INTERIM boss Greg Shields says it's "showtime" for Pars players, who must prove they're "up for the battle" to turn the season around.

On Sunday, the final whistle sounded on Peter Grant's time in charge following a 4-2 defeat to Arbroath less than 24 hours earlier, which left the club winless and bottom of the Championship after 12 games.

The 56-year-old took charge of just 17 matches in a tenure that lasted 156 days and saw the side register only three victories – all in July's Premier Sports Cup group stage – which saw the board act as fan pressure intensified.

They have promised to undertake a "fresh, robust recruitment process" to find Grant's successor, with Shields and fellow first-team coach Steven Whittaker being placed in temporary charge ahead of this weekend's crucial home match with second-bottom Greenock Morton.

Speaking to Press Sport this week, Shields said that the squad's reaction to himself and Whittaker "has been second to none", and insists that there "has to be changes" in a bid to find that elusive first league success.

"The way they were acting with things we were trying to tell them to do, it's back-to-basics really with them," he commented.

"The response we've had has been second to none.

"I saw an upside in a lot of the players; certainly when we came in on Monday morning with the squad, the difference just in how they went about their day-to-day work. It's been very, very good and that's all we can ask for.

"Things we've asked them to do may be a little bit different from prior but that's just the way it is.

"We have to be different because we've not got results. We're sitting bottom of the league; there has to be changes. There has to be a different style because we want to win. That's the priority and that's what the boys have been told.

"It's accountability first and foremost. It's not we should be beating teams or we should have done this – we have to prove we're up for the battle, first and foremost, and then we can influence the game after that."

When asked if it was important to instil positivity and a belief in the dressing room that they are good players, Shields replied: "Completely. We've done things differently – things have to change. Things weren't working and, when you are bottom of the league, you can't go from day-to-day and do the same again tomorrow as you did yesterday. You won't get improvement.

"That's been the biggest change that we've had with them. You go down there and you listen to them, and they don't sound like bottom-of-the-league players. That for me is pleasing because there's an atmosphere about them, there's a bit of camaraderie, and it's character as well. It's character now; it's how much do they want to show, come this weekend, how much they're hurting, how much they believe in each other, and it's accountability. I keep saying that. You've got to hold yourself accountable.

"But these past 12 games are done. Now it's showtime and this is where a lot of people will be watching Dunfermline now, especially from a fans' point of view.

"They want us to win. There's been a lot of disappointment this year and myself and Steven can only prepare them the best we can prepare them and we think we're doing that."

On whether the players had been taken aback by the news Grant had left the club, he added: "Players are players. Sometimes, when things don't go as well as planned, players sometimes expect, or some players think differently. Some players are disappointed, some players may be happy. I'm not saying that's the squad but I've been involved in that before. These things happen.

"I think with the relationship myself and Steven have with the players, it's been enjoyable the last two days, very very good."