Dunfermline's Dapo Mebude on life-threatening crash in Belgium

The 23-year-old former Rangers and Scotland under-21 player penned a one-year contract last week, having spent several weeks in training with the club, and hopes to kick-start  his career again.

He made his debut as a second half substitute during Saturday's draw with Airdrieonians, which was his first competitive, first team minutes since January, when he spent five days in a coma, in hospital in Brugge, after a car accident.

Dapo Mebude made his Pars debut on Saturday. (Image: Craig Brown.)

Mebude was playing in Belgium for KV Oostende, who were declared bankrupt in June, when his vehicle left the road, and required him to also undergo emergency surgery.

He explained: "Immediately after the first week, you're probably thinking I'm lucky to be alive, but quickly your attention just changes straight back to football, and when can you get back on the pitch.

"Basically, I had the accident and I had a contusion, which is like a bruising around my chest, heart area.

"They thought it was actually worse than what it was, so they had to open me up, and suck some of the bruising away. I was in a coma for five days, in the hospital for quite a bit.

"I had good support around me - my family, my girlfriend - and I've just had good people around me to get me through it to be fair.

"Some days were obviously a lot harder than others, and sometimes you're thinking whether you'll get back to yourself, whether you can do normal things, I suppose.

"I'm quite driven and quickly my attention changed straight back towards being a footballer again.

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"I just want to thank the club for giving me an opportunity. I really want to repay them and hopefully everyone sees the best of me here."

Mebude has signed a one-year contract at KDM Group East End Park. (Image: Craig Brown.)

Mebude added: "Obviously my club went bankrupt, so it's been a weird year.

"I'm just really happy to be a given opportunity. Now it's down to me to keep building on everything week by week.

"I'm not where I want to be right now in terms of my fitness or sharpness, but I think I can still add something now and hopefully over the course of the season, the club can see the best of me."

Pars boss James McPake added: "I'm sure he told you himself he has had a tough time recently, but he is looking really good and, if we get him right and get him going, then he's a right talent.

"He is certainly different from the others that we've got, in a good way, with the qualities he has. '

"He is very dynamic, very strong, clever, and, to be fair to him, he's played a fair bit of football as well for a younger one."