Jim McIntyre axed as Dunfermline bid to rescue season

McIntyre led the Pars to the Irn-Bru First Division title in his third full season in charge, but he has paid the price for the team’s failure to win a home game all season.

Dunfermline have only recorded two victories since August, to leave them four points adrift of Hibernian at the foot of the SPL.

The club confirmed the move in a brief statement on their website around 7pm yesterday evening.

“It is with great regret that the board of directors at Dunfermline Athletic Football Club have agreed to terminate the contract of Jim McIntyre with immediate effect,” the statement read.

“All at DAFC wish Jim the very best in the future and would like to thank him for his past contributions, both as a player and a manager.”

Chairman John Yorkston later insisted the club were left with no choice but to dismiss McIntyre in a bid to kick-start their survival bid but that the decision was made reluctantly.

Yorkston said: “He was a lovely guy and I am really sorry that we had to do it. The board have decided that it is in the best interests of the club.

“It was really because of our league position and the home record. We made the decision at a board meeting on Tuesday night, there were ten directors present but we decided to reflect on our decision until today.

“We felt that it was right to take action now while there was still a chance for someone to come in and freshen things up. We do not have a bad squad, injuries have not helped. We have certainly been the equal of many of our opponents this season but we just didn’t get the breaks.”

Dunfermline will begin the process of narrowing down and contacting potential candidates this weekend, with the likes of Jim Jefferies and Jimmy Calderwood already being mooted. Assistant manager Gerry McCabe will take training on Monday.

“We will look at folk who might be available instantly but contractual obligations may mean that we go for a short-term option if the long-term option is not immediately available,” Yorkston added. “We will weigh up the options, have a chat over them when we know who is interested.”

The first job of the new manager will be to find a new goalkeeper after Iain Turner also left the club yesterday after faling to recover from injury.

McIntyre took over as manager in December 2007, initially on an interim basis following the departure of Stephen Kenny, and led the Pars to the Irn-Bru First Division title last season despite ongoing cutbacks.

But Dunfermline’s recent form has been poor. They have gone eight matches without a win and remain the only senior side in British football to have not picked up a win at home this season. McIntyre’s last game in charge was a 2-0 defeat by Motherwell at East End Park at the beginning of the month, with Michael Higdon and Henrik Ojamaa scoring second-half goals.

The Pars do not have a game this weekend because of tomorrow’s Scottish Communities League Cup final – their match with Celtic was brought forward to last month.