EUAN MURRAY has been named as Dunfermline’s new captain in a move that head coach Stevie Crawford said he had “no hesitation” in making.

The 26-year-old, who joined the club last summer from Raith Rovers, will take over the armband from midfielder Paul Paton, who departed in May, for the coming season.

Experienced midfielder Ryan Dow, 29, will be Crawford’s vice-skipper after Lee Ashcroft, who had that role last term, also left the club after his contract expired in May.

The news comes after what has been a whirlwind week at East End, which saw German investment group DAFC Fussball GmbH acquire shares in the club last Tuesday, while an eighth addition to the squad was confirmed yesterday (Wednesday).

Midfielder Scott Cusick, 18, has re-joined on a one-year deal – having initially penned a short-term contract in January until the end of the season – and will go on loan to League Two Brechin City for the season.

Centre back Murray was restricted to just 11 appearances last season through injury but, speaking to Press Sport, Crawford believes that his response to those setbacks are a big part of why he is the right fit for the role.

“There was no hesitation in the coaching staff when we spoke about it,” he explained.

“We saw Euan as a leader for the group. He’s got a great way about himself in terms of how he can handle a dressing room.

“In terms of his career, he’s shown he’s got a wee bit about him. He started at Motherwell, and he’s played down south and with Raith Rovers in the lower divisions, but he still sees, and we still see, that Euan can improve as a player, play at a higher level, and go on that journey with Dunfermline.

“The one thing with Euan is I think it won’t matter how he’s playing in a game; he’ll still be able to communicate with other players and encourage them to do their jobs properly.

“He can play several positions and the way he goes about his training, and the way he went about his business last year when he got the injury, he was still good about the place.

“He knows what it’s like sometimes to have to fight for something. If he’s had to fight for it and show the example, that’s who I’d want as my skipper, and it played a big part in me giving Euan the armband.”

Crawford, meanwhile, revealed that he had already spoken to Thomas Meggle – one of the four investors behind DAFC Fussball GmbH who is set to become the club’s sporting director – and said he was excited about what they will bring to the club.

He also said that Jackie McNamara, who had been assisting the club in a consultancy capacity, would “still be there for me throughout this and moving forward”, and continued: “Ross (McArthur, chairman) had kept me posted so it didn’t come as a shock to myself.

“I spoke to Thomas last week on a call with Ross. They’d done their homework on last season.

“Thomas was asking me questions about games that probably I didn’t even know, he’d spoken about my playing career, he knew about my coaching career, and when you’ve got guys taking an interest like that with all the experience they’ve had in football, and their other businesses, you’re talking about successful people that are hungry to allow Dunfermline the chance to grow and develop people.

“Thomas and the investment group are going to bring the scouting network that takes us places Dunfermline weren’t able to contemplate. It gives you the opportunity to look at things that maybe wouldn’t have come your way, and if that allows us the chance to get better, why would you not get excited by that?”