THE new operator of Pitreavie playing fields hopes to turn it into a football mecca with a 1000-seater stadium and brand new facilities.

Stephen Barr, who runs LK Galaxy, said it wouldn't happen overnight but he'll take over on 1st April with big plans for Dunfermline after success at a similar-sized site in Grangemouth.

Their operation in Little Kerse has full-size and smaller grass and astroturf pitches, as well as a sports cafe, and English Championship and international sides have used it as a training camp.

They now have planning permission with East Stirlingshire for a new 1000-seater stadium and indoor sports hall - something Barr would like to replicate in Dunfermline.

"It's the same model as Pitreavie and we'd like to deliver that here, given time," he said.

"A small-sided stadium with a full-size 4G pitch could incorporate Dunfermline Athletic's aspirations with their reserve or under-20s team playing there.

"The public would be a big user too." However, he stressed it would take time and said around £25,000 would be spent first on addressing the rundown nature of the sports facilities and pavilion at Pitreavie.

"I've nothing to hide and no agenda other than giving the best experience to the customer at an affordable cost to keep them coming back.

"That's what pays the wages after all," he said.

"We can't fix everything overnight but a new carpet has arrived for the five-a-side pitch that currently has no carpet and we'll look to get new fencing, netting, boards and repairs to the grass pitches.

"We've operated Little Kerse for seven years. It was only grass when I got there and we've invested a significant amount of time and effort and money into the site.

"Since then the brand has grown and it's good to put something back into your own community. We hope to do that here." There's currently a wrangle between Dunfermline Athletic, the pension fund of former owner Gavin Masterton and Fife Council about the lease for Pitreavie - with the council issuing a six figure repair bill to the tenants last week.

The pension fund have given LK Galaxy a management contract for the site and Barr said, "What's happened before, I'm not interested in and can't do anything about.

"I'm only interested in breathing life back into the place and we need to move on.

"We hope to be able to help the football club and with their community offering too.

"But in the short term we have to make the place fit for purpose and we need the quality of the product to be better than it is." He continued, "The people who are important to the site are, first and foremost, the kids and their families, the Soccer Sevens, the Fun Fours and Fives - but we need the club too.

"I think it's a great asset having a senior football club on your site.

"As a wee boy I used to stand outside the stadium waiting to get players' autographs and kids are still like that. They want to see their heroes and there would be a lot of value in having open days where the youngsters could meet the team.

"One in 1000 may make it and go on to play for Dunfermline but if the other 999 stay in football or stay in sport then that's success to me.

"That's what we're all about as a business."