Stephen Kenny insists he was surprised to be sacked by Dunfermline - despite the pre-season promotion favourites sitting second bottom in Division One.

"The last couple of games had been okay," the former manager told The Sun.

"The Challenge Cup was tight and it had been indicated that everything was fine and I'd be managing the club this week, despite losing to Dundee.

"All I was doing was concentrating on the game this weekend. But, when I heard, I was surprised."

Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston had called Kenny out of a team meeting to deliver the bad news.

But Kenny expressed no hard feelings despite being axed a relatively short time after his move from Derry City.

"I've been here just over a year and, overall, there's been highs and lows," he said.

"The experience of knocking Rangers out of the Scottish Cup then beating Hearts and Hibs and playing Celtic in the final have been great.

"I enjoyed the Challenge Cup final as well, even though we ended up losing it."

Kenny had taken over at East End Park after a disappointing start to last season under director of football Jim Leishman.

"I thought I had a right good stab at keeping us up last season and it wasn't until virtually the last day that we went down," said the Irishman.

"That's just the way it goes and I wish Dunfermline all the best for the future. It's a great club.

"I'll view this as an opportunity missed to manage a club like this over a long period of time."

There had been speculation before his departure of a split in the dressing-room, while Kenny himself had hinted that some of his experienced players were not pulling their weight.

But he stressed: "I don't feel the players let me down.

"It's a club full of professional guys.

"Unfortunately, results weren't going our way and when that's the case then you just have to accept it.


Thought Kenny was going to promise big things after he nearly miraculously rescued Dunfermline from the SPL drop and put up a great fight against Celtic in the cup final. String of bad results though and that was the end. He'll probably end up back in the Eircom League, could be sooner rather than later if John Robertson doesn't get his finger out at Derry City

Thought he would do a better job than that but obviously things never worked out.

He's being linked with Cork City today after Damien Richardson announced he would be stepping down as their boss. Could end up with Derry again though like you say if Robertson doesnt start doing something

Removed by CFCBhoy - Spammer I've waited sooo long to do this