IAIN WILSON is looking forward to a fresh start with Dunfermline after taking advice from a familiar face in their changing room.

The 21-year-old became Stevie Crawford's sixth summer signing last Friday when he penned a two-year contract after leaving Premiership Kilmarnock.

Irvine-born Wilson, who is preparing to move from his home in North Ayrshire to Dunfermline next month ahead of pre-season training, has followed Dom Thomas in making the switch from Rugby Park to East End Park.

Speaking to Press Sport, he revealed that the winger helped sell him on joining a club that he has come up against in each of the last two seasons during loan spells with Queen of the South, and is relishing a new challenge.

"It's obviously a big club and I think they're showing a bit of ambition to try and get up to the top end of the league, so hopefully we can do that," Wilson commented.

"Obviously I know Dom from Killie. I spoke to him and Greg Kiltie (who was on loan with the Pars last season) and they spoke highly of it. They spoke highly of the training and that it's a good set-up here.

"There's been a bit of a change of players at Dunfermline, so maybe not too many of them are still there (from when he played with Queens), but I think they have made a few good signings.

"I think there's a couple of teams in that league now that you'd say, on paper, should be Premiership teams. It's definitely going to be difficult, but hopefully we can be up at the top end."

Having joined Kilmarnock at under-10 level, Wilson progressed through the ranks at Rugby Park, making his first team debut at the age of 17 as a substitute against Aberdeen.

He has represented Scotland from under-17 level up to the under-21s – playing alongside Kevin O'Hara and Cammy Gill with the under-19s along the way - and played 51 times in all for Killie.

Wilson also featured 26 times for Queens, even scoring against the Pars in a 2-1 win last April, and, asked whether it was tough to leave, he laughed: "No, I was released!

"It was obviously disappointing but I saw it coming. It's not been a great two years there, so I was pretty pleased to get a fresh start.

"It's alright if you're on the bench, as long as you're involved, but the last few years at Killie's not been like that.

"It'll all be new for me so I'm looking forward to it."

Wilson is set to flat-share with a couple of his new team-mates - although he doesn't yet know who - when he moves to West Fife, and is eager to meet up with the squad when guidelines allow in preparation for the new campaign.

Although seen predominantly by his new manager as a central midfielder, the 6'2" player can be deployed in other positions, including centre back and right back.

Whilst there was interest from other clubs, Wilson added: "It was sorted pretty quickly. That was the only concrete one.

"I'd spoken to another few teams but, once I'd spoken to the manager, I was keen to go.

"I think there's a few boys with good experience that you can learn off, and the coaching staff as well, and there's a few boys round my age. It should be good.

"I just work hard. I don't think there's any point in saying I can do this, that and the next thing, I just need to try and get a place in the team first and foremost."