ALEX JAKUBIAK has hailed the "trust and belief" his manager has in him after agreeing a deal to reunite with him at Dunfermline.

The 27-year-old forward, who had been training with the club, signed for the Pars until the end of the season last Friday, and could make his debut in this Saturday's match with Queen's Park.

Although he was signed in time for the SPFL Trust Trophy clash at Dundee United, Jakubiak, who watched the match at Tannadice, wasn't risked in that game, but played 45 minutes for the reserves in their match with Kilmarnock at KDM Group East End Park on Tuesday.

The former Watford youngster, who has had loan spells with clubs including Falkirk, St Mirren and Partick Thistle, revealed that it was his first football since the final game of last season.

That match, in which he played, and scored, for Dundee against Queen's Park, helped secure the Championship title for the Dark Blues in what was a title decider between the clubs.

It also marked the end of his three year spell on Tayside, which began when McPake, then manager at Dens Park, signed him on a permanent basis.

The pair have remained in contact since and McPake revealed that he had tried to sign the player for Athletic in January.

Jakubiak, though, is pleased to be working again with his old boss and, speaking to Press Sport following his outing with the reserves, explained: "I was speaking to him a lot over the summer.

"I know what to expect from him and he knows what to expect from me. I think it was a shame that in my time with him at Dundee I didn’t really get to play a lot through injuries. He still kept a lot of trust and belief in me. Even at the end of the season, when I was out of contract, he was the first one to give me a call. That kind of helps knowing how much he was keen to get me in.

"We had a conversation (in January). I was just coming back from injury at the time. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I remember saying to him that I felt, once I got fit, I would be playing every week. That did happen towards the end of the season and I felt that I did well for myself at the back end of last season.

"I'm delighted to be here. I know that it is a cliche, but I’m buzzing to be here, I genuinely am. I'm excited at the opportunity to work with the gaffer again. It's one that I’m really looking forward to."

Injuries impacted his time with Dundee, particularly in his first season there, where made only five appearances, and Jakubiak revealed he took some time out back home in London following his departure from the club in the close season before deciding on his next move.

"Things are never quite as straightforward as maybe they might seem from the outside," he replied when asked why a deal had only just been struck with the Pars.

"I've not really had an off season in all my time at Dundee. Each off season I've been coming back from injury, so I just kept myself training. I took a little bit of a break and had some down time because I have been full-on, aside from the injuries, for the last three years.

"I've not really had any holidays at all, working over the summer when other boys might have been away.

"They were well deserved breaks but, for me, I've not had a full season in the last three years, so I didn’t think about a holiday. I just had some down time and spent a lot of time with my dog. It was good."

Having now joined Athletic, Jakubiak admits there is a sense of making up for lost time caused by those injuries, and is relishing the prospect of potentially making his debut at Hampden.

"The last time I actually played a game was the last game of the season for Dundee at Queen's Park," he added.

"It's funny how things work out like that, at Hampden as well. I've never played there. If that's the case, it will be a good one, and a new one for me as well.

"The gaffer asked me if I wanted to play (for the reserves) and I said 'yes, I'll get a run out'. I felt good during the 45 minutes. I probably could've done another 10, 15 minutes or so, but I feel good and ready to go."