Dunfermline v Queen's Park preview: Barry Nicholson on East End return

But he is hoping that he can "get a decent reception before and after the game" as he takes his place in the away dugout when Queen's Park visit in a crucial Championship clash this afternoon.

The 46-year-old made 206 appearances in five years as a player with the Pars, before leaving to join Aberdeen, and former management team, Jimmy Calderwood and Jimmy Nicholl, in the summer of 2005.

Arguably the highlight of his time in black and white was helping the club reach the 2004 Scottish Cup final, whilst also finishing fourth in the top flight, against Celtic at Hampden.

In the absence of injured skipper, Scott Thomson, Nicholson captained the Pars on that sunny May afternoon, having also scored one of the most iconic goals in the club's modern history in the semi-final replay, against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, to clinch their place in the showpiece.

Although they lost the game 3-1, after Andrius Skerla had memorably given them the lead, the achievements of the team of 20 years ago was fondly remembered at a celebration evening at the Carnegie Hall last night.

READ MORE: Pars nostalgia: 'We would've had cup final penalty with VAR'

Press Sport exclusively caught up with Nicholson, who arrived at the Spiders in the summer as assistant to his former Preston North End team-mate, and one-time Pars coach, Callum Davidson, for a trip down memory lane ahead of the event - and he spoke of his excitement at returning to his old stomping ground.

"It's going to strange going back to East End hoping to get one over Dunfermline, but, obviously, that's the nature of the job," he said.

"I'm really looking forward to it and really looking forward to getting back to East End, because I've not been back regular enough since I left.

"Hopefully I can get a decent reception before and after the game! I'm really looking forward to going back because I've got a great rapport with the fans up there, so it's something I'm really looking forward to.

Barry Nicholson, pictured celebrating against Clyde 20 years ago, is hoping for a good reception from the Pars fans this afternoon. (Image: Blair Westwaters / DAFC.)

"We've done ok. We've got a really, really young group. Queen's Park's philosophy is play younger players, try and get them in the first team, try and sell them on, or try and get them to make loads of appearances in our first team before moving.

"They're a brilliant group of lads. I've really enjoyed it. We've made a steady start - won two, lost two, drawn two - after six games. We're sitting mid-table, which is ok just now, and we had a decent cup run, in the Premier Sports Cup.

"We were really unfortunate up at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, they scored really late on to beat us, and we're hoping that we can just keep progressing and keep improving the lads.

"Everybody up the road on Saturday will be hoping we slip up, but we're hoping we can keep our run going and get another three points."

Meanwhile, Pars gaffer, James McPake, has said his side need to return to the levels of performance in their last home game in order to achieve a positive result.

READ MORE: Dunfermline boss in injury and trialist update ahead of Queen's Park clash

That 2-0 win over Raith Rovers in the Fife derby was followed by a late 1-0 loss at Partick Thistle last weekend, an encounter in which he felt his side didn't look after the ball well enough.

"They are a good team," McPake said this week.

"Callum Davidson is another manager with a lot of experience at a higher level, and in this league, at the end of last season and this. He is a good manager, a good coach and I don’t know how he would have felt with the point against Ayr last week.

"I saw in his interview that he wasn’t too pleased with the performance so, if that’s the case, it is two managers going into the game that weren’t pleased with their last performances.

READ MORE: Pars loan out defender to League One outfit

"He has lost a few (players) but he has recruited pretty well. It will be a tough game, a game we need to get back to performing at our level. We believe if we do that then we can go and win this game.

'It is about moving on'

"It was hardworking (against Thistle). The game in general was a bit boring because there wasn’t much action in either box.

The Pars were beaten by a last minute goal at Partick Thistle last weekend. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"It was a boring game and I’m sure Kris Doolan (Partick manager) is saying the same. Ultimately, he got three points and he is delighted with that. In this league, that happens. If you can pick up a point or points here and there, those are the games that, come play-off time or title time, that count for you.

"I said in pre-match last week how everybody was talking about how we had turned the corner, and somebody was having a nightmare start, but if you take out Ayr United, Falkirk and Livingston, everybody else could say the same. At the start we were saying this is terrible but, when you get the win, everybody is buoyant again. Thistle would have been saying the same.

"Credit to Livingston, they have picked up a decent points tally, but there will be times in the season where those three teams will hit a part where it’s an absolute catastrophe that they are all going through. Every team is the same. Raith have had it, we have had it, Queen’s Park maybe, Airdrie at the minute, Thistle. Everybody is saying that they are going through it but it’s this league.

"It is about moving on. If you get a win, can you get another one on the back of that? Lose the game, can you go and get the three points the following week? This league is like that. It would be great if it wasn’t.

"I’d bite your hand off for either Falkirk, Livingston or Ayr United’s starts, but it is just a start, and I think every other team will be saying the same.

"They all realise in this league if you get a few wins on the bounce you are flying and everybody is talking good again, everything is brilliant. You lose a game and it’s back to the drawing board.

James McPake is hoping to guide his team back to winning ways. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"At the minute there are probably seven other managers in the same mindset. After winning last week Kris at Thistle will be saying the same, ‘we now need to go and win again.’ "It is a revolving league where every manager has that. I’m sure it will come to Scott Brown, Davie Martindale and John (McGlynn) at Falkirk where they have a wee spell. It is just about remaining calm.

"This is the league that I’m experienced in the most. I’m not saying that helps me, but I know the situations you find yourself in. It’s just get back to normal during the week, get the players going again, and take them into the next game. If you come away with three points it’s good again.

"The Raith game was a great night but we quickly had to move on because you know what’s coming next. Hopefully Saturday, if we win the game, you are alright Saturday night, but by Sunday you are focusing on Airdrie away the following week and what comes with it."