ATHLETIC manager James McPake has expressed his delight after it was confirmed two of his loan stars will be staying with the club until the end of the season.

After it was announced on Friday that Kane Ritchie-Hosler's deal from Rangers, which was initially until this month, had been extended, he revealed that Chris Mochrie would also remain at KDM Group East End Park from Dundee United.

Ritchie-Hosler, who arrived in September, has played six times for the club, scoring once, whilst Mochrie, who signed in August, has featured 19 times so far, scoring twice.

Midfielder Mochrie, 19, joined Dunfermline on agreement that it would be until the end of the season, as did Sam Fisher, from Dundee, and Robbie Mahon, from Motherwell, but all three had January recall options in place.

Speaking to the Press ahead of tonight's SPFL Trust Trophy quarter-final tie at Dundee, McPake confirmed: "Chris Mochrie is staying; we have had confirmation from Dundee United.

"That’s a bonus, so we are delighted about that. We are delighted to keep the two of them and we are working on the other two as well.

"Kane when he came in, he came on against Peterhead and then he was in and out the team a wee bit. He has shown exactly what he can do - certain games he starts, other games, depending on our set up and what way we are going to go, it might be more fitting to another midfielder.

"I must say that he is excellent to work with, a great kid. His attitude is spot on and you can see why he has been at Manchester City and Rangers. I’m delighted to keep him here."

After watching his side increase their lead at the top of League One to four points over nearest challengers FC Edinburgh on Saturday, thanks to a 1-0 win in the capital, McPake returns to his former club for tonight's televised cup tie.

The game, live on BBC Alba, will see the Pars boss head back to the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park for the first time since losing his job there last February.

McPake had guided the Taysiders to promotion in the 2020/21 season, via the play-offs, but was sacked with the team second bottom of the top flight.

They went on to be relegated automatically and, under current manager, Gary Bowyer, they are third in the Championship, four points adrift of leaders Queen's Park.

McPake's number two, Dave Mackay, and his in-form forward Craig Wighton, who netted the winner over Edinburgh, will all return to their former stomping ground, whilst ex-Pars pair Shaun Byrne and Lee Ashcroft could line up for the Dark Blues.

When asked about the prospect of sitting in the away dugout at Dens, McPake joked: "Yeah, it's actually the same dugout, I think they've changed it. It'll be my same seat!

"I'm going there as Dunfermline manager, and that's all I'm really bothered about.

"My Dundee time is in my past. I'm now invested in this football club, and the group of players we've got, and we're going up there to win the game.

"Again, it would take us into the semi-final of a competition, it would be another win, but they'll be decent.

"They're currently (joint) second (on points) in their league, but they had been on a great run, previous to the Arbroath and Raith Rovers games, and they've got some good players.

"It doesn't matter who we're playing, we want to win the game, whether that's Dundee, FC Edinburgh or Falkirk.

"They're all as important because they're the next one, and that's what we've got.

"Of course Dave, was with me at Dundee, Martin Harty (coach) was with me at Dundee, so it's a squad that we know very well, a group of players we know very well. Most of them, maybe one or two, three at the most, weren't there when we were there.

"I don't know how their manager works, how they train or whatever; as I say, my focus is on Dunfermline Athletic.

"I'm proud to be going up there as Dunfermline manager, and where we are, and where we've been, since the start of the season. I'm really happy with how it's going.

"I knew the question would come up at some point, about going back there, but I've genuinely no issue about it, no problem.

"It's another game that we want to go and get a right good performance in, and by doing that, we'll give ourselves a chance in the game."

McPake, who is set to be without his loan quartet for the tie, but was hopeful Rhys Breen would recover from the illness which sidelined him on Saturday, insists that the SPFL Trust Trophy - which the Pars have never won - is an important competition for his team.

"We go up and we give it everything to try and progress in the cup. As I've said on record before, it's an important competition for us. We want to win the game," he continued.

"There's an expectancy when you're at this football club, regardless of who you're playing, whether it's Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup, or if we had to draw a Premiership team in the Scottish Cup or the League Cup, they still expect us to go and give them a right good game, and make them proud.

"I like cup competitions, I really do, night time games, it's live on TV. You add all that in, it's a club in the league above us, so we go up and give it a right good go.

"The message to the players is to go out and work as hard as we can, give it everything, and then Saturday will be around quick enough anyway. I think when you're winning games and you're top of the league, you want to just keep playing league games, but these are a wee welcome break from that in a different competition.

"There's a freshness about this for us. It's our third game in it, and I think it's the first time we've been on live TV this season, so there's a wee buzz about that.

"It's only good if the performance matches it."

Press Sport will be reporting live from the game and will have updates on the website.

Dundee have also confirmed that there will be a cash gate in operation for Pars fans wishing to attend tonight's tie, which kicks off at 7.45pm.