Had he stayed on at Ross County, Coll Donaldson would have been looking forward to a push for European qualification in the coming weeks.
But the Dunfermline star insists he is instead thriving on a relegation battle with the Pars.
Donaldson experienced the highs and lows of football last week, not only in the Pars’ results but also in a mixture of emotions on Saturday afternoon.
After following up a Fife derby victory against Raith Rovers with a disappointing defeat to Kilmarnock just three days later, Donaldson traipsed off the pitch at Rugby Park to find out his parent club had made the top-six in dramatic fashion.
The 27-year-old is thrilled for his Dingwall team-mates but, since his January move to Fife, has been fully focused on Dunfermline’s bid to beat the drop that sees them sit six points clear in second-bottom.
“Obviously, congratulations to Ross County. It’s a great achievement for them and deserved,” he said.
“I know the work that they put in, I know the work that the management team put in up there; it’s not by luck that they’ve got to that position.
“But my focus is completely on Dunfermline and it has been since the minute I got here.
“You might call me old fashioned, but I’m still a football fan and I know what it means, the derbies, relegations and all the taunting.
“If you go to your work on a Monday morning and your team’s been turned over at the weekend, there’s nothing worse.
“I’m all in. I have been from the minute I’ve got here. I’m doing it for managers, I’m not doing it for myself.
“It’s just that I don’t want to be part of a Dunfermline team that goes down to League One. That’s not what I’m trying to do.”
Loan players can sometimes be accused of a lack of affinity with their temporary team and, ultimately, a lack of concern and effort.
However, Donaldson is adamant that is not him, and some impressive performances since he regained his fitness have presented the evidence for his claim.
The former Livingston, Dundee United and Inverness Caley Thistle defender added: “I would say this is the most comfortable I’ve felt playing since probably the Inverness the days. I feel confident within myself and I’m just trying to help the team.
‘It can take over your life’
“It’s been hard. It is mentally hard when you get beat on a Saturday. I was meant to be playing golf with my wee brother on Sunday – just, nah, no chance. It can take over your life. You have to try and separate the work from personal life.
“When we won that derby, I could see what it means to the fans, and I don’t want to be part of a team that lets fans go over the summer looking at playing in League One next year.
“That’s not what I’m looking to do. I’m looking to give them as much of a positive end to the season as we can.
“It’s still not a great season – a club like Dunfermline shouldn’t be, with three games to go, fighting for their lives to get out of a play-off or relegation in general – but that’s the motivation I take from that.
“I don’t want to send these fans away feeling like c**p, to be honest.”
