Published: Thursday, 22nd May, 2008 16:55
Bell switched on to new challenge with the Pars
By Sports editor Simon Harris
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Pic by: Dunfermline Press
FORMER sparky Steven Bell hopes to light the fuse that ignites the Pars’ promotion push next season.
The ex-Scotland under-19 international has signed a two-year deal after firing 15 goals in two seasons from midfield with Stirling Albion.
Boss Jim McIntyre reckons Bell, a former team mate at Dundee United, will bring the energy and goals the Pars’ midfield lacked at times last term.
And the player himself is charged up for the challenge after packing in his job as an apprentice electrician to go full-time with the Pars.
“I’m a bit nervous about that,” he admitted, when he revealed he would be quitting his job.
“But I know what it’s like getting up at 6am and working all day before doing a training session at night and then getting home around 10pm.
"It’s hard going. It makes you respect the life of a full-time football player because I know what it’s like to be part-time.”
Bell blasted nine goals from the right of midfield as Stirling were promoted to the first division in 2007 and hit another six – including two against the Pars – last season despite missing around 15 games with a fractured leg.
He said, “I prefer playing centre midfield and hopefully now I’ll be training full-time I can only get fitter as getting up and down the park is a big part of my game.
“No disrespect to anyone at Stirling but playing with someone like Jim McIntyre as well, he will provide you with chances to score.”
Bell was on the brink of joining St Johnstone until McIntyre rang him.
“I was in the middle of talking to St Johnstone at the time but as soon as there was interest in me from Dunfermline, there was only one place I wanted to come,” he insisted.
“I just love playing here, I played here two or three games into last season with Stirling and there’s just an aura about the place, about playing here at this stadium and I just didn’t get that feeling at St Johnstone.
“There’s something about Dunfermline to me, it just jumps out as a Premier League club.
"Everyone I spoke to about the move, my family and friends, they all said Dunfermline should still be in the Premier League.
“St Johnstone haven’t been in the Premier League as recently as Dunfermline. I just think they’ve a better chance to bounce back.”
Bell started out as a promising youngster at Dundee United and though he impressed then team mate McIntyre in training, he didn’t do enough to win a contract off gaffer Ian McCall and joined Queen of the South.
But a spate of injuries limited his appearances at Palmerston and he was released at the end of the 2004-05 season.
“I never doubted my ability,” he said.
“I never got a chance when I was at Queen of the South because they were fighting relegation and the manager at the time, Ian Scott, who is now a coach at Gretna, said I didn’t have the experience.
“When I was at United they signed players like Mark Kerr and Derek McInnes. For the likes of myself and Graeme (fellow new Pars singing Holmes) it was hard to break through.
“As soon as I went to Stirling I was playing again, we got promoted and then I felt I adapted well to the first division this season.
“I knew if I kept my head down and worked hard at Stirling I’d get another chance.”
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