PETER GRANT paid homage to his new club’s treasured past as he outlined his intentions to achieve automatic promotion with Dunfermline Athletic.

The 55-year-old was unveiled on Friday morning and he made it crystal clear that the Premiership is where he wants the Pars to be.

In his first interview since being appointed, he told the Press that memories of East End Park as a player will drive him on to take the club back to Scotland’s top-flight for the first time in a decade.

“It was always a place that you loved coming to because it was always full, the old terracing and whatever,” he said.

“It was one of those stadiums with the crowd so close to you, even coming down the steps to go onto the pitch was something different.

“You were playing against Norrie McCathie, God rest his soul, Istvan Kozma and a lot of other talented boys. You always knew that you were in for a game here, you always looked upon Dunfermline as one of the big clubs and one of the big games – a tough game every time.”

He did, however, warn that in order for the club to replicate past glories, they would have to earn it and could not rely on heritage to get them to where they want to be.

“I was down in England for 25 years and you see this ‘big club’ sitting in the fourth division living on memories,” he stated.

“I am not one for that, I am all about the future and what we can achieve next that will bring supporters in the door when they are allowed back.

“Then go home on a Saturday night delighted that they have seen their team play well, winning and trying to get to the Premiership.

“I love playing under that pressure and hopefully the players can use that pressure in the right way, get excited about it and not feel that it’s a noose round their neck.”

Grant joins Dunfermline having only recently resigned from his post at Alloa Athletic after failing to keep the part-time club in the Championship and enduring relegation to the third tier.

His Alloa side may have played attractive football last season but were on the receiving end of some disappointing and heavy defeats which would ultimately cost them their place in the league.

Stating his delight at the players already tied down for the upcoming season, the former Wasps boss is confident Dunfermline can play in his style while also achieving the points required to seal promotion in his first season.

He said: “You have very good players here but when people talk about entertaining, it is winning games, scoring goals, getting crosses into the box and defending your own box well. Alloa played in a certain style and everybody talks about how well we played but we ended up getting relegated through different circumstances.

“In the entertainment business people want to come through the door, be excited and like what they are watching. That is what we have got to try and achieve.

“The one thing that I will demand is 100 per cent commitment. I have to give that to the players and the players have to give that to the supporters because that is what football is. We are there to produce for them, that never changes, that is what your job is.

“I want to excite them.

“People talk about certain styles, it is not about styles: people want commitment from your players. I know the style that I want to play of course – fast-flowing, attractive football – but we did that last year and got relegated. You have got to be able to defend better as a group.

“There are different ways to play the game and still win the game.

“I have a style that I want to play and I know that I have the players here who can do that.”

l More on Peter Grant’s appointment from Pars chairman Ross McArthur inside.