DENIZ MEHMET has said that he feels like he has a point to prove after opening up on a tough first season at East End.

The 29-year-old, who joined the club last summer after leaving Dundee United, has enjoyed two clean sheets from two games in Athletic’s opening matches of the Premier Sports Cup.

It has been an encouraging start to the campaign under new manager James McPake, and the London-born goalkeeper reckons there is a “different feel” around the changing room.

While last term was one to forget for everyone connected with Dunfermline, following their relegation to League One, Mehmet is hoping to play a bigger part in what he hopes will be a better season this time around after his own struggles last year.

Installed as first choice by the man who signed him, Peter Grant, he played in three of their opening four Premier Sports Cup group matches – and the last 16 exit to Rangers – and their opening three league matches, before losing his place in the side.

Mehmet played just two further games and, when asked by Press Sport following Tuesday’s win over Buckie Thistle if he had extra personal motivation, having not played as often as he’d have liked, he replied: “I definitely didn’t play as much as I would have liked to at all but I’m responsible for that myself.

“I’m well aware of what was going on at the start of the season but there were things that were happening, which people don’t realise.

“They only see you on the pitch but there’s other things that go on in our lives, unfortunately.

“I had game time out to recoup a little bit, and I only managed to get two games after that, towards the end of the season, but better than nothing.

“It was tough to be honest but I just wanted a little bit of a break away from it, and taken out the team, for myself and for the benefit of the team as well.

“It was just a matter of getting over it and, like I said, it’s a completely different feel this season.

“Like you said, I’ve got a point to prove, within myself as well, but the main thing is we get good results week-in, week-out.”

On the squad’s feelings, Mehmet revealed: “Overall it’s been good. There’s a different feel to the place this pre-season I feel, to what it was last year.

“We all know what happened last year, and how disappointing it was, but I feel the group that we’ve got at the moment has bounced back pretty well from it, it feels, so we just need to keep the performances going and keep the results coming our way.

“It’s a different feel when you come into a pre-season after being relegated. It’s not a nice feeling; I’m not going to say dreading it but it’s not the same excitement as it would be coming back having been promoted or keeping yourselves in the league and having a good end to the season.

“It was a horrible end to the season. But, like I said, I think we’ve picked ourselves up. Everyone’s in quite high spirits, and it’s showing on the pitch at the moment.”