The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Scottydog]

BTW, the new school is to be built on the old training ground, however, you never heard it from me.

I think you mean playing fields you highness (bow's deeply)

[Scary Bear]

It's a shame the football we've been playing this season has been so bad, especially taking into account the fact we were playing some amazing passing football in pre-season and at start of the campaign.

Murray will be here until the end of the season at least, there's no doubt about that but I'm not sure about who'll be in charge next season as he really hasn't made an impact at all. Who then will be in charge next season? I can't think of a proven one who would come here so it'll be more than likely either another young manager getting to grips with the managerial side of the game or an SFL journeyman manager.

Also, which players are still under contract for next season? I'm hoping for a big reshuffle of the squad in the summer. I'd want to keep McGurn, Malone, Thomson, Both Andersons, Hamill if he can keep up this seasons form, Spence and Clarke. Mensing and Graham will be away so they'll definitely need replaced. I'd maybe consider reviewing the youth players on professional contracts as they aren't getting any game time really so is there any point in keeping them? Other than Laidlaw who has proven himself as a worthy backup to McGurn. Other than that, the others have shown themselves to quite simply not be good enough in my opinion.

Pre-season means nothing. When was the amazing passing football at the start of the campaign? I was at the opening day game against Accies and the 4-3 game with Berwick. Then I didn't attend a game until Partick at the end of September. Did I miss the amazing football? What game was it?

Seriously, this season has been poor. The Celtic games were only good for getting a few quid in. The 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle was obviously a decent performance, although I came away from it raging at losing an equaliser in injury time. There was the 4-1 away win at Ross County in midweek, but as usual, when Rovers put on that kind of performance it's midweek, away, with only a couple of hundred Rovers fans witnessing it, and I wasn't one of them. The second half against Falkirk in November was decent with David Smith taking the piss, and when Rovers got the last minute winner against Dumbarton that was a good feeling, although that feeling could have been relief rather than enjoyment, as the game raised my blood pressure somewhat. In short, there have been few highlights.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Scary Bear

[Broken Algorithms]

Pre-season means nothing. When was the amazing passing football at the start of the campaign? I was at the opening day game against Accies and the 4-3 game with Berwick. Then I didn't attend a game until Partick at the end of September. Did I miss the amazing football? What game was it?

Seriously, this season has been poor. The Celtic games were only good for getting a few quid in. The 1-1 draw with Partick Thistle was obviously a decent performance, although I came away from it raging at losing an equaliser in injury time. There was the 4-1 away win at Ross County in midweek, but as usual, when Rovers put on that kind of performance it's midweek, away, with only a couple of hundred Rovers fans witnessing it, and I wasn't one of them. The second half against Falkirk in November was decent with David Smith taking the piss and getting the last minute winner against Dumbarton was good, although that game raised my blood pressure. In short, there have been few highlights.

When we beat County 4-1 up in Dingwall? Shame nobody got to see it!

Outstanding game of the season for me had to be Partick away so far. We went 1-0 up, then 2-1 down before equalising with ten minutes to go. Unfortunately, they snatched a last minute winner, but in terms of football we gave them a cracking game in the second half. Both teams went all out in their attack. I'm sure them pumped Dunfermline 5-0 a few weeks before.

[Scary Bear]

What are your ideas on the best, most sustainable, future strategy for the Rovers?

I recall a thread on Fantalk (that i've bumped) from March 2012, where a member of the board commented that a meeting to decide future strategy was taking place, but I don't recall hearing any statements on future strategy emanating from Stark's Park.

What happened at the future strategy meeting? Obviously, the decision to go back to a mix of full-time and part-time players was discussed. However, i'd like to think that we are trying to plan more than one year in advance. I'd also like to see the Board articulating their vision for the future.

Personally, I think a big part of being a fan is seeing your own youth players coming through to the first team, doing well and moving on, hopefully for a fee. That part is missing at the moment, Donaldson aside. Jettisoning a whole batch of youth players every season makes no sense at all. If they were deemed good enough to take on, we should persevere with the best of them, bring them through to the first team and give them a few games. If we have to go back back to a lower division to do this then fair enough. Either that or just give it up as bad idea and sign players released from SPL youth teams. It would be good to hear the Board's thoughts on the youth teams.

Getting the admission fees down to more reasonable level is also a must. £17 for this level of football, means crowds will never rise, and this season has seen crowds tailing off, so even the regulars are pissed off. You'll probably still get most of the regulars coming along, but I reckon even a few of them, like myself, baulk at paying £17. £10 to £12 is nearer the mark.

Anyway, it would be good if the Board published their vision for the club.

Thoughts?

Edited March 29, 2013 by Scary Bear

[CALDERON]

Our youth players are a drain of our resources. There's no point keeping the likes of Callachsn on full time contracts when there is no way he's going to make a full time career out of football. (least I think he's full time)

[rrfc83]

Scary i agree with you in regards to the prices, however if you look at it from the clubs point of view it is obviously what we have to charge to try and break even/make a slight profit. If you reduce the proce to £12 do you honestly think we would gain the amount of supported needed to break even again. Not sure how much would be needed to put this into practice but what about doing something similar to what we did for Dunfermline i.e.

If there are over 2000 home fans at a game then they keep their ticket stub and can go and collect a £3 refund, at some point.

Might be a daft idea but it sounded good in my head when I was thinking about it, although I'm sure someone will come on and point out the flaws within this

[Scary Bear]

Our youth players are a drain of our resources. There's no point keeping the likes of Callachsn on full time contracts when there is no way he's going to make a full time career out of football. (least I think he's full time)

They are only a drain on resources if we pay lip service to bringing through youth players to the first team, as we currently do. Donaldson, for example, has shown he can hack it, but he gets very few opportunities.

[Scary Bear]

Scary i agree with you in regards to the prices, however if you look at it from the clubs point of view it is obviously what we have to charge to try and break even/make a slight profit. If you reduce the proce to £12 do you honestly think we would gain the amount of supported needed to break even again. Not sure how much would be needed to put this into practice but what about doing something similar to what we did for Dunfermline i.e.

If there are over 2000 home fans at a game then they keep their ticket stub and can go and collect a £3 refund, at some point.

Might be a daft idea but it sounded good in my head when I was thinking about it, although I'm sure someone will come on and point out the flaws within this

We don't seem to be able to break even at the moment, and that's charging £17 for adults. So, no, given the current way of doing things, I don't think we would break even charging £12. We would have to change the way we do things.

What I think doesn't really matter as I'm not on the board of directors. I would like to hear what they think? I would like to hear what decisions came out of the meeting a year ago on future strategy. It's great that we have a 'fans' director on the board, but it would be good to hear from him and/or the rest of the board on the future strategy for the club.

[Ro Sham Bo]

To be fair to the board, are minimum prices for each division not set by the SFL.

[unthinkable4theskipper2mis]

One of the most disapointing aspects of murray's reign is his lack of support for the guys from the youth scheme.

Donaldson got loads more game time under mcglynn.

The young centre half who played in the 1st game at east end was made a scapegoat and moved on soon after when in fact murray should have shown some leadership and played himself from the start. We were near the top of the league at the time of that game and the season has gone downhill big time since then - very poor judgement.

Mcgurn has been a great servant to the club but Laidlaw must be worth another start sometime soon.

[Scary Bear]

The Raith Trust website has a very useful document which brings up to date the 'who owns what' info, and also has a summary of attendances and profit & loss for the last two decades. There's a 2 page PDF and the second page has loads of useful info.

http://www.raithtrust.org.uk/

http://www.raithtrust.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/OwnershipInfographicMar13.pdf

Edited March 29, 2013 by Scary Bear

[Scary Bear]

To be fair to the board, are minimum prices for each division not set by the SFL.

And the club are a member of the SFL. It's not like they don't have a say on prices.

[Gregor147]

Our youth policy seems to be to get young players on loan from Hearts and Dundee Utd and not bother playing our own. The last good player to come through our ranks was Craig Dargo and how long ago was that? I wouldn't bother with a youth team anymore as it seems to be a waste of money.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

Re. the youths.

Callachan may have been the chap to step up to the plate when he got a start against Ayr, then his rash challenge half an hour in saw him red carded.

This may have shaped his future in the team.

[Scary Bear]

Re. the youths.

Callachan may have been the chap to step up to the plate when he got a start against Ayr, then his rash challenge half an hour in saw him red carded.

This may have shaped his future in the team.

On the youths, Donaldson looked the part and the 'keeper looked like he could do a job. It's been that long since I saw Callachan that I can't even remember what he's like. In my opinion, bringing through youth players should be the way forward for Rovers. We are shite at bringing through youth players, unless we are doing it for United or Hearts. We are great at doing it for them.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

On the youths, Donaldson looked the part and the 'keeper looked like he could do a job. It's been that long since I saw Callachan that I can't even remember what he's like. In my opinion, bringing through youth players should be the way forward for Rovers. We are shite at bringing through youth players, unless we are doing it for United or Hearts. We are great at doing it for them.

Donaldson was the best player on the park for his debut against Ayr at Cappielow in a cup game a while back.

The cup game that saw us horsed by the Ayr youths I may add.

[CALDERON]

Bring back the bugler.

[RoversMad]

Bring back the bugler.

Aye coz what we really need is

"The Charge of the Light Brigade" ringing out as we press forward, leaving more holes than a Leith sauna...

[basher brash]

With all this new talk of a SPL2 and now our Chairman Mr Hutton backing a breakaway now is it just a case of the Rovers board have realised that crowds are dropping badly and they have to act quickly before another Dunfermline happens. Two things strike me, Hutton only last year slated the SPL as a Dead Parrot and that scottish football isnt heading for armegeddon yet he has totally changed his mindset now, Everyone has the right to change there mind but christ sake dont go on national TV and say one thing then do the opposite.

Where the Board have went wrong is appoint a total inept manager who hasnt got a clue with tactics,team formations etc and including poor results,entertainment has led to a drastic fall in crowds at Starks Park not the recession like some Rover fans may let you believe.

Dont see the Flyers feeling the recession with crowds up,must be to do with there fans getting more value for money ,success, results.

I feel the Rover squad is good enough but arent producing the goods for one reason or another, Look at the amount of games they have lost after being in a winning positions this is purely down to the management team and there clueless tactics,

Instead of a fanciful SPL2 Hutton should be worrying about the state of his own teams performances and get rid of that clown of a manager before anymore damaged is done

[Michael W]

They are only a drain on resources if we pay lip service to bringing through youth players to the first team, as we currently do. Donaldson, for example, has shown he can hack it, but he gets very few opportunities.

If the manager doesn't rate him, it's time to move him on.

It was the same with McGlynn. He put his trust in a select group of players and tended to ignore others. Are our youth players not good enough, or is Murray the same as McGlynn?

I honestly don't know if the likes of Callaghan are good enough because I've seen pretty much nothing of them.

So far, we have produced one player who has made a fair number of appearances, but has struggled to get into the side this season. If we're not producing players, it's time to can our youth system and use the money saved on more players and paying down our stadium mortgage.

Edit: I haven't seen the Hutton interview in which SPL2 was mentioned, but I'll be devastated if he has went out and backed a breakaway as is being suggested.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Michael W