GREGOR BUCHANAN will always be thankful to Airdrieonians for giving him his chance in senior football – but is desperate to leave them pointless on today (Saturday).

After spending two years with the Diamonds before making his first move into full-time football with Dunfermline this summer, he hopes to be fit to face his old team-mates as he battles to recover from an ankle problem that sidelined him for the defeats to Forfar and hometown club Falkirk.

Buchanan still holds his former club in high regard but told Press Sport that all friendships will be put on hold as the Pars seek their first league win of the season.

He said, “I’ve still got a lot of friends there and I’m sure we’ll speak before the game but for 90 minutes they are the enemy!

“I have some good memories from my time there and it was two years that progressed me into a better footballer, so I can only thank the club. But it’s a new chapter; I’m a Dunfermline player and our only objective is three points on Saturday.

“They’ve had a bit of a poor start and will be looking at this game to start their season so it will be very tough. We’ll need to be at the races but we’re looking for our first three points and it’s something that we need to start doing.

“From a personal point of view, I just want to get back playing and am doing everything possible to do that. I was bitterly disappointed to miss the Falkirk game but that’s football – nobody’s going to go through their career without having a niggle or whatever. It’s frustrating but the boys know their task and they’ll be doing their best to win the game. That’s what we’re expected to do at Dunfermline.” With just one point – and no goals scored – from their opening two matches, the pre-season title favourites have made a stuttering start to their season that has caused concern to supporters.

But although the 24-year-old admitted the Pars need to pick up wins quickly, he continued, “At the end of the day you want to win every game so you have to take it on board and I wouldn’t say it’s worrying but we’ve got to make it better.

“We have to score goals and be more attacking but we’re only two games into the season. We’re not fully up to speed yet but we will be when the season starts to flow. I wouldn’t say we’re in any fear or worry but we know the task in hand and what’s expected. We got to go and win games of football, that’s what we’re here to do and three points is all we’ve got in our mind come Saturday.”