Published: Thursday, 2nd July, 2009 9:50am

As keeper becomes a Buddie former Par is shown the door

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THE troubled finances of Scottish football has had different implications for two former Pars this week.

Keeper Paul Gallacher signed for St Mirren on Monday as Athletic continued to slash their wage bill following the summer departures of Scott Wilson, Greg Shields and Scott Thomson.

But former East End favourite Gary Mason is looking for a new club after St Mirren told him they could no longer afford him.

Gallacher, 30 next month, was born in Glasgow but was brought up in Paisley and said he was delighted to be heading home and back into the SPL.

But he admitted he never wanted to leave the Pars after a successful stint which saw him keep 25 clean sheets in 81 appearances, including a starring show in the Scottish Cup quarter-final shoot-out win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, in which he made two saves to help the Pars to Hampden.

'I was delighted to move to Dunfermline from Norwich and enjoyed some great times at the club,' he said.

'Playing in Europe and helping the club reach the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup were particular highlights.

'I didn"t want to leave East End Park but the decision was taken out of my hands. There were financial implications attached to it and I had to leave.

'I"m delighted to have signed for St Mirren and am already looking forward to playing in the SPL again.

'I thought I might have got there with Dunfermline because there are some excellent players at East End Park.

'However, the first division is a notoriously difficult league to get out of with just one club gaining promotion.

'On a personal level it has all worked out well for me and I just want to thank everyone at Dunfermline for giving me the opportunity to play in Scotland again.'

Pars boss Jim McIntyre said, 'He"s been a fantastic goalkeeper and I"m sorry to lose him but that"s just the way it is.

'If we"d had a choice he would stay but everyone knows the circumstances clubs are in.

'He"s a good friend as well from our (Dundee) United days and someone I"ll always have respect for.'

Buddies boss Gus MacPherson said he would have liked to keep Mason but with the global recession taking its toll on the club"s cashflow and fresh financial uncertainty surrounding the Scottish game in the wake of the collapse of the Setanta television deal, he said Mason was a luxury he just couldn"t afford.

Mason, who left the Pars in the summer of 2007, made 61 appearances for the Paisley side, scoring three goals, but lost his place in the centre of midfield last season to Hugh Murray.

MacPherson said, 'Gary is a very, very good player but, because of the cost-cutting we have had to do, we have had to let him go.

'We have got to work within our resources and that has been explained to Gary. He goes with our best wishes.'