When defence became a pressing priority for Dunfermline in January due to injuries, manager James McPake unusually ended up making two loan signings in the same position from the same club.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott, known to McPake from a previous injury-curtailed spell at Dundee, arrived first, followed on deadline day by Cardiff City team-mate Xavier Benjamin.
Pars fans knew little about the duo and the 5-0 hammering from Morton and the 3-0 loss to Queen’s Park did not help with their settling-in period in a new country and a different style of football.
But both have since scored for the Fifers – Fagan-Walcott against Arbroath before the pair netted and played key roles in Friday’s crucial 3-1 victory over Partick Thistle.
What can Dunfermline expect from the duo for the remainder of the season?
Courier Sport has spoken to Darren Purse, the former Birmingham City and Cardiff centre-half, who is now the Welsh club’s under-21s manager, to find out.
Xavier Benjamin
“We signed Xavier as an 18-year-old from Fulham, so he has a really good category one academy upbringing,” said Purse.
“As a young man, you won’t find a better one. He’s a real leader, which is quite rare nowadays with young players.
“He’s been my captain for 18 months and he’s a really good communicator. He likes to drive himself on and the players around him on.
“He takes real pride in wanting to improve as a young footballer. He has an exceptional attitude and a real good character.
“Xavier was the academy player of the year last season, which was for right across the academy and not just the under-21s.
“He’s a player who epitomises that working hard and having the right attitude can take you a long way in football.
“He does that. He approaches everything he does in the right manner.”
Malachi Fagan-Walcott
“Malachi left Spurs and I know their under-21 manager quite well,” explained Purse. “So, I asked him for a character reference – and he spoke really well of him.
“He’s probably not as loud as Xavier, he’s quite quietly spoken, or have quite the same leadership qualities. But he still approaches everything with the right attitude.
“For a centre-half, he’s an exceptional talent with the ball. He can play a defence or midfield-splitting pass and is really calm and composed in tight areas.
“He probably needs to bring a bit of aggression into his game. But he’s got all the physical and technical attributes to be a top, top player.
“Hopefully over the next few months he’ll go and improve and progress, and pave the way for himself in professional football.”
Loan benefits
Purse added: “Their pedigree from academy football is exceptional. If you look at the two academies they’ve come through, Tottenham and Fulham are probably two of the best academies in England.
“For them to come through there and to progress their careers at Cardiff, these loans are just the next stepping stone for them to go and prove themselves in men’s football.
“Do I think they’ll both go and progress? I do. I think they’ve both got different attributes that will stand them in good stead for their careers.
“I’ll be keeping a close eye on them as the weeks progress.
“You can play as many under-21s matches as you want. But nothing ever prepares you for playing for three points on a Saturday afternoon. That’s when people’s mortgages and careers are on the line and promotion and relegation are on it. It’s huge.
“That drive and desire to win a football match is only something you can get from men’s football.
“Do I think both players have got that? Yes. It’s down to them over the next few months to graft at it and try to build their future wherever that may be.
“I’ve got every confidence that both of them will show the Dunfermline fans how good a player they are.”
