Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny insists now is as good a time as any to end a wait of almost 40 years for the Tennent's Scottish Cup - and he hopes he is the man to bring the trophy back home to East End Park this weekend.

The last time the Pars claimed the coveted silverware was back in 1968, during what proved to be a halcyon period for the Fife club.

Now, all that stands between the class of 2007 and the trophy is a Celtic team chasing a domestic double after clinching the Bank of Scotland Premier League title last month.

But, having lost their own brave battle to remain in Scottish football's top flight, Kenny is determined to give something back to the people of Fife and finally allow them to stop reliving past glories.

"The only photographs of people in Dunfermline lifting a trophy are so old they are in black and white," he said.

"There's a huge number of people who followed that team in the 1960s but there's a whole generation who have missed out. Winning is a very powerful thing."

Despite relegation, Kenny has been hailed a success since his arrival from Derry City back in October.

As well as keeping their survival fight going for as long as it did, he has to be given credit for their impressive cup run this season, which saw the Pars dispose of Rangers, Hearts and Hibernian along the way.

And he is now hoping to take a leaf out of the book of a man hailed as a legend by both Dunfermline and Celtic when he faces his final hurdle against the Hoops at Hampden on Saturday.

Kenny said: "I'm not a great reader of books, especially football autobiographies, but I read a Jock Stein autobiography when I moved over to Scotland.

"If you are going to manage a club you need to know what's important to the club. Tradition is very important to the future of a club."

Scottish Cup success would be a dramatic end to what has been a rollercoaster ride for Dunfermline this season but Kenny is under no illusions as to the task ahead.

And he believes AC Milan's success in the Champions League midweek has only served to highlight just how strong their opponents will be on Saturday.

"We respect Celtic," he said. "They are a magnificent club. This season they have beaten Manchester United and only lost to Champions League winners AC Milan in extra time.

"You have to respect them and we need to have a shape which suits us.

"Have I played a club as big as Celtic in a one-off final? No, I haven't. Without a shadow of a doubt.

"But my players have been tremendous over the last few months. They have played really good football and we have beaten Rangers, Hearts and Hibs in the cup."