Michael McKenna on East Fife's promotion, his future and management team

The Fifers won promotion to the SPFL’s third tier the hard way last Friday night after a 4-3 two-legged aggregate win in the play-off final over Annan Athletic.

Dick Campbell’s side secured a 1-1 draw at Galabank after a 3-2 home victory last Tuesday.

And ex-Falkirk and Arbroath star McKenna, 34, played a key role over both legs, grabbing a couple of assists.

He also scored in the 3-0 semi-final second leg win over Edinburgh City which overturned a 1-0 first leg loss.

"We did deserve it,” McKenna said speaking to the East Fife Mail last Friday. "There wasn’t much in this game but we were way ahead at home.

"It was nervy towards the end. We didn’t play well today at all - if we had any sort of composure then we could have beaten them comfortably.

"That is understandable because it was a big occasion for a lot of the boys who might not have experienced it before.

"It was all about getting it over the line and getting promoted and we did that."

He added: "It is an amazing feeling. Falkirk win the league, my old team Arbroath win the league, East Fife get promoted, my local team Musselburgh win the league, the team I supported as a boy Celtic win the league.

"If I could pick four or five teams to win a league then it would be them. I felt a bit of pressure, we were the last ones to do it.

"I knew how sore it would feel if we didn’t do it. We deserved it after missing out on automatic promotion by one point. Usually, 64 points would win that league.

"The character we showed to bounce back after losing the first play-off game 1-0. Edinburgh (City) got carried away a little that night and to be honest it drove us on.

"They celebrated like they had won the whole tie and we destroyed them in the second leg.

"Then at home against Annan, we were miles ahead of them.

"There was nothing between the teams here tonight but we did the job on Tuesday night."

It hasn’t been all plain sailing for McKenna since joining East Fife at the end of the January transfer window.

He joined lacking match fitness having failed to break into the Bairns’ Scottish Championship-winning team.

The move to full-time football last summer was a gamble – and it was one that didn’t pay off for the midfielder.

And having now managed more minutes, playing in his favoured free role, McKenna is hoping to “kick on” next term. He is already contracted for another year at least.

"I came to East Fife having barely played any first-team football,” McKenna admitted.

"Sometimes it is a hard thing to say but you get to a certain age and look at Falkirk, where they were at, and admit that you aren’t at that level anymore

"I trained once when I first came here and then started against Elgin City out of position. I was playing wide right which isn’t really my position. The last three matches, I have played where I like playing. Having that free role just behind the front guys. I can get forward and I can pick up good areas.

"The last three games, I think I have shown why I want to play there. Hopefully next year I can kick on again now."

On his contract situation, with an option available to extend his stay at the MGM Timber Bayview beyond next season, he added: "I’ve got a year left on my contract with a year option after that.

"The option was just to see how I feel when that point comes. I have three kids - football is a big commitment. I love it but part-time football is a tough gig. You are working too. You need to stay in a good shape."