Matty Todd has set his sights on helping keep Dunfermline in the Championship after penning a new deal.
The 20-year-old has agreed a two-year extension with his boyhood club to stay on until 2024.
It is a dream come true for the midfielder, who if he was not playing would likely be in the East End Park stands with his pals.
But the youngster, who made his 10th straight appearance in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Hamilton, is determined to now ensure the bottom-of-the-table Pars do not suffer a nightmare as they battle against relegation.
Todd said: “I am delighted to sign on again but I know that I need to kick on now, I cannot rest on what I have done to earn that contract.
👓 His dad's glasses
💅 Nail-biting in the stands
🤝 Faith from the manager
⚽️ Youth getting a chance at #DAFC🆕️ Matty Todd interview ahead of Dunfermline's Hamilton showdown today 👇👇https://t.co/2qS46t4S8v
— Alan Temple (@alanftemple) December 4, 2021
“I need to kick on again and help keep the club in the Championship come the end of the season.
“It is not all about me, it is about the team. We need to pick up some results quickly and Saturday is definitely a confidence booster.”
Dunfermline were dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Partick Thistle earlier in the season and will make the most of what would have been a free weekend by playing their rearranged fixture against Inverness on Saturday.
Todd added: “Saturday was a good result. We needed the three points, considering the teams around us have picked up points again.
“We can’t rest on that though, we need to kick on now and get a run of results, and that starts again on Saturday against Inverness.
“We have picked up four points from six against Inverness this season so hopefully we can go and pick up another three points.”
Todd completed his first full 90 minutes of the campaign in Saturday’s victory over Accies and earlier this season – in the 3-1 defeat to Morton in November – netted his maiden goal for the club.
The tentative teenager who made his debut for the club in August 2018 was nowhere to be seen at the weekend as Accies manager Stuart Taylor was moved to complain about Todd’s fouling and physicality.
It is something the player himself admits he has been eager to add to his game, and it is just one improvement that has allowed him to feel he is a bigger part of a team he previously admits he was peripheral to in the past.
John Hughes’ influence
He said: “Yes, I feel like I am part of it now. I might have mentioned earlier in the season that I felt that I was disconnected but ever since that Morton game I have felt a right good part of the team.
“I am just absolutely delighted that the manager and the coaching staff have all kept their faith in me, and allowed me to kick on to show what I can do on the pitch.
“Day-in, day-out, week-in, week-out, the manager is always asking for me to do more – to run more, practice with the ball, shooting, crossing – the wee extra things that will help me through my own game.
“It is something that I have wanted to add to my game, be a bit more aggressive against my opponent, and Saturday I felt it was definitely one of my better performances in a Dunfermline shirt.”
