The New Raith Rovers Thread

[ATLIS]

1 hour ago, Skyline Drifter said:

I didn't really see much of him playing for Livi on tv but their fans seemed to think he was decent enough but not as good as their previous keeper who went back to Aston Villa. It will be interesting to see how he goes with a full season with them. He's stepped up level year on year over the last 3 or 4 and not missed a beat. It's clear Rangers are grooming him as their next number 1.

McCrorie is okay, honestly I would have rather seen us sign someone else from down south mainly for eligibility's sake for games against Rangers as we for now have to play Ross Stewart in goals there, or Gary Maley. Not sure who I'd prefer to play. 

Sarkic was miles beyond McCrorie for me, and he got a Montenegro call up and made his debut. 

McCrorie is just really raw as a keeper, and makes a few mistakes. He only played with us for a few months in the first spell and made a good 5 or 6 errors, I think only 2 actually led to a goal though (Celtic H, Hamilton A). He's quick off his line, which is a bit heart stopping sometimes.

We had Kelly for a spell in League 1 and he was severely average, so when we signed him for the Premiership it was underwhelming and he ended up being one of the best keepers we've had in recent memory so in that way, the continuity might work in favour of McCrorie. He's not going to be the worst keeper in the league, but if he gets off to a flyer in the league he might end up getting a call up to the Scotland squad for the November(?) games. Our last two keepers, did. (Sarkic, Kelly) 

[19QOS19]

McCrorie is okay, honestly I would have rather seen us sign someone else from down south mainly for eligibility's sake for games against Rangers as we for now have to play Ross Stewart in goals there, or Gary Maley. Not sure who I'd prefer to play. 

Sarkic was miles beyond McCrorie for me, and he got a Montenegro call up and made his debut. 
McCrorie is just really raw as a keeper, and makes a few mistakes. He only played with us for a few months in the first spell and made a good 5 or 6 errors, I think only 2 actually led to a goal though (Celtic H, Hamilton A). He's quick off his line, which is a bit heart stopping sometimes.

We had Kelly for a spell in League 1 and he was severely average, so when we signed him for the Premiership it was underwhelming and he ended up being one of the best keepers we've had in recent memory so in that way, the continuity might work in favour of McCrorie. He's not going to be the worst keeper in the league, but if he gets off to a flyer in the league he might end up getting a call up to the Scotland squad for the November(?) games. Our last two keepers, did. (Sarkic, Kelly) 

He was better than OK for us. As SD said, we completely went to shit after he left. There was obviously other factors but him going was arguably the biggest one. With him in goal we conceded 20 goals in 16 matches. Once he left we conceded 19 goals in 9 games. I shudder to think what the final tally would have been had the season played out.

[HoBNob]

39 minutes ago, michaeljohnstone said:

Gregor Jordan was just released from the Pars. Fionn Mcleod Kay ended up at Glenrothes. Elliot Ford (wasn’t apart of the u20s) was recently released from Kelty. Yaw Osei is at Berwick. The rest are at EoS under twenties teams or Canada.

I'm sure Lewis Crosbie is, or was at Dunfermline aswell. 

Lewis McCann featured for our first team last year and has been capped at youth level for Northern Ireland, think he's achieved the most. 

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

52 minutes ago, michaeljohnstone said:

Gregor Jordan was just released from the Pars. Fionn Mcleod Kay ended up at Glenrothes. Elliot Ford (wasn’t apart of the u20s) was recently released from Kelty. Yaw Osei is at Berwick. The rest are at EoS under twenties teams or Canada.

Elliot Ford has signed for Thornton Hibs, James Berry went to Stirling Uni, Ryan Stevenson went to Bo'ness Utd, Euan Valentine is at Cowdenbeath, Johnny Court at Edinburgh City.

[Skyline Drifter]

8 hours ago, michaeljohnstone said:

With Watson gone, is McKay and Smith the only surviving members of Craig Easton’s dev squad? Didn’t we won the under twenties division twice and it all went tits up when it went back to reserve football?

 

1 hour ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

That was the line up on 09/04/18 when they beat Cowdenbeath 4-0 to clinch the Development League East.

Yeah, some perspective maybe required about what that actually means. There was a Premiership Development League with the top 16 / 18 or so youth set ups in it (I don't recall exactly how many but all the top division sides plus Queens Park, Dunfermline, Hibs, Rangers, and Hearts when they were outside the top division, etc). And then there was a regionalised 2nd tier of West and East. That Raith side was effectively joint champions of the 2nd tier which put them probably inside the top 20 u20's set ups at the time. It's not like they were the top side in the country and tipped for stardom.

Similarly, we had a really strong Development League side for a while and won the West equivalent in 2016/17 having been pipped by a goal the year before. Our squad then was:
Cammy Copland (GK), Sam Henderson (GK), Jack Leighfield (GK),  Shane Glean (Def), Ewan Gourlay (Def), Scott Hooper (Def), Bob Murray (Def), Ayrton Sonkur (Def), Jake Thompson (Def), Adam Uphill (Def), Jesse Akuibine (Mid), Owen Bell (Mid), Robbie Miller (Mid), Owen Moxon (Mid), Scott Norman (Mid), Dean Brotherston (Wing), Bailey White (Wing), Ross Fergusson (For), Jay McInally (For), Connor Murray (For), Aidan Smith (For).

That looked a really good squad at that level but there hasn't been massive breakthroughs from it. Connor Murray was a first team regular for us last season. Jack Leighfield and Ewan Gourlay were still here (Gourlay has signed for Threave Rovers since season ended though) but perennial substitutes. Owen Bell (Cumnock) and Bailey White (Carlisle City) moved on as footballers but still work for Queen of the South in day jobs. The rest all moved on. Scott Hooper and Aidan Smith had success with Annan at League 2 and both moved on to play with Peterhead last season. Ayrton Sonkur also played with Annan and just signed for Stranraer. Owen Moxon is another who went to Annan and is still there. The rest are all playing non-league or not at all.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Skyline Drifter

[McGuigan1978]

Aye, can’t say I got too excited about the side which won the Development League, although I did hope we’d get one or two come through it.

Bearing in mind Ross County won the top tier Development League in 2016/17, and we played them a couple of months later in the Challenge Cup and were four up after half an hour.

The standard in most part is pretty poor.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

3 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Yeah, some perspective maybe required about what that actually means

 

The perspective is in the photo, it says League East

  8 Tours ago,

  1 hour ago, 

[Skyline Drifter]

2 minutes ago, Zen Archer Esq. said:

 

The perspective is in the photo, it says League East

  8 Tours ago,

  1 hour ago, 

Indeed. It was Michael's post I was referring to, not yours.. Plenty of perspective in yours. I was just using it to reply as the same basis for looking at where our squad from 2017 are now.

[Raith Against The Machine]

Joao Victoria has - predictably - signed for Stranraer. 

Never quite worked out for him. At the start of last season he looked like he'd add some flair to the squad, but you'd have struggled to justify his inclusion in the starting eleven at any point. 

He should stand out in League Two. 

[Frankly, Mr Shankly]

Yeah, some perspective maybe required about what that actually means. There was a Premiership Development League with the top 16 / 18 or so youth set ups in it (I don't recall exactly how many but all the top division sides plus Queens Park, Dunfermline, Hibs, Rangers, and Hearts when they were outside the top division, etc). And then there was a regionalised 2nd tier of West and East. That Raith side was effectively joint champions of the 2nd tier which put them probably inside the top 20 u20's set ups at the time. It's not like they were the top side in the country and tipped for stardom.
Similarly, we had a really strong Development League side for a while and won the West equivalent in 2016/17 having been pipped by a goal the year before. Our squad then was:
Cammy Copland (GK), Sam Henderson (GK), Jack Leighfield (GK),  Shane Glean (Def), Ewan Gourlay (Def), Scott Hooper (Def), Bob Murray (Def), Ayrton Sonkur (Def), Jake Thompson (Def), Adam Uphill (Def), Jesse Akuibine (Mid), Owen Bell (Mid), Robbie Miller (Mid), Owen Moxon (Mid), Scott Norman (Mid), Dean Brotherston (Wing), Bailey White (Wing), Ross Fergusson (For), Jay McInally (For), Connor Murray (For), Aidan Smith (For).
That looked a really good squad at that level but there hasn't been massive breakthroughs from it. Connor Murray was a first team regular for us last season. Jack Leighfield and Ewan Gourlay were still here (Gourlay has signed for Threave Rovers since season ended though) but perennial substitutes. Owen Bell (Cumnock) and Bailey White (Carlisle City) moved on a footballers but still work for Queen of the South in day jobs. The rest all moved on. Scott Hooper and Aidan Smith had success with Annan at League 2 and both moved on to play with Peterhead last season. Ayrton Sonkur also played with Annan and just signed for Stranraer. Owen Moxon is another who went to Annan and is still there. The rest are all playing non-league or not at all.

To be fair that Raith team was spoken highly of. Suppose McKay and Smith are our front runners, no one else has lasted this long. Jamie Watson was a bang average third tier right back for us. Euan Valentine wasn’t up to it in the third tier. Ryan Stevenson looked a player, suppose he wasn’t rated by Barry Smith or John McGlynn. Don’t remember James Berry ever playing a first team game in the League, but was a decent wee player when I saw him with Stirling Uni. Fionn Mcleod-Kay has played for four or five clubs since us I think, was never good enough for first team football. Josh MacDonald never got a chance at all, not even a friendly. Rory Brian was a very decent goalkeeper, but went back to Australia. Sam McGuff was just released by Forfar, but he was absolutely brutal in the games I saw him in. Yaw Osei was an absolute donkey. Scored one decent goal against Brora and that’s his only highlight after two years at the club. Andreas Thorsen looked okay, but fucked off after Locke left, think he’s packed it in all together. Kyle Bell is playing for East Fife nowadays, so fair fucks to him. That’s it as I’m aware. None of the players mentioned come close to Kieron Bowie or Dylan Tait, and we’re yet to see Quinn Coulson or Kyle Bow play a first team game, but good luck to them.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

5 minutes ago, michaeljohnstone said:

Andreas Thorsen

Andreas went down the University route playing for Elon Uni, North Carolina.

 

ETA, his mum was a babe.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Zen Archer Esq.

[R.R.FC]

1 hour ago, raith1974 said:

Jamie McDonald good signing but with Davo in front of him when he actually stays on the pitch, moaning at everyone round him then he may a tough season. Hopefully a new centre half comes in.

 

18 hours ago, raith1974 said:

Hope your right about the centre half not sure that 3 of the 4 we have are good enough. 

 

On 15/07/2020 at 20:15, raith1974 said:

Davo, Andersob should have  been released not good enough now for this level. 

 

On 15/07/2020 at 17:18, raith1974 said:

If budgets are tight then no room for McGurn ad much as I like him, he is past it and struggles with injuries and Davidson no thanks. Hasn't got the legs anymore and his temperament is shocking and probably even worse now that it was 10 years ago. 

 

On 15/07/2020 at 17:33, raith1974 said:

In terms of Davidson being the best defender with the ball at his feet, sorry but no. Both fullbacks are better. Davidson's usual pass is a hook over his shoulder or a punt up the park. I just hope that we have plans to sign a central defender and Davidson is 3rd or 4th choice. 

You may dislike Davo more than @Michael W , I didn’t think that would ever be possible. Fair play.

[Frankly, Mr Shankly]

Davo is a club legend.

[raith1974]

1 hour ago, R.R.FC said:

 

 

 

 

You may dislike Davo more than @Michael W , I didn’t think that would ever be possible. Fair play.

I dislike him mainly because of his attitude in many games, looks like he cant be arsed then gets sent off for stupid tackles, mouthing off and the game down at Alloa a few seasons ago summed him up.

[Raithie]

Davo is one of our more passionate players. And no I'm not joking. 

[kev23]

I dislike him mainly because of his attitude in many games, looks like he cant be arsed then gets sent off for stupid tackles, mouthing off and the game down at Alloa a few seasons ago summed him up.

I'm by no means Davidson's biggest fan but I find it mental that anyone gets the impression he 'cant be arsed'. You can criticise his temperament, his decision making and probably his football ability but his levels of effort are up there with anyone in the team.

[RRPT]

38 minutes ago, raith1974 said:

I dislike him mainly because of his attitude in many games, looks like he cant be arsed then gets sent off for stupid tackles, mouthing off and the game down at Alloa a few seasons ago summed him up.

I don't think I'd want to see a Davo who didn't play on the edge, that's part of the appeal; I agree his attitude at times can be questionable but it's clear he cares for the club and will do what he can to try and win. Folk need to start giving Davo the respect he deserves. You don't play nearly 500 games for the club without being good; as far as I can remember, every manager has started him when fit/not suspended, so they obviously see something you don't. 

[Michael W]

3 hours ago, R.R.FC said:

 

 

 

 

You may dislike Davo more than @Michael W , I didn’t think that would ever be possible. Fair play.

It's been a good run, but finally the burner account's been rumbled. 

[raith1974]

1 hour ago, RRPT said:

I don't think I'd want to see a Davo who didn't play on the edge, that's part of the appeal; I agree his attitude at times can be questionable but it's clear he cares for the club and will do what he can to try and win. Folk need to start giving Davo the respect he deserves. You don't play nearly 500 games for the club without being good; as far as I can remember, every manager has started him when fit/not suspended, so they obviously see something you don't. 

Hes had his time though, he will maybe be full of effort full of desire full of energy but time has caught up with him and unfortunately there are many better players that are or will become available but our budget has been spent with Davo and Mendy.

[RaithRover123]

4 hours ago, Grant228 said:

I'm sure Lewis Crosbie is, or was at Dunfermline aswell. 

Lewis McCann featured for our first team last year and has been capped at youth level for Northern Ireland, think he's achieved the most. 

Have to disagree, McKay has over 70 apps in league football.