Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies hopes the club’s supporters will turn out in their droves on Monday night when Rangers come calling in the league.
Sky Sports coverage necessitated a date change for Dunfermline’s match with the Ibrox giants but Jefferies believes the slight deviation from the norm should not be a factor as they prepare to do battle with the league leaders.
“We would have liked it to be on a Saturday but TV has made it a Monday,” he said. “It’s not ideal but I think a lot of people will be off with it being Christmas and New Year.
“It’s not too bad and it’s not as if it was through the season.
“Friday night games at Ibrox have been popular with supporters and I think it’s all because people are not working the next day, whereas on a Monday they normally are working the next day, so you can understand that.
“So hopefully, we’ll get a good crowd and it’s a good game for everybody to look forward to.”
Rangers lost their 100% league record on Boxing Day as Stranraer struck a late equaliser at Ibrox, meaning Ally McCoist’s men remarkably dropped points for the first time this season.
However, Dunfermline have been in decent form of late and will fancy their chances of eating into Rangers’ 11-point lead.
The Pars gave as good as they got when the teams last met in November, with all the goals in Rangers’ 3-1 victory coming in the last 20 minutes of a bruising encounter.
Jefferies is expecting a similarly fierce contest when the teams line up on Monday night.
“I thought we put on a good performance at Ibrox when we played them last and 3-1 was a bit harsh on us I felt,” he said.
Home tickets are available but away tickets have sold out.