CalmacRR

Assuming everyone is fit, I think the squad is almost completely settled. I'd say the 22 below are almost certain to go. I reckon Souttar is most likely to be the 23rd pick, though there's perhaps a chance Clarke takes Cooper to have another naturally left sided defensive option. Or he could go with Greg Taylor, but I think Hickey's ability to play both sides gives us enough cover at wing back. I think there's enough versatility in that midfield without needing to take Ryan Jack. Someone like Ryan Fraser might have an outside chance as the squad is a touch lacking in pace and Clarke might want a winger just to be able to mix it up. A few months ago I thought Shankland was about 50/50, but given his form there's surely no way he won't go, even if only to be used off the bench in the last 10/15 minutes if we're chasing a goal. Gunn Gordon Clark Hickey Patterson Robertson Tierney McKenna Hanley Hendry Porteous McGregor Gilmour McLean McTominay McGinn Christie Armstrong Ferguson Adams Dykes Shankland

Interesting, thanks. I had figured the new manager bounce was a factor at the weekend. I suppose the longer term trends are mostly down to Dunfermline being a Premier League club more recently. If we could somehow pull off promotion this season it would be really interesting to see if that would bring the numbers back. I think the potential to grow the support is there.

Sorry to go back to the crowds issue, but I'm really curious why our core home support isn't larger. Setting aside any effects of the pandemic/streaming, Dunfermline had 3,500 at East End on Saturday, almost 2,000 more than Rovers. Have the Pars always had a bigger fanbase? They've generally been higher up the leagues in the last 20 years, but haven't done anything in recent seasons. Does it go back further than that, to their success in the 60s? I haven't lived in Kirkcaldy since I was a kid, and that was in the 90s, so I'm a little hazy on the distribution of Fife's population and where the pockets of support are based. But I know Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline are roughly similarly sized towns. Does the Rovers crowd take a hit because of the Fife Flyers also being in town? Would appreciate if anyone can enlighten me.