EAST Fife manager Dave Baikie has thrown out transfer speculation linking the club with Dundee winger Freddie Daquin.

The Frenchman, who had spells with Hibernian and Dunfermline, was reported to have been in talks with the Fifers about a potential move, but that has been rejected by the manager.

He said: "That is not the case. There has been absolutely no interest. I don't know where that came from – it just seems to have been a rumour that has gathered a bit of pace."

The team begins pre-season training tonight (Wednesday) and Baikie insists there is a real enthusiasm after the club's promotion-winning campaign.

He said: "The players are well up for it and you would expect that, knowing they are going to be moving up a division.

"I got a text message from one of the boys the other day saying he couldn't wait to get going, so that's a good sign."

Preparing for the challenge of ascending a division, Baikie believes he has the squad needed to achieve the ultimate goal of a second championship win in a row.

He continued: "I want to win the league – that's my target. If I said I wanted to come third from bottom I wouldn't expect much better than that, so the aim has to be high."

The Fifers begin their league campaign with an August 2 home fixture against Peterhead and the manager is pleased to start with a home game.

He said: "It's good to start at home but Peterhead finished just outside the play-off position, so they will be a tough test."

lLast week in Kirkcaldy, East Fife were given a civic reception by Fife Council, acknowledging the club's superb accomplishments in season 2007-08.

Pictured above, the league trophy was also there in all its gleaming glory.

As well as their merciless surge towards the Division Three title, which they pocketed in mid-March, having won 28 matches and drawn four in a 36-game programme, they also knocked two teams from higher divisions out of the CIS League Cup, including Premier League St Mirren.

At the civic function were players Paul Stewart, Stevie Nicholas, Kevin Gordon, Kevin Fotheringham, Jamie McGowan (retired) and Craig O'Reilly, with Dave Baikie, club chairman Willie Gray and chief executive Sid Collumbine.