Live Commentary

Mason in dark over Pars future Gary Mason admits the Dunfermline squad are still in limbo after being relegated from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Monday following their 4-0 defeat at Hibernian. The 32-year-old midfielder is one of 14 players out of contract this summer and manager Jim Jefferies will not meet the Pars board until Tuesday to discover plans and budgets for the First Division next season. Mason trained alone during the summer of 2009 after being freed by St Mirren and before he was handed a short-term deal at Hamilton, and he knows he could be looking at a similar fate this year if shown the door. However, in the meantime, he and his team-mates have to wait to see what their respective futures hold. Speaking ahead of the last SPL game of the season against Kilmarnock at East End Park on Saturday, Mason told Press Association Sport: "We are in limbo. A lot of the boys are out of contract and whatever the club decide to do is out of our hands, we have to wait and see what happens. "I was involved in getting the team promoted which was nice but it shows you how things can turn around. "It's hard to get out of your head what happened on Monday night. "We didn't win enough games to stay up and it's not a nice thing, obviously, and the feeling is still stuck in my throat. "But it's the reality and you have to deal with it and see what the future holds." If given some good news by Jefferies next week, Mason vowed to give his all in the First Division next season in order to help the Fifers return to the SPL at the first time of asking. "I have been here a number of years and had great times here, I have really enjoyed it," he said. "It's obviously not nice when you get relegated but it's about how you bounce back. "The First Division is never an easy league to get out of. It is a contrast to the SPL but that's where you want to play your football, you want to test yourself against the best. "I'm sure young players coming through will think the same. "The challenge is to get out first time of asking, that's the aim." Mason insists there will be no problems with motivation against Killie, despite the fixture being meaningless. He said: "We will give it everything we've got." Dunfermline's Alex Keddie returns from suspension but fellow defender Austin McCann is out with a leg injury while midfielder Ryan Thomson is a doubt with a knee problem. Kyle Letheren could play in goal for Kilmarnock in place of Cammy Bell, while manager Kenny Shiels may decide to introduce other young talent. Striker Paul Heffernan (groin), defenders Zdenek Kroca (knee) and Manuel Pascali (broken leg) plus midfielder Garry Hay (knee) and Danny Buijs (hamstring) remain out. Shiels has himself called for a swift conclusion to discussions over his future as Kilmarnock boss to end any uncertainty at Rugby Park. Shiels steered Killie to victory in the Scottish Communities League Cup in March and takes his side to Dunfermline seeking to consolidate their seventh-placed position in the table. The Northern Irishman then wants to agree a new deal with chairman Michael Johnston, with talks yet to take place. "It needs to be wrapped up in a manner which is in the best interests of the club," Shiels told Press Association Sport. "And the best interests of the club is to have me as the manager, I feel. That's what everyone else thinks as well." Shiels stepped up from his position as assistant boss to succeed Mixu Paatelainen as manager last March and the lack of clarity over his future is nothing new. He added: "This time last season I was in the same situation where I didn't know if I was going to be the manager or not. It's the same scenario. "There's nothing there at the minute for me, so tomorrow could be my last day. You never know. "I want to have optimism about the place. It's very important to me that I'm still part of Kilmarnock after Saturday. I want to be. "I want to put the team first and see where it takes us." Shiels has begun planning for next season and is eager to build on this campaign. "It's a big challenge and we'll endeavour to do that," he added. Killie enter tomorrow's final round of fixtures with a two-point lead over eight-placed St Mirren, who play at Aberdeen, but an inferior goal difference. "It's important to me to finish seventh," Shiels added. "It's been a fantastic, absolutely brilliant season."