Michael O’Halloran knew straight away that Dunfermline was the club he wanted to be at.
That has been further vindicated by the atmospheres he has sampled since.
O’Halloran made his debut off the bench away to Raith Rovers in the opening Viaplay Cup match. That was after playing in a friendly hours after signing.
He then wasn’t seen until the draw at Tannadice.
Last weekend, the former St Johnstone forward was given his first competitive minutes at East End Park, starting in another Fife derby.
“I look at the infrastructure and the fans and it is a Premiership club,” said O’Halloran. “That is the first thing that I noticed.
Michael O’Halloran: ‘Dunfermline has that big-club feel’
“For whatever reason they ended up where they ended up but you hear the aspirations from everybody to get back there.
“It has that big-club feel about it and it’s good to come in an environment where they are always pushing. I like that challenge so for me it was the right decision.
“I came in to train for a few days and I knew straightaway looking about the place that I liked what I saw.
“When I spoke to the gaffer it was an easy choice.
“I noticed straight away that the fans are excellent, especially at home we have to make them back us and push you.
Connection between players and fans
“On Saturday we were pushing for that goal. It didn’t come but we got the feeling that they were with us and that is important.
“You can see that there is a good connection with the team on the pitch.”
O’Halloran has now recovered from the hamstring issue that saw him miss a number of matches earlier in the season.
He puts this down to going from not much football to suddenly taking on a larger workload.
It is also more common for the more explosive players to suffer such injuries.
O’Halloran on ‘pre-habbing’
“I have been fortunate not to have any bad injuries,” he said. “Quicker players are more prone to hamstring injuries which is why you have got to be that bit more careful.
“When you are explosive you put a lot of tension so it is about ‘pre-habbing’ and making sure that they are strong and right.
“I’m in training and playing again so it is getting better.”
Focus for Dunfermline now turns to Inverness, pointless after three matches and propping up the Championship table.
“We have to focus on ourselves,” said O’Halloran. “We are aware of their threat but I think it is important that we go and impose ourselves.”
