the border for a money-spinning clash at East End Park. Jackson, who has previously helped Clydebank, Motherwell and Dundee through this crisis, will urge United to swiftly make good on that promise as he attempts to navigate the club through the toughest financial crisis he has ever experienced.

“There is no movement on it but there is still no reason to believe that it will not happen,” said the hopeful administrator, of insolvency experts PKF.

“We are still working away on that and it could be very important to us.

Jackson admits that the situation at Dunfermline, who entered administration last week under the weight of £8.5m debt, is exacerbated by the lack of assets at the club.

Instead he will be entirely reliant of home gates – the Pars host Hamilton on Saturday – and the kindness of “benefactors” to provide the capital to run the club. “I can’t stress enough how much I need external funds, external people to pull together in the one direction,” said Jackson. “We have absolutely no time now for bickering and people not all pulling together.

“I am reliant on all the people around us, all the benefactors and a lot of luck to get us out of this at the other end.

“What makes this worse is that in the other [cases of administration] there has always been something there to support you financially – whether it has been the ability to sell a player or you have an asset you can sell or there is some money in the bank.

“But at this club there is nothing there to start with. I do need everyone to rally round. There will be clarity over the next week or so.”

Eight players were made redundant in the first round of cuts at Dunfermline last Thursday, while assistant manager Gerry McCabe left 24 hours later.

One of those players, Andrew Barrowman, yesterday joined Dundee on a short-term deal. “The signing which took place at Dens Park this afternoon is subject to SFA clearance and special dispensation due to Dunfermline’s circumstances,” said a statement on the Dundee website.