FORMER Pars boss Jim Jefferies is recovering after suffering a heart attack yesterday.

The 68-year-old, who is currently the sporting director with League Two club Edinburgh City, fell ill while playing golf at Gullane, East Lothian, and was taken to hospital.

He is, however, expected to make a full recovery and, in a statement on their website last night, Edinburgh City said: "As has been reported in tonight’s press, Sporting Director Jim Jeffries suffered a heart attack earlier today while on the golf course.

"We can confirm that club chairman Jim Brown has spoken to Jim on the phone this evening and are pleased to say that he is in good spirits and looking forward to making a full recovery.

"Both the club and Jim would like to thank everyone who has been in contact to wish him well and appreciate greatly their kind thoughts at this difficult time."

Athletic were among a number of clubs to post their well wishes to Jefferies, Tweeting: "Everyone at DAFC is wishing former manager Jim Jefferies a speedy recovery following falling ill earlier today.

"Get well soon Jim!"

As a player, Musselburgh-born Jefferies was synonymous with Hearts, for whom he made more than 300 appearances before ending his career at Berwick Rangers.

After leaving to manage Gala Fairydean, he returned to Shielfield Park in 1988 and, after turning the Borderers' fortunes around, was appointed Falkirk manager in 1990.

He twice guided the Bairns to the Premier Division - the second of which came at the expense of Bert Paton's Pars, by a point, in 1994 - before he was lured back to Tynecastle in 1995.

The highlight of his spell in Gorgie came in 1998, when he led the Jambos to a Scottish Cup final victory over Rangers, before he left in 2000 for a short spell with Bradford City.

He returned to Scotland with Kilmarnock, where he spent eight years and guided the Rugby Park club to the 2007 League Cup final, before he was reappointed Hearts boss in 2010.

However, after just two games of the 2011/2012 campaign, he and assistant Billy Brown were axed and, after Dunfermline parted ways with Jim McIntyre later that season, he took the reigns at East End.

Although he was unable to prevent the club's relegation from the SPL, Jefferies rebuilt his squad that summer, recruiting the likes of Josh Falkingham, Andy Geggan and Ryan Wallace, as the Pars set their sights on an immediate top flight return.

But, after a promising start, the club's plunge into administration saw 13 of their squad made redundant, and suffer a 15 point deduction.

That, ultimately, saw them finish second bottom of the table and, after a play-off final defeat to Alloa Athletic, they were relegated to the third tier.

Dunfermline finished the following campaign in second place behind Rangers but their hopes of promotion were ended by local rivals Cowdenbeath, who came out on top in the play-off final.

A poor start to the 2014/15 season, in which they were also knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Stranraer, saw Jefferies leave his post following a 3-1 defeat at Airdrieonians in December 2014.

He returned to football with Edinburgh City in February 2017 and, ahead of his current and former clubs meeting in this season's Betfred Cup, told Press Sport that while he "probably stayed a bit longer than I'd intended", he "really enjoyed" his time as Pars boss.