McQuade takes step back to move forward again in Fife

The full-time football experience of Paul McQuade may have been sufficient to wound others with similar aspirations. The striker, who has joined East Fife after little more than a season at St Mirren, has instead vowed to learn lessons from his brief time in Paisley and the Premier League.

McQuade was an impressive performer for Cowdenbeath, Danny Lennon recognising enough talent in the forward to take him along the same route the manager himself took to St Mirren. Earlier, a trial period at Craig Levein-led Dundee United had only been put off because of injury. Such troubles were apparent again for McQuade at St Mirren. “I had a few injuries last season, when I didn’t have them I was really just getting myself back up to fitness,” McQuade explained.

“I didn’t get a run in the team. I started one game, a Scottish Cup game at Peterhead where I scored two goals but I didn’t really get a sniff after that. It was frustrating, more than anything. That’s not being disrespectful to Danny, he was under pressure and had to get results so he went with the more experienced boys.”

Sceptics will regard McQuade’s tale as endemic of what happens when a player makes the very jump from the part-time game that he did. Yet Darren McGregor, currently missing from Lennon’s squad with a serious knee injury, has excelled in Paisley. McQuade, instead, will make his first appearance back in the Second Division today.

“It has been a good thing for me,” is McQuade’s refreshing appraisal of the last 12 months. “I have now realised what I need to do to get back to that level. And that is the level I want to be at. If it’s a case of taking one step back to go two forward again, then so be it. I would rather be playing part-time football than being full-time but not really being a footballer, because I am sitting in the stand on a Saturday afternoon. The strangest thing for now will be trying to find a job.”

McQuade will be around familiar faces this afternoon, with East Fife facing Cowdenbeath. A native of Fife - his father was a popular East Fife player of the 70s in the old First Division - he has gained instant solace at New Bayview.

“Danny had spoken to me and said even if I was fit, my opportunities would be pretty limited,” McQuade added. “But at the same time, I wanted to have somewhere to go. I spoke to John Robertson and was happy to sign immediately; I know a lot of the players here and there are others I know from playing against in the past. We have a talented squad, one which can do plenty damage in this league.

“It will be strange going back to Cowdenbeath. I had two good, really enjoyable seasons there which left me with good memories. But I’m an East Fife player now, I’ll be going out there to do my best for them.”