COWDEN loanee Brandon Luke has revealed that securing the club's SPFL status brought tears to the eyes of emotional chairman Donald Findlay.

The 19-year-old, a former Lochgelly High School pupil, last week signed a new one-year contract with Dunfermline Athletic after returning from a temporary stint at Central Park.

Luke, who spent the first half of the season with League Two rivals Annan Athletic, was snapped up by boss Gary Bollan in January and went on to make five starts and three substitute appearances for the Blue Brazil.

That included featuring in both legs of the nerve-shredding League 2 play-off with Cove Rangers, where Brad Smith's winning goal in the second match secured a 3-2 win and Cowden's league status.

The game ended in controversial fashion, with three visiting players ordered off in stoppage time, and Luke admitted it was a completely new experience in his fledgling career.

"In the first game, I played, and as soon as we got there and were walking in, the stewards were saying 'boys you're looking nervous'", he said.

"When the whistle went, it was like a war. There was tackles flying in and free-kicks here, there and everywhere – it was just crazy.

"We drew 0-0 and folk would say 0-0 away from home is alright, but the gaffer expected more. We trained, went on the Saturday and everybody was up for it. You could just tell and, luckily, we got the win.

"I came on in the last 10 minutes and, as soon as I was on the pitch, it was mayhem! Players got sent off then they went into the changing room and were kicking off.

"That was the second year in a row it happened so it wasn't really great for the club but, when we did stay up, everybody there was happy. The chairman came in and he was crying through happiness.

"It was a good experience."

Luke is now hoping to impress Pars manager Allan Johnston when he and his team-mates return for pre-season, having felt he picked up plenty of pointers from Bollan and his assistant, Mark Fotheringham.

"Gary Bollan was great as well and so was his assistant manager," he added.

"Both of them helped me and had played at a high level, so they knew what I could try to improve."