Dunfermline defender Kevin Rutkiewicz believes a clash with one of their relegation rivals is the ideal way to get the Pars’ return season in the SPL under way.
The first division champions welcome St Mirren to East End Park tonight, and the Buddies probably wouldn’t have been everybody’s choice for a curtain-raiser.
However, Rutkiewicz said, “I think it’s a good thing. If any of the boys were under any illusions that they could tip-toe their way into the season then this fixture proves otherwise.
“It’s a massive game straight off. Over the last 10 years it has been shown that if the promoted club can get off to a good start they usually stay up.
“You just have to look at Inverness Caley Thistle last season. They were up at fourth and fifth in the first few months and it meant they could cope with a slump in the second half of the season.
“You need to give yourselves a good platform and there’s absolutely no room for feeling your way in.
“For me it’s good that we’re playing a bottom-six rival. St Mirren will hope that they won’t be in the bottom six, but you have to go on what happened last year.
“We know that we’ll have to approach games differently to last season, but hopefully we can put on a good opening game and get a win.”
The opposition may suit the former St Johnstone and Aberdeen man, but he admitted he would have preferred the first division championship flag to be unfurled at East End Park on Saturday, rather than on a Monday evening.
Rutkiewicz explained, “For me personally I’d have loved a Saturday game in front of a full house.
“I know that games are on different nights these days, but for this one I must admit I was a wee bit disappointed. Not that it’s something we’ve spoken about, and other boys will probably think differently. It’s a personal thing.”
Rutkiewicz feels they couldn’t have given themselves a better chance of hitting the ground running in the top flight.
He said, “We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve managed to stay free of significant injuries. That was important because we’ve got a small squad.
“Things have shaped up well in our pre-season games. The matches in Austria were very tough and that was just what we needed, and I’ve been checking Huddersfield’s odds on winning their league, because they were very useful against us on Tuesday night.
“I know that pre-season can mean nothing, because I’ve been in teams that have won them all and then lost the first few games of the season, but in terms of performances, fitness levels and approach it’s been excellent.
“I’ve noticed that there’s been a bit more bite in training over the last couple of days and the boys are as ready as you can be.”