HAVING Thomas Meggle as a sounding board is a positive in a bid to help Dunfermline turn their season around.

That’s the view of Peter Grant, who also expressed his desire to lift the pressure on the club’s board after they gave the manager their backing last week.

Athletic go into this afternoon's match with Kilmarnock bottom of the Championship, and still seeking a first win after eight games, having set their stall out to challenge for the title in pre-season.

Grant knows that where his team are is nowhere near matching expectation, and knows results must change quickly, but believes having former St Pauli coach Meggle, the club’s sporting director, there for advice is a good thing.

“I think it’s massive for anybody,” he said.

“I’ve got two fantastic lieutenants in Shieldsy (Greg Shields) and Steven (Whittaker). They’re young men but they know the game very well; they’re fantastic guys and they’ve got an unbelievable work ethic and professionalism.

“But, sometimes, it’s better to see somebody’s eyes outwith, who’s looking from above, and I’ve had that conversation with Thomas because Thomas has been involved in football for a long time.

“He’s been through certain situations like this himself so he understands 100 per cent whether it was as a player, whether it was on the coaching side. He understands about the expectation and I know how much they were delighted to get an opportunity to come into Dunfermline themselves.

“They see the expectation that’s here and I’m hoping I can repay them all by giving them that back and bringing the club back to that forefront, and proving to people how big a club this can be.

“We know the situation is not anywhere near where anybody expected it to be. I tried to put a dampener on the cup tie performances because I knew there were things we weren’t good at and had to get better at but the support and the work ethic has been fantastic. That gives me hope.

“Sometimes, you’re just clutching at straws really; I’ve never been at that situation. I know the effort and commitment I’m getting and I always think, the harder you work, the luckier you become. Hopefully, that’s just around the corner for us and it would be fantastic if it could start on Saturday.”

Some fans have been critical of the club’s board following their statement last week, and Grant continued: “When you’re at a football club, everybody talks to try and help, whether it’s selling tickets, merchandise, whatever, but the bottom line is it’s how the football team does. I take sole, full responsibility for that.

“That helps everybody else have an easier time if I’m doing the job right and getting the results.

“You’ve got to remember Ross (McArthur, chairman) is a Dunfermline diehard. He’s a supporter of the club and that was the biggest thing when he asked me to speak about the job, and I asked him that question, do you support Dunfermline?

“I know how he hurts as a supporter not winning games, never mind being chairman, so I’m trying to relieve that hurt for them all, everybody that works for the club, and the supporters. I’d love it to be completely different and hopefully we can start to do that come Saturday, start making it easier for people and then progress that.

“I’m just praying to God I get the results that keeps me here as Dunfermline manager because I’m proud to be so.”