Alex Jakubiak is in line to make his Dunfermline debut this weekend at Queen’s Park.
After impressing in the first half of a recent friendly, the 27-year-old striker is ready to make his first competitive appearance for a Pars side that has been crying out for more firepower.
Jakubiak showed a bit of everything that he can do in his 45 minutes against a young Kilmarnock reserve side as he gets fully up to speed.
In a nice piece of symmetry, his first appearance for the Pars looks likely to be against the side he last played against.
Strong finish to last season for Dunfermline new boy Alex Jakubiak
On the final day of last season, Jakubiak scored the opening goal as Dundee sealed the Championship title away to Queen’s Park.
That put him on 10 goals for the season, not bad considering he spent the start of his campaign battling injuries.
That – being side-lined with niggling issues – was characteristic of much of his time at Dundee to that point.
Dundee fans were calling for Jakubiak to get more game time before he became a regular in Gary Bowyer’s title-winning side and it bodes well for Dunfermline that he finished last season on a high.
All the striker needs now is to build match sharpness and relationships with his team-mates.
Inside track on time Alex Jakubiak’s time at Dundee
Courier Sport’s Dundee FC correspondent George Cran watched Jakubiak up close during his time at Dens Park and said the following:
“Dundee fans were sad to see Jakubiak leave the club at the end of last season, which tells you a lot about his impact at Dens.
“Originally he was brought in to fill the void left by fan favourite Kane Hemmings but an ankle injury delayed his start to life at Dens and proved a sign of things to come.
“Injuries plagued his first two years at Dens Park and he just couldn’t get going.
“That changed last season, however, and he now seems to have got to the bottom of the issue.
“Fully fit, his talent came to the fore and he built up a deadly relationship with strike partner Zach Robinson.
“Jakubiak’s goal in the title-winning clash against Queen’s Park was his 10th of the season – the best goal return of his career.
“So Dunfermline are getting a player fully confident in taking on the Championship.
“He obviously knows manager James McPake well and will be a real asset to the Pars.
“Jakubiak did well as a lone striker in a Scottish Cup clash at Premiership St Mirren, holding the ball up well and providing a focal point.
“So he can do that but his strength is running at pace, with and without the ball, his footwork is good and he can play off the flank or in behind a No 9-type.
“He’s a likeable character around the place as well so he’ll slot into the dressing room well at East End Park.
“The only real surprise is it’s taken him this long to find a new club.”
