Raith Rovers F.C.

Did You Know?

• Raith Rovers set a British League Record in 1937–38 by scoring 142 goals in just 34 league matches, a record that still stands today.
• In 1923, the Raith Rovers team was shipwrecked off the coast of Galicia when the SS Highland Loch ran aground; they were rescued by local fishermen and went on to win all four of their games on the Canary Islands.
• Raith Rovers were the first football team in Fife to be elected to the Scottish League, joining in season 1902–03.
• The club's 1994 Scottish League Cup win led to a UEFA Cup run where they eliminated the Faroese and Icelandic champions before losing 4–1 on aggregate to eventual winners Bayern Munich.
• A then-record crowd of 25,500 filled Stark's Park for a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against East Fife in the late 1930s.

History

Raith Rovers, the modern club, began in 1883 in Kirkcaldy, with early homes at Sands Brae and later Robbie's Park. An older, separate Raith Rovers had merged with what became Cowdenbeath in 1882. The team went senior in 1889, soon after leaving Robbie's Park for Beveridge Park. By 1891 they had settled at Stark's Park, named for councillor Robert Stark. Professional status came in 1892, and in 1902–03 they became the first Fife side elected to the Scottish League. The club was incorporated as a limited company in 1907. Following two strong seasons in the Second Division, they moved up to the First Division for 1909–10. Their sole Scottish Cup Final appearance came three years later, a 2–0 loss to Falkirk.

Supporters and culture

Notable fans include former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, author Ian Rankin, Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman, and writer Harry Ritchie. Author Val McDermid, a former director, ended her support in February 2022 over the signing of David Goodwillie. The team appears in Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus novels and Giles Foden's The Last King of Scotland. The club anthem is "Geordie Munro". Supporter contact is maintained with fans of FC Ingolstadt 04.

Managerial history

Bert Herdman (1945–1961) oversaw successful seasons and a sustained top-flight period. George Farm (1964–1967, 1971–1974) included a promotion success with Raith. Frank Connor (1986–1990) took the club from the Second Division to a solid First Division spot. Jimmy Nicholl (1990–1996) won two First Division titles, the League Cup, and led the club into European competition.

Notable former players

Players from the 1994–95 League Cup-winning team include Shaun Dennis, who made over 400 appearances across three spells; Colin Cameron, a Scottish international who started at Raith; Jason Dair, an experienced midfielder; Stevie Crawford, a Scottish international who began his career at Raith; Gordon Dalziel, the club's record league goalscorer with 154 goals; David Narey, a veteran who retired after the Cup win and was named Man of the Match; and Steve McAnespie, sold for a club-record £900,000. Others in the squad included Scott Thomson, Julian Broddle, David Sinclair, Ally Graham, Brian Potter, Jason Rowbotham, and Ian Redford. As of June 2020, ten former Raith players are in the Scottish Football Hall of Fame, including Jim Baxter, Alex James, McCrae's Battalion, Willie Wallace, and David Narey. Jim Baxter is also in the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.