The New Raith Rovers Thread

[grumswall]

I won't renew my season ticket. I'll pick and choose my games next season. Barry Smith is a hangover shite of a manager. He serves up a two day hangover shite of a tactic and the past season has been absolute week in benidorm on the lash levels of shite!

[Starks Park Kdy]

Buchanan still under contract for next season

Like I said, player I would keep, he wouldn't be one of them.

[King Kebab]

Like I said, player I would keep, he wouldn't be one of them.

Pity he's on 50 grand a year for another season then!!!

[Starks Park Kdy]

Pity he's on 50 grand a year for another season then!!!

Is he aye?

[McGuigan1978]

Alloa and Arbroath both improved over the course of last season, while we got worse.

 

In the second half of the last campaign, we only won one more point than both of them.

 

As much as we’ll start off next season as favourites, if we go again with the bulk of that squad, and playing the same way, there’s no chance we’ll pull away from any part-time side that’s went about its summer business well.

 

[SuperHans]

I won't renew my season ticket. I'll pick and choose my games next season. Barry Smith is a hangover shite of a manager. He serves up a two day hangover shite of a tactic and the past season has been absolute week in benidorm on the lash levels of shite!

You're an absolute roaster!! [emoji122][emoji122]

[Starks Park Kdy]

Alloa and Arbroath both improved over the course of last season, while we got worse.
 
In the second half of the last campaign, we only won one more point than both of them.
 
As much as we’ll start off next season as favourites, if we go again with the bulk of that squad, and playing the same way, there’s no chance we’ll pull away from any part-time side that’s went about its summer business well.
 

To be fair we will also have new faces for the new season. (We hope)

[Ro Sham Bo]

Alloa and Arbroath both improved over the course of last season, while we got worse.
 
In the second half of the last campaign, we only won one more point than both of them.
 
As much as we’ll start off next season as favourites, if we go again with the bulk of that squad, and playing the same way, there’s no chance we’ll pull away from any part-time side that’s went about its summer business well.
 

Alloa have already made a good start on recruitment with Trouten and you can be sure Campbell will recruit well at Arbroath.

Unfortunately there's no telling what Smith will do.

[No_Problemo]

Really hope you keep Bobby Barr.

[grumswall]

You're an absolute roaster!! [emoji122][emoji122]

That's some endorsement Martin

[Rovers1992/1993]

I think the board have done the right thing, its certainly not going to be popular as reading the comments shows.

Personally I'm all for stability, we have had years of starting again with nothing being built for the future, I'm sure (hope) BS knows where to strengthen the squad to give us more options to make changes going forward.

From the current squad I would keep Lennox and Brian, Thomo, Bene, Davo, Murray, McKay, McHattie (a good pre season would do him good) and Watson.

Robertson, Herron, Matthews, Berry, Stevenson.

Vaughan, Furtado, Spence and Court who I thought linked play quite well considering the lack of game time he has had.

 

So you’d keep 18 players from this season’s squad?

 

Lennox -hopeless. Get rid.

Brian - KEEP and have him as first choice.

Thomson - great servant. He’s finished though. Get rid.

Bene - I couldn’t care either way.

Davo - another year older but probably one of the only players that cared the last few weeks so I’d give him a new deal.

Murray - Was Excellent the majority of the season. He’s a must keep.

McKay - Keep and have him as first choice.

McHattie - You have got to be fucking kidding me. Get rid.

Watson - I’d keep him as he won’t be on much. Let’s get him established into the team as well. Got a lot to learn though.

Robertson - He’ll still be here anyway as player/coach

Herron - get rid

Matthews - flattered to deceive that season. Get rid.

Berry - don’t know much about him.

Stevenson - don’t know much about him.

Vaughan - extremely frustrating but he’ll be here anyway. If I had the choice, unless he plays on the wing then I’d look to offload him.

Furtado - started well his first few games for us but went rapidly downhill thereafter. I’d probably offer him something though.

Spence - Better than Buchanan but still hopeless. Get rid.

Court - If we offer him a new deal, he needs to play a lot more. I’d get him established into that team next season as well. There is no point having him there as an unused sub for about 30 games of the season.

 

[basher brash]

46 minutes ago, King Kebab said:

Oh you're fans now!!!

Sorry!!!

But it is good to see that despite all your statements otherwise, that the Derby obviously means a lot to you!!!

Naw it’s called sticking up for your team ! The results speak for there self and notably your fellow mutant East Fife fan had to copy and paste a smiling Barry Smith when he took over at Alloa, what went wrong was your official club photographer away to  the chemists for his daily methodone 

[Broken Algorithms]

Completely underwhelming news . I'm in the position where my season ticket is bought, which I think pretty much is a curse if I get involved with any early bird deal.  I've not thrown my toys out the pram as badly as I did with the Locke appointment, so it's a step in the right direction.  

I can very much envision a situation where we retain a lot of the players from last season (I'm picturing a new deal for McHattie/Lennox/Benedictus with Barry/McHattie spouting off about being "unlucky with injuries and just needing a good preseason behind him". Bene is the only one with any track record, but given the cost we'd be as well trying our hardest to keep Murray and Davo along with McKay).  

But it's a situation where the club had to really make a decision on what way they wanted to progress. Realistically, we should win this league being the only full time team aside from maybe Airdrie next season. We've finished with the the highest total points for runners up.  However the football truly is awful. Aside from Stranraer away (who had nothing to play for and everything to gain by losing), I'm struggling to think of the last time we actually put in positive performance against another club in the league. A lot of fans were lost when we played long balls into a box for Buchanan and Vaughan.

He consistently ignored Regan Henry and stuffed Vaughan into the midfield. Buchanan has been given opportunity after opportunity and not shown he can do anything. For me, we had a chance to try to get someone in who would get things turned around. Even if Smith wins the league, then it'll be on the back of a failure. Should we win promotion next season, there's nothing to suggest he'll be able to do anything to move forward. At the last game at Somerset, it was like watching our season implode as we got bodied by a team with a shit defence as we sat with 5 in midfield with Furtado running to chase long balls on his own for the final 60 minutes. 

Feels very much like where we were under Grant Murray. Happy to sit with the status quo and wait with uninspiring football, as the board sit and wonder why more people don't show up for extortionately priced games with an awful standard of football.   Nothing personal against Smith. I just don't feel he's the man to progress us forward. 

3 minutes ago, Starks Park Kdy said:

I think the board have done the right thing, its certainly not going to be popular as reading the comments shows.
Personally I'm all for stability, we have had years of starting again with nothing being built for the future, I'm sure (hope) BS knows where to strengthen the squad to give us more options to make changes going forward.
From the current squad I would keep Lennox and Brian, Thomo, Bene, Davo, Murray, McKay, McHattie (a good pre season would do him good) and Watson.
Robertson, Herron, Matthews, Berry, Stevenson.
Vaughan, Furtado, Spence and Court who I thought linked play quite well considering the lack of game time he has had.

 Refreshed while typing out the above, and went to quote your post and saw this. See above. 

I'd be happy to see Brian stay as he looked like he could be useful in the one game I saw featuring him, but I suspect someone who watched the youth games ( @Zen Archer?) might be better placed to say. Lennox looked like his confidence was shot before his injury at Arbroath. Thomson scored about 7 goals but doesn't offer enough for me, and is too liable to either take an awful touch or hit it long. Jury is out on Bene, who has been poor since he came back. 

I never thought I'd say this at the start of the season, but Davo is a must. Murray has been fantastic for us this season and I'd be delighted to see him back. Court is now 22 I think and hasn't really shown much at this level barring his goal against Ayr and pretty much bodying every defender and Marvin Bartley since he started with us. I'd be happy to see Spence back, who I feel with the right style is an excellent poacher (sitting off the last man, and feeding the ball through to him). 

I'm not too fussed on Matthews, though he's under contract. Just don't play him on the wing. Furtado looked the part when he initially came in, but then didn't really impress after.  I said at the Stranraer game he seemed uninterested and he might have signed a pre-contract elsewhere.  Even then I'd not be bothered to see the back of him.  

I asked on the Bo'ness thread about Stevenson and one response said he looked excellent, and one said he's well off a good standard. Watson looked the part in his game time so hopefully he'll game more game time, and  I've not seen enough of James Berry to comment.  

The joys of being a Rovers fan. 

[Broken Algorithms]

25 minutes ago, Michael W said:

Another piece of disappointing news. Bobby Barr stays and we riot. 

We could just have someone sitting in the main stand goading him into decent performances. That or offer him ongoing 1 week deals so he's always at his best as his contract is almost up. 

[King Kebab]

Naw it’s called sticking up for your team ! The results speak for there self and notably your fellow mutant East Fife fan had to copy and paste a smiling Barry Smith when he took over at Alloa, what went wrong was your official club photographer away to  the chemists for his daily methodone 

Irony not lost on you is it, ya fanny!!!
[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[grumswall]

Fwiw I'd keep Brian as a backup, hoping he could push for no1 though

Watson mckay bene Murray

Matthews (last chance for him though) robo Berry

Vaughan court furtado (still young enough to live up to his promise)

Haven't seen enough of the youth team to say confidently on the rest of them.

[Stevo Fife]

I can see ever team in the division raising their game next season and treating games against the Raith Massive as though it were cup final day.  Except us of course. We're the bitches.

Raith miss out on promotion once again, go part time and Smith signs a new 5 year contract. Happy days.

Ya heard in here first!

[SuperHans]

Alloa have already made a good start on recruitment with Trouten and you can be sure Campbell will recruit well at Arbroath.

Unfortunately there's no telling what Smith will do.

OH MY GOD!!

NEWS JUST IN: Football team signs a player!

Calm down, Trouten played for the team that were automatically relegated...

I wasn't his fan before this season and I don't think he lived up to the hype but Lewis Vaughan bagged over 20 goals this season. Buchanan was slated and again, he's not hit the highs we expected and yet he scored double figures along with Spence who was below average.

Alloa may well get promoted and if they don't, who's to say that they won't lose some players this summer? Arbroath were a good side this season but why on earth are we all of a sudden shitting ourselves because of what other teams are doing. I'm sure there's plenty of teams this season not happy that we are staying down.

[grumswall]

OH MY GOD!!

NEWS JUST IN: Football team signs a player!

Calm down, Trouten played for the team that were automatically relegated...

I wasn't his fan before this season and I don't think he lived up to the hype but Lewis Vaughan bagged over 20 goals this season. Buchanan was slated and again, he's not hit the highs we expected and yet he scored double figures along with Spence who was below average.

Alloa may well get promoted and if they don't, who's to say that they won't lose some players this summer? Arbroath were a good side this season but why on earth are we all of a sudden shitting ourselves because of what other teams are doing. I'm sure there's plenty of teams this season not happy that we are staying down.

Shut up martin

[Ro Sham Bo]

So you’d keep 18 players from this season’s squad?
 
Lennox -hopeless. Get rid.
Brian - KEEP and have him as first choice.
Thomson - great servant. He’s finished though. Get rid.
Bene - I couldn’t care either way.
Davo - another year older but probably one of the only players that cared the last few weeks so I’d give him a new deal.
Murray - Was Excellent the majority of the season. He’s a must keep.
McKay - Keep and have him as first choice.
McHattie - You have got to be fucking kidding me. Get rid.
Watson - I’d keep him as he won’t be on much. Let’s get him established into the team as well. Got a lot to learn though.
Robertson - He’ll still be here anyway as player/coach
Herron - get rid
Matthews - flattered to deceive that season. Get rid.
Berry - don’t know much about him.
Stevenson - don’t know much about him.
Vaughan - extremely frustrating but he’ll be here anyway. If I had the choice, unless he plays on the wing then I’d look to offload him.
Furtado - started well his first few games for us but went rapidly downhill thereafter. I’d probably offer him something though.
Spence - Better than Buchanan but still hopeless. Get rid.
Court - If we offer him a new deal, he needs to play a lot more. I’d get him established into that team next season as well. There is no point having him there as an unused sub for about 30 games of the season.
 

Can't really argue with any of that. Some serious changes are required.