ATHLETIC are set to take up an option to extend Josh Edwards' stay at KDM Group East End Park.

The 23-year-old, who scored the opening goal during Saturday's win at former club, Airdrieonians, signed a contract extension with the Pars in January, which runs until the end of this season.

Full-back Edwards' future was raised during a supporters meeting, attended by chairman and CEO, David Cook, and manager, James McPake, last week, and the latter has revealed Dunfermline have an option to keep the player for longer - which they intend to take up.

McPake has revealed that the left-sided player's name is one that crops up whenever he speaks to other bosses in the game, and that the Pars rejected an offer made for him in January.

"The club has an option in our favour to extend Josh’s contract if we want to keep him," McPake explained.

"I had heard a few rumours that he was out of contract and teams will be looking at him, but that's not the case. One hundred per cent we will be taking up that option.

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"Josh has been great for us and he’s getting better. The difference in him from this season to last season is big. He’s still putting in the performances in the Championship that he was in League One, if not I would say better.

"Every other manager I speak to asks about him. There was a club that tried to take him in January, but we turned them down. He’s excellent, a really good player and really good to work with."

McPake continued: "He wants to learn and in Dave (Mackay, assistant manager) he has a fantastic former full-back he can learn from.

"Dave played 600-odd games and he’s probably forgotten more about being a full-back than Josh knows, so he’s adding to that and, hopefully, we can get Josh to the point where he’s closer to Dave.

"He can go on and have a fantastic career, he’s got all the tools he needs. Every time I’m at a game or I meet someone or I’m speaking to a pundit or whatever, Edwards is one of the ones they bring up.

"He’s a good player, and a good guy as well."