James McPake delighted to keep ‘important’ Deniz Mehmet at Dunfermline and praises calming influence

James McPake is “over the moon” after Deniz Mehmet signed a three-year contract.

The goalkeeper is the final squad member from last season to sort out his future since Dunfermline clinched the League One title.

Mehmet was chosen as the manager’s player of the year after he was part of a record-breaking season.

The Pars boss has stressed the importance of continuity and was delighted to get his goalkeeper signed up for the next few seasons.

Mehmet a key player for Dunfermline squad, says James McPake

“He’s a really important player,” said McPake, “an important person in the dressing room.

“His record this season speaks for itself. He’ll be desperate to kick on again.”

Mehmet recorded more clean sheets in a single season than any other Dunfermline goalkeeper, bettering the record set by Ian Westwater.

Big saves for Dunfermline keeper

There were games when he didn’t face much action – but when the 30-year-old was called upon, he pulled off some big saves.

“A lot of games we were maybe winning 1-0, or we were up in games, and he wasn’t getting an awful lot to do,” added the Dunfermline manager.

“You see that in the teams that go on and have a bit of success – at times, their goalkeeper isn’t worked a lot.

“There’s been a lot of games where Deniz hasn’t been worked and then, all of a sudden, he pulls off a big stop that wins us the game or keeps us in the game.

“Like the Airdrie one down there, the 1-1, I think he had three or four that day that were fantastic saves.

“You look at the fact we go down to nine men, we hang on, and you come away with a lot of credit.

“But you also need your goalkeeper to pull off some big saves, and he does that on a regular basis.

Deniz Mehmet ‘calms team down’

“He’s got a trait in him that I really like in a goalkeeper – he plays without emotion. He’s very clear in his head.

“It’s not to say he’s not an emotional person or he doesn’t get excited, but it’s just the way he calms the full team down.

“His decision-making’s been excellent all season, so he’s one of the ones we were very keen to get done.”