The New Raith Rovers Thread

[TxRover]

4 hours ago, Scottydog said:

A combination of factors at play, we'd taken a bit of a dip at the end of November and were limping along when the wheels finally came off at Partick in December. The loss of Spencer cant be underestimated, it has proved huge. Then there have been games without Berra where the stats speak for themselves. Take into account a drop in form of Ross and and loss in confidence to Zanatta, add in a change in personnel with playing Gullan up top instead of Varian (someone should run the stats on him starting). IMO Other players form has also dipped from last season, guys like Musonda, Tumilty, Bene and even Tait when he was still here.

As excuses go 3 big injuries (2 ACLs and a break)along with the usual Hamstrings and calf strains have all damaged our season although only Vaughans one is not exactly recent.

Did a little digging and note:

-Spencer goes out versus Arbroath, we win the next match versus Killie and then collapse…1-5-4 since Spencer went out.

-We had beaten Ayr twice, once while missing Matthews and Spencer and once while mixing Bene and Matthews, then lost to them when missing Spencer and Berra.

-Prior to Berra’s red and injury, we had allowed more than one goal once each versus the Accies and Partick…since Berra’s issues started we have allowed 2, 0, 1 (Berra back and healthy), 2 (Berra injured in game), 3, 0 and 3.

-Our collapse occurs starting the 19th match of the season. Every team had seen us twice, once hone and away, and it is obvious we are predictable.

[SirJimmyofNic]

57 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Did a little digging and 

-Our collapse occurs starting the 19th match of the season. Every team had seen us twice, once hone and away, and it is obvious we are predictable.

Thats when our Plan B should've came into play............................ Oh hing on a minute I forgot we've no got one 

Edited February 23, 2022 by SirJimmyofNic

[Scottydog]

1 hour ago, TxRover said:

-Our collapse occurs starting the 19th match of the season. Every team had seen us twice, once hone and away, and it is obvious we are predictable.

 

3 minutes ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Thats when our Plan B should've came into play............................ Oh hing on a minute I forgot we've no got one 

Wasn't so much of a problem last season, yes everyone has seen us twice but most have also seen us 3 times last term too!

Perhaps also a wee touch of 2nd season syndrome, many teams suffer a drop of in their second season (Arbroath, Ayr??) some bounce back (Arbroath) some don't (Ayr so far).

It's been a strange season in so many ways and one to forget for so many reasons.

[Brashy's Boots]

Did a little digging and note:
-Spencer goes out versus Arbroath, we win the next match versus Killie and then collapse…1-5-4 since Spencer went out.
-We had beaten Ayr twice, once while missing Matthews and Spencer and once while mixing Bene and Matthews, then lost to them when missing Spencer and Berra.
-Prior to Berra’s red and injury, we had allowed more than one goal once each versus the Accies and Partick…since Berra’s issues started we have allowed 2, 0, 1 (Berra back and healthy), 2 (Berra injured in game), 3, 0 and 3.
-Our collapse occurs starting the 19th match of the season. Every team had seen us twice, once hone and away, and it is obvious we are predictable.

I'm sorry, could you repeat that?

[HoBNob]

Spencer getting injured was a bonus for the rest of the league. Zanatta and Connolly were always going to dip in form as is the nature with wingers at this level, I thought Ross would've helped share that burden more though. 

 

I think Raith will still be in very good stead for next season, I was very jealous of the Stanton signing, cracking player. Providing they sign better upfront they'll be challenging for the title/in the playoffs next year, due to how poorly you're finishing the season it's less likely someone comes in for Spencer. 

[Raith Against The Machine]

3 minutes ago, Grant228 said:

Spencer getting injured was a bonus for the rest of the league. Zanatta and Connolly were always going to dip in form as is the nature with wingers at this level, I thought Ross would've helped share that burden more though. 

I think Raith will still be in very good stead for next season, I was very jealous of the Stanton signing, cracking player. Providing they sign better upfront they'll be challenging for the title/in the playoffs next year, due to how poorly you're finishing the season it's less likely someone comes in for Spencer. 

Agree with all of that.

Ethan Ross really just goes into the same bucket as Connolly and Zanatta. I think he's more technically accomplished than either, but he's still of that mercurial, temperamental, inconsistent archetype. On his day he's a 10/10 at this level, but you're also going to have games where he's anonymous. 

What Spencer (and before him, Regan Hendry) really brings to the table is the ability to knit it all together. One of these guys who might not rack up a huge number of goals and assists, but if you go back to how many promising attacks start with or go through him, it's staggering. 

He's a lynchpin, in the classical sense. When you take him away, everything else falls apart. Stanton, for all I've been impressed with him, hasn't really been able to fill that gap. He's able to do a lot from the base of the midfield, and he's more of a driving presence than Spencer, but he doesn't have that same metronomic quality that raises everyone else's game by 20%.

I've been hugely turned around on Brad Spencer. If it was up to me, I'd have let him go in the close season when we were promoted. Now, I think Berra's the only player more integral than him, and given Berra's advanced years, if I could only keep one, I'd keep Brad. 

[Kuma Power]

17 hours ago, Grant228 said:

Spencer getting injured was a bonus for the rest of the league. Zanatta and Connolly were always going to dip in form as is the nature with wingers at this level, I thought Ross would've helped share that burden more though. 

 

I think Raith will still be in very good stead for next season, I was very jealous of the Stanton signing, cracking player. Providing they sign better upfront they'll be challenging for the title/in the playoffs next year, due to how poorly you're finishing the season it's less likely someone comes in for Spencer. 

Agree with all of this too. I'd been thinking that although we might not go up this year, we've got some cracking players signed who will hopefully be able to mount a sustained title challenge next season once they've had some time to gel.

Having said that - and without wanting to dig up old ground - the chances of us being able to realise this potential will depend on (a) the extent to which recent events impact upon next season's playing budget; and (b) who replaces McGlynn if he is not in charge next season.

[Highlandmagar]

17 hours ago, Grant228 said:

Spencer getting injured was a bonus for the rest of the league. Zanatta and Connolly were always going to dip in form as is the nature with wingers at this level, I thought Ross would've helped share that burden more though. 

 

I think Raith will still be in very good stead for next season, I was very jealous of the Stanton signing, cracking player. Providing they sign better upfront they'll be challenging for the title/in the playoffs next year, due to how poorly you're finishing the season it's less likely someone comes in for Spencer. 

Raith have shat a lot of money on this crazy decision over Goodwillie. Do they have the resources to sign a decent enough squad for next season?

[Scottydog]

9 minutes ago, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

Raith have shat a lot of money on this crazy decision over Goodwillie. Do they have the resources to sign a decent enough squad for next season?

No. 

Any chance of that sailed west on the Ego trip of 4 men who thought they knew better.

Already I reckon Rovers have spunked about £200,000+ in the short term, in the long term the loss of sponsors, donations and various income see's about £100k / year falling off the balance sheet. Whilst some of that can be replaced it didn't need to be lost it could have been added to.

This wankery by the board has likely set the club back at least 5 years.

Edited February 24, 2022 by Scottydog

[Highlandmagar]

48 minutes ago, Scottydog said:

No. 

Any chance of that sailed west on the Ego trip of 4 men who thought they knew better.

Already I reckon Rovers have spunked about £200,000+ in the short term, in the long term the loss of sponsors, donations and various income see's about £100k / year falling off the balance sheet. Whilst some of that can be replaced it didn't need to be lost it could have been added to.

This wankery by the board has likely set the club back at least 5 years.

On the basis of it being a 5 year set back, you will do well to stay in the Championship. 

[Scottydog]

Just now, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

On the basis of it being a 5 year set back, you will do well to stay in the Championship. 

That has not gone unrecognised in some (if nat all) quarters.

[Broken Algorithms]

We've got the core of a team signed up who are generally off a good standard: Ross, Stanton, MacDonald, Gullan Matthews, Lang, Berra, Zanatta and Vaughan. Obviously, a few of those are injured just now but it's still a good starting point.

[LowerLeagueFC]

time to dust this badboy out. 

[Double Jack D]

9 minutes ago, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

On the basis of it being a 5 year set back, you will do well to stay in the Championship. 

Yip, very well. 

Depending on season ticket renewal, resubscription to player fund and our ability to attract new sponsors, League 1 may not be as low as we go. The current board seem determined to hing on, I hope they have alternative sources of revenue lined up but I would sincerely doubt it.

With all these 2 and 3 year deals kicking about, I fear we may not be able to lord it over our West Fife neighbours about never having been in admin for much longer. 

[Scottydog]

19 minutes ago, Double Jack D said:

Yip, very well. 

Depending on season ticket renewal, resubscription to player fund and our ability to attract new sponsors, League 1 may not be as low as we go. The current board seem determined to hing on, I hope they have alternative sources of revenue lined up but I would sincerely doubt it.

With all these 2 and 3 year deals kicking about, I fear we may not be able to lord it over our West Fife neighbours about never having been in admin for much longer. 

I'm sure they did have, but I have an inkling their other sources probably back-tracked quicker than the Italian infantry in WW II, the've made the Rovers toxic in so many ways.

[Highlandmagar]

29 minutes ago, Double Jack D said:

Yip, very well. 

Depending on season ticket renewal, resubscription to player fund and our ability to attract new sponsors, League 1 may not be as low as we go. The current board seem determined to hing on, I hope they have alternative sources of revenue lined up but I would sincerely doubt it.

With all these 2 and 3 year deals kicking about, I fear we may not be able to lord it over our West Fife neighbours about never having been in admin for much longer. 

It is genuinely sad that it has come to this. Raith Rovers, may not be a 'big' club, like Thistle, but they are an integral part of Scottish football. Of course I love it when Thistle beat you, but there are only 2 clubs I'd love to see go bust. Guess who?

[Double Jack D]

13 minutes ago, Highlandmagyar Tier 3 said:

It is genuinely sad that it has come to this. Raith Rovers, may not be a 'big' club, like Thistle, but they are an integral part of Scottish football. Of course I love it when Thistle beat you, but there are only 2 clubs I'd love to see go bust. Guess who?

Now that the anger is dissipated a bit, yes I think sad is a great wee word to describe it.

A totally unnecessary single decision which has literally blown our metaphorical head off. 

Be interesting to see the crowd on Saturday. Granted our form is poor at the minute but we are still well in the promotion hunt. Take away the Goodwillie issue, I think we could've expected a gate in excess of 2000 for this game. How far below that we are will be a decent gauge of how the statements and plan so far are going down. 

When you think of how the club was perceived internally from our own fans and externally from wider Scottish football on 30th January, it's very sad indeed. 

[Raithie]

4 minutes ago, Double Jack D said:

Take away the Goodwillie issue, I think we could've expected a gate in excess of 2000 for this game.

Not sure we would. We've only broke the 2000 barrier three times this season (Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Kilmarnock). Even the Partick game that we won 3-2 didn't break 1800 so no idea why we'd suddenly be getting in excess of 2000 for this Saturday's game if the DG issue hadn't happened. 

[Raithie]

In other news Tag Games are apparently the McDermid Ladies new sponser. 

[Scary Bear]

17 minutes ago, Raithie said:

Not sure we would. We've only broke the 2000 barrier three times this season (Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Kilmarnock). Even the Partick game that we won 3-2 didn't break 1800 so no idea why we'd suddenly be getting in excess of 2000 for this Saturday's game if the DG issue hadn't happened. 

And weather wasn’t a factor in that last game. I watched in shorts and t-shirt as we won 3-2. Beautiful weather.

It was on a Sunday though.

Edited February 24, 2022 by Scary Bear