PAUL ALLAN admits he is "praying" that he can be involved for Saturday's trophy day after picking up a knock at the weekend.

The 23-year-old made his first start since August during the weekend's draw at Airdrieonians, having missed a large chunk of the season through injury, but was forced off with a dead leg at half-time sustained in a challenge with his pal, and ex-Par, Callum Smith.

Added to that, the midfielder revealed to Press Sport this week that he picked up a groin strain in training on Tuesday, and is anxiously hoping he will be fit enough to feature against Clyde at KDM Group East End Park, although boss, James McPake, said that he thinks Allan will be fit.

Dunfermline's final home match of the season will also see them lift the League One trophy, having clinched the title in their previous home game with Queen of the South, and youth product Allan said: "I've just got no luck at the moment! Hopefully it's nothing too serious, and I'm praying I can be involved on Saturday.

"I'll rest up, ice it and I'm really hoping I can be involved. It's an occasion you're not going to be involved in every so often, so it's one that everyone's definitely looking forward to, and one that everyone will want to be part of.

"This season, on a personal note, has obviously not been ideal with the amount of time I've spent off through injury, so to get back involved last week was excellent. I was hoping to kick-on from there for the remainder of the season but, with this wee strain, I'm not sure.

"I'm really hopeful I can pull through and play a part on Saturday."

A stress fracture in his foot, which required an operation, sidelined Allan, who had played in every competitive game prior under James McPake, until the turn of the year.

He made his first appearance as a substitute in last month's home draw with FC Edinburgh, and has played 10 times in total so far this term.

Despite not playing as often as he'd have liked, Allan admits that picking up the trophy on Saturday will be extra special because of the injury setback, and thoroughly enjoyed the celebrations after the Queen of the South match.

He's hoping for more this weekend, which will also see the players attend the Centenary Club Player of the Year event, and continued: "The celebrations were brilliant. We had it planned; we were up in the hospitality suite for a bit after with family, and then we booked the Old Inn in Dunfermline, and had celebrations there. It was the busiest I've seen it anyway!

"It was brilliant, so hopefully there's more of the same on Saturday. The crowds have been excellent this season, so hopefully there'll be another big one for us and the boys lifting the trophy. It should be a good day out for everyone."

The club are also bidding to end the league season unbeaten at home, and prolong their 22-match unbeaten streak in the division, which they continued with Saturday's draw at Airdrieonians, despite having two men sent off.

"With the performance we had against Queen of the South and the result that eventually won us the league, some people could look at it as a nothing game for us, but that's not the way we went into it," Allan said.

"We've still got a lot to play for record-wise, and we want to do as well as we can and finish as strong as we can.

"It was a game that we were looking to win, but one that I feel as though maybe we did play with that wee bit less pressure, maybe that wee bit arrogance for getting the job done.

"I think it just resembles the togetherness and that spirit not to get beat that we've shown for the majority of the season. The boys, we obviously know we're on an unbeaten run – I think we managed to break the club's record – so to keep that going, even being down to nine men, is credit to the boys.

"The Saturday after the Queen of the South game, we enjoyed ourselves. It's been a long season and that was always the main goal in the end, to get promoted back to the Championship. To achieve that, we were always going to celebrate after we'd managed that, but I think it was easy. The gaffer and Dave wouldn't have anything less than that, and they implemented it into the squad to give it 100 per cent.

"I think, just the boys in general, everyone's got that attitude. Everyone wants to play and if you want to be part of the starting eleven, you've got to give it everything. If you're showing signs that you're not, then you're not going to play; you're just going to sit on the bench.

"I think it's a bit of an incentive for yourself to start the match. You want to do well for yourself and the club.

"It was one I think everyone enjoyed playing in. Hopefully it can be the same this Saturday for the trophy."