NEW Athletic gaffer James McPake has said that his “juices started flowing” over the opportunity to take the reins at East End.

The 37-year-old was announced officially as John Hughes’ successor on Tuesday after agreeing a two-year deal with the club.

He takes charge of a side that will be playing in League One for the first time since 2016 following their relegation from the Championship and has promised Pars fans that his players would “leave everything out there” if they want to be part of his plans.

Last Thursday, Dunfermline announced that Hughes, who replaced Peter Grant last November on an 18-month contract, had stood down after failing to stave off relegation.

Former Falkirk, Hibernian and Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss Hughes, 57, came under severe supporter pressure after a ninth-placed finish saw them enter the Championship play-offs, where a last-minute goal by Queen’s Park’s Simon Murray in the second leg of the semi-final sent them down.

That led the Pars to launch a review of their “football departments and squad plans” after what they described as a “gut-wrenching setback”, with Hughes departing subsequently.

They then set their stall out to install a “first team coaching staff with fresh energy, drive and enthusiasm to help take the club forward”, with McPake chosen to lead it.

Having led Dundee to the top flight last season via the play-offs, and being named Championship Manager of the Year in the process, he left Dens Park in February with the club 11th in the table.

The Dark Blues went on to be relegated by finishing bottom of the table and, speaking exclusively to Press Sport, McPake said: “The juices started flowing when these conversations started and I’m looking at it, and I’m going Dunfermline, yeah, that’s for me.

“The one thing I can guarantee is that every player that represents Dunfermline Football Club will leave everything out there on the pitch, whether it’s home or away.

“I can’t guarantee anything else, because that’s just football, but I’ll pick a team and the ones that don’t do that, they won’t be playing for Dunfermline Football Club, because they don’t deserve to play for a club like that if you’re not going to give at least everything out there.

“Every fan will say it should be a given but that’s one thing I’ll guarantee.”

See today's Press for our exclusive, in-depth interviews with McPake and Pars CEO, David Cook.