JAMES MCPAKE believes his latest addition is still capable of playing in the top flight and is someone that "a manager can trust".

The Dunfermline boss is confident Chris Kane will help his squad turn their season around, and is hopeful he can hit it off once more with one of his former team-mates.

The 29-year-old forward arrived at KDM Group East End Park earlier this week on loan from St Johnstone, and could be in line for a debut at home to Arbroath this afternoon.

McPake is hoping Kane's ability to find the net, and his big game experience, having won a domestic cup double with the Perth side in 2021, as well as featuring for them in Europe, can play a significant role in moving Athletic away from second bottom spot in the Championship.

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In addition to his former captain, Pars assistant boss, Dave Mackay, Kane has linked-up with two more former team-mates at McDiarmid Park, in the shape of Aaron Comrie and Michael O'Halloran.

McPake, who said Matty Todd and Alex Jakubiak are "very close" to a comeback, although this weekend could come too soon for them, lost Craig Wighton to injury for the rest of the season, making Kane's arrival all the more timely.

He expressed his hope that he and O'Halloran could provide renewed attacking vigour to his side, commenting: "To be fair, in a lot of the footage I watched, the two of them worked very well together and, in a lot of the games, it was against my team. I've had the chat with them to say any chance, whoever we play, could you work like that together again?

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"He knows Aaron of course as well from St Johnstone. I think they were pretty close there.

"He's hungry to get his career going because he feels that he's still Premiership level, which I agree with. I've not seen how it's went down with any types of fans or whatever, but I'd agree he is a Premiership level striker.

"He was winning cups just not that long ago and was unfortunate to get the injury. He's done ever so well for St Johnstone in big games, in Europe, semi-finals, cup finals, so he's certainly a player that a manager can trust.

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"Callum (Davidson, former St Johnstone manager, now Queen's Park head coach) showed that and, as I say, I know enough about him, I've played against him, I've seen him enough, and in this week working with him, he's one that will certainly help our squad."

Queen's Park, who defeated the Pars last weekend, were also reportedly interested in acquiring Kane, with their management team of Callum Davidson and Liam Craig having worked with him at Saints.

The player, however, made the move to Dunfermline, and McPake continued: "He's had one club, he's been out on loan a few times, maybe he fancied something different. I don't know - he gave us the time to meet him.

"I'm sure he either met Callum or spoke to Callum as well. I never asked that. I just said what we're trying to do at Dunfermline, how we do things.

"Obviously he knows Dave. I think Dave was at the end when Kano was really coming through, or establishing himself, but Dave knows him well from the youth teams and being a young kid training with the first time.

"When you know Queen's Park are in, and you know he's worked with another manager, and he knows Liam Craig very well as well, we're delighted he did choose here."