By Julian Taylor BBC Sport

Stephen Kenny is used to upsetting the odds.

Few Scottish football fans would have given his then Derry City side a chance against Gretna in the Uefa Cup.

But an 8-3 aggregate win later and Kenny's profile rocketed in Scotland.

Now, as the new Dunfermline Athletic manager, he has taken up the challenge of restoring the glory days of the 1960s to East End Park.

Kenny's success at Derry alerted Dunfermline to his abilities

The 35-year-old has enjoyed huge success over the past eight years in Irish football.

He also led Derry City in their Uefa Cup campaign this season.

Home and away victories over IFK Gothenburg, followed by an 8-3 aggregate win over Gretna, led the Pars - currently bottom of the Scottish Premier League - to see Kenny as the man to revive their fortunes.

In 2004/05, he saved Derry City from relegation then went on to challenge for the Irish Premier Division title in 2005/06, finishing runners up.

The Irishman started his managerial career in 1999 at Longford Town.

In season 2000/01, he helped guide Longford to European qualification for the first time in the club's history and was appointed manager of Bohemians in November 2002.

His success in the Eircom league continued when, in 2002/03, the Dublin outfit won the title.

Kenny then sought a fresh challenge and took over as Derry coach in August 2004, not without some problems.

He was concerned that Derry's players were living all over Ireland. They would train with local clubs in Dublin, Galway, play games on a Saturday and then return home.

Their new coach insisted that Derry players had to show their commitment by moving to the city and becoming full-time footballers.

The rewards were clear as the Candystripes swapped the relegation battles of the previous five seasons by making a serious push for the title.

When Dunfermline made their interest known, Kenny faced a dilemma.

Continue in his quest to make Derry champions and cause more than a few upsets against more fancied opponents in Europe, or grab the chance of locking horns with Celtic and Rangers and the other Scottish Premier League clubs.

He chose the latter and Pars fans could be forgiven for dreaming of European football returning to East End Park.

Such a scenario would raise eyebrows within Scottish football, but Kenny is no stranger to surprises.