James McPake has told Josh Edwards he WILL get a move away from Dunfermline in the future, after the club rejected a bid from Barnsley during the transfer window.
The English League One strugglers offered what is understood to have been a six-figure sum for the defender but were knocked back by the East End Park board.
McPake has praised the club’s decision-makers for recognising the significant value of Edwards to the Pars and turning down the approach.
The 23-year-old joined the Fifers in 2019 from Airdrie and has been a key figure in recent seasons.
McPake is adamant it would have been extremely difficult for him and his backroom team to replace the powerful left-back.
And he is convinced the former Kilmarnock youth, who has one more season on his contract at Dunfermline, will go on attracting suitors if he maintains his high performance levels.
He said: “A bid was knocked back from the club, but that was a worry right up until (the transfer deadline) last Thursday.
“We know how important he is and the club were great with that; David (Cook, CEO), the board. It was quite a simple decision for them.
“Obviously, if a daft bid comes in then of course it gets looked at – but by daft I mean a high bid.
‘Real intent’ from DAFC
“For what Josh is worth to us and what he can do, the club knocked that back. It shows real intent from them as well.
“Keeping Josh was very important, for what he does in the team. He could get injured, that’s just the way football is, but a player of his profile is really hard to find.
“And the way he plays that left wing/left wing-back role, I don’t see many like that out there.
“It was very important we kept him. He’s performing at a really high level.”
McPake added: “I’ve said to him, the moves will come for him.
“If he keeps doing what he’s doing for us, he’ll go and have fantastic career because he’s doing everything right.
“He’s training right, he’s working right and he’s looking after himself right.
“He’ll deserve whatever comes for him in football, but we’re delighted to keep him.”
The retention of Edwards gains further significance when Dunfermline’s injury list is taken into account.
He was the only one of McPake’s preferred back five from the start of the campaign to feature in Saturday’s chastening 5-0 hammering at home to Morton.
With skipper Kyle Benedictus, Rhys Breen, Aaron Comrie and, now, Sam Fisher all out of action with long-term injuries, the Pars have struggled with continuity in defence.
Defeat for Pars ‘not acceptable’
That was in stark evidence at the weekend as they conceded some astonishing goals against ‘Ton.
But with Malachi Fagan-Walcott playing for only the second time and his Cardiff City team-mate Xavier Benjamin making an inauspicious debut, McPake knows the capitulation was not acceptable.
He added: “It’s not as simple as moving on.
“When we win, we analyse the game, and when you lose any game you analyse it.
“But particularly one like that (Saturday’s). You need to take the time to go over that and put that right, because it’s not acceptable.”
Dunfermline slumped to eighth in the table at the weekend.
They are back in action this weekend when they host Queen’s Park in a rearranged Championship fixture.
They then face bottom side Arbroath seven days later in the second of two massive games in the next fortnight.
