Euan Murray admits he didn't expect to see his former side sitting bottom of the pile - but hopes their winning ways don't start this weekend.
The ex-Dunfermline captain is relishing the chance to take his team mates from last season, and expects a tough test despite them failing to win a league game yet this season.
The stand-in Kilmarnock skipper who is deputising from an injured Chris Stokes reckons his side need to have their eye on the ball at all times at East End Park.
He said: “I didn’t expect Dunfermline to start the way they have, they kept a lot of players who were there last season and they’re all good players.
“It just hasn’t clicked for them for whatever reason but I expect towards the end of the season they’ll be higher up the league.
“This division can be like that, it’s unforgiving and if you have a few bad results then you can find yourself dragged to the bottom.
“I’m good friends with quite a few of them, I keep in touch because I had a really good time there.
“But we haven’t had any contact this week.
“I’m not just friends with the players but the staff too, the kit man is a top man and I’m sure I will speak to him after the game.
“They will know themselves they’re not in the position the club wants to be in.
“I’m sure once they get a few wins under their belt they will get going, but hopefully that doesn’t start this weekend."
Murray added: “It’s none of my concern.
“The important thing for us is to play our game and leave Dunfermline to worry about their own troubles.
“It’s a good place to play football, it’s a good pitch so it will suit us.
“If they are short of confidence then it’s up to us to take our game to them, but it’s just another game that we will approach the same way as we always do.
“We will give them respect because we know on their day they can be a good team.
“So we will have to stamp our authority on the game, set the tempo and get over the line.”
Meanwhile Killie gaffer Tommy Wright said ahead of the clash: "I have lived around that area, I know the size of club and the potential of that club; new owners coming in, new manager - they have a lot of expectation.
"They were saying they were going for promotion, which is fine. I think if you look at their squad it’s been a mixed bag for them.
"I have not seen all their games, I saw the Raith game and they played extremely well in the second half.
"They have conceded goals. They have good players, good players who know the league.
"They have pace in their team so we’re not thinking that because they’re bottom of the table it’s going to be anyway easy. It’s going to be a really difficult game for us."
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