Raith Rovers (Scotland)

Raith Rovers FC is a Scottish football club that was formed in 1883 in the Fife coastal town of Kirkcaldy. An earlier club of the same name had been set up before merging with Cowdenbeath FC in 1882.

Rovers began life playing at Robbie’s Park at a time that they faced local competition from other clubs such as Kirkcaldy Wanderers and Kirkcaldy United. The name of Raith relates to an area of land in the region that stretched from Lochgelly to Kirkcaldy.

After success in local competition Rovers moved to Beveridge Park in 1889, becoming a senior club and members of the SFA at the same time, before a further move came in 1891 as Stark's Park became the club home.

Raith became the first Fife club to join the Scottish League when admitted as members of Division Two in 1902-03 before being elected to the First Division in 1909-10. The 1912-13 season would see Rovers reach the final of the Scottish Cup.

The match at Celtic Park attracted a crowd of 45,000 where Falkirk ran out as 2-0 winners against the team from Fife managed by James Tod. Rovers continued as a struggling top flight club before eventually being relegated in 1916-17.

The club dropped down to the Central League before being re-admitted into the solitary league division for the 1919-20 season. A third place finish arrived in 1921-22 under manager James Logan after footballs were introduced to training, which was unheard of at the time.

The team were almost part of a disaster in 1923 when they were shipwrecked upon board a vessel heading to Buenos Aires to deliver meat. Rovers went on their way a couple of days later after being rescued by local fishermen to play in some matches in the Canary Islands.

Rovers were relegated to the Second Division in 1925-26 before going straight back up at the first attempt. The going proved too tough at the highest level as Raith were demoted in 1928-29; where they remained until the 1937-38 season.

Rovers romped away with the Second Division title as the forward line of Glen, Gilmour, Norrie Haywood, Whitelaw and Joyner scored 134 of the record 142 goals in the glorious campaign.

The same season saw Raith reach the quarter final of the Scottish Cup where they lost in a Wednesday afternoon replay to East Fife in front of 25,000 fans at Stark’s Park as the Fifers went on to become the only ever second division side to lift the trophy.

Rovers spell in the First Division lasted just twelve months with future record appearance holder Willie McNaught a stalwart in the side. The team reached the League Cup final of 1948-49; going down 2-0 to Rangers, whilst consolation came as the Second Division title was lifted under boss Bert Herdman.

This was a halcyon period for football in the area as East Fife were also regulars in the top flight, with Rovers finishing in fourth place in 1956-57. The team remained enjoying their surroundings until being relegated in a disastrous 1962-63 season under Alfie Conn.

After a short spell under Doug Cowie, George Farm took over the managerial reigns in 1964. Rovers returned to the First Division at the conclusion of the 1966-67 season before Farm headed off to take up the managers role at Dunfermline Athletic.

Tommy Walker took over the side in which the goals of Gordon Wallace saw him voted as Scottish Football Writers Player of the Year. Walker departed to be replaced by Jimmy Millar and then Bill Baxter following relegation in 1969-70.

Farm returned in 1971 remaining for three years until being succeeded by Bert Paton for a season before the arrival of Andy Matthew as the league was restructured to a three divisions system in 1975-76.

Rovers were promoted as runners-up from the third level Second Division before returning a year later. However, Matthew took his side straight back up at the first attempt before being replaced by Willie McLean and then former star player Wallace a year later.

Bobby Wilson became manager in 1983 as the side were relegated in his first season at the helm. Frank Connor was brought in for the 1986-97 season; taking the team to promotion and remaining in charge until 1990 until the arrival of Jimmy Nicholl.

The appointment of the former Manchester United, Rangers and Northern Ireland star proved to be a masterstroke. The team returned to full-time status before winning the First Division title in 1992-93 to reach the Premier Division.

Rovers went on to win the 1994-95 League Cup at Ibrox against Celtic. Gordon Dalziel and Stevie Crawford scored the goals to push the game into extra time and then penalties from where Raith won 6-5 with Scott Thomson the goalkeeper.

The rest of the stars of the triumph were Shaun Dennis, Colin Cameron, Jason Dair, David Narey, Steve McAnespie, Julian Broddle, David Sinclair, Ally Graham, Brian Potter, Jason Rowbotham and Ian Redford.

The win and subsequent transfers of some of the players helped pay for the redevelopment of Stark’s Park. It also led to a campaign in the UEFA Cup that was ended in the third round by FC Bayern München, with the home leg being switched to Easter Road.

The Premier Division proved too severe for Rovers who went back down in 1993-94 before returning a year later as First Division champions. Nicholl departed to take the Millwall managers job. Tommy McLean and Iain Munro both had spells in charge in the relegation season of 1996-97 before the return of Nicholl.

Paul Hartley rattled in the goals before the arrival of Peter Hetherston as manager in 1999 for whom Craig Dargo became a regular scorer. Jocky Scott was appointed manager for the 2001-02 season before being replaced by Antonio Calderón after the team was relegated.

The Second Division had become the third tier after further reconstruction of the Scottish League a few seasons previously. Rovers won its title in 2002-03 before narrowly escaping an immediate return.

Claude Anelka was brought in as the new team boss but was soon replaced by former striker Dalziel as Raith went down to the Second Division in 2004-05. Paul McManus’s goals cheered the regulars at Stark’s Park before Graham Weir and David Goodwillie took over the mantle.

Around the same period the future of Stark’s Park was in doubt as its former owners looked to sell the land for housing development. Eventually a new board and then a takeover aided by supporter and Prime Minister Gordon Brown secured the ground and clubs future.

A brief spell of management from Craig Levein was followed by the appointment of John McGlynn who led the team to the play-offs in 2007-08 which ended in defeat to Airdrie United. There would be no mistake the following season as Rovers went up to the First Division as champions with Kevin Smith top scoring.

Grant Murray took over as manager in 2012 after McGlynn had taken the Heart of Midlothian job. Raith won the Scottish Challenge Cup in 2013-14 with a 1-0 win against Rangers with a John Baird extra time goal at Easter Road.

Any dreams of promotion in 2015-16 were ended in the play-offs by Hibernian under new manager Ray McKinnon, before he departed for Dundee United.

Gary Locke was installed as boss in the summer of 2016 before departing and being replaced by John Hughes in February 2017 as Rovers were relegated in the play-offs against Brechin City despite the efforts of goalscorer Kevin McHattie.

Barry Smith became the new Stark’s Park managerial appointment in May 2017 as he took his team to the play-offs where they were defeated in the semi-finals by Alloa Athletic. Smith resigned in September 2018 to be replaced by the returning McGlynn.

Rovers again reached the play-off places but were thwarted in the final by Queen of the South as Kevin Nisbet finished top of the goal charts while Jamie Gullan led the way the following season.

Raith were top of League One when the outbreak of COVID-19 ended the season early. It was decided that the final placings stood, so the team were declared champions and promoted to the Championship. 

Raith Rovers FC will play in SPFL Championship in the 2020-21 season.

My visit

Friday 24^th January 2020

I’d enjoyed a most sociable evening in Edinburgh before embarking on the first of two days visiting Fife football clubs along with three matches. My bus journeys had taken me over the Firth of Forth and the ground of Burntisland Shipyard.

My next ride was aboard the number 7 service which ran right up the coast; affording me some great views over the water back across to Edinburgh and the small island of Inchkeith with its lighthouse before passing through Kinghorn.

Stark’s Park was located in the south of Kirkcaldy; described as “The Lang Toun” on a road sign welcoming visitor’s to the town. I jumped out at the first stop on Links Street before walking around the corner into Pratt Street before starting the climb up the hill.

The stadium was perched on the top of the slope tightly against the road. It went a long way to explaining its lay out. Heading for the top end I got some photos from either side of the North Stand.

It was a fine stadium with the outstanding feature the Main Stand that didn’t reach the halfway line but then went around the corner at the top end. It had an old disused enclosure in front and an ornate gable with “RRFC” on the roof.

I could see that the players were out training on the artificial pitch. Further investigation took me to a gap between the Main and South Stands where I was able to get further snaps. Some maintenance was being carried out on the players tunnel.

I’d been past the ground before as the trainline behind the aptly named Railway Stand down one side. I was really taken by it having seen inside. I headed off to catch the next bus to East Fife along Links Street where a young mother was struggling to control her infants while smiling at my two reasons that came to mind when I thought of Kirkcaldy.

It was the home of former darts world champion Jocky Wilson and a gaffe made by Grandstand presenter Sam Leitch who announced after a Rovers win that people would be dancing in the streets of Raith tonight.

Who knows whether it was a bit of intentional fun or not, but it apparently sent the phones red hot. Sky Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling also divided opinion by calling the club Roath Ravers on occasions.

All irrelevant stuff but always handy to know when wanting to add interest to a pub discussion if ever the club came up in conversation. It’s certainly more interesting than the logarithms and algebra we were taught at school.