Raith Rovers host Rangers in a Championship encounter on Friday night, with both sides going into the game with three wins from four league outings.
The Stark’s Park clash is live on BT Sport, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
Here are 10 things you might not know about the club from The Lang Toun.
1. Contrary to the BBC once telling its viewers that there would be dancing in the streets of Raith, the club come from the town of Kirkcaldy. The name is derived from the Gaelic term for ‘fort’ or ‘fortified residence’ that stretched from south of Lochgelly to Kirkcaldy, where the Battle of Raith between the attack-minded Angles and the more defensive Picts, Scots and Britons is believed to have been fought in 596AD.
2. Raith Rovers have only made one appearance in a Scottish Cup final, back in 1912/13. Broxburn United were defeated on route to the final which was held at Celtic Park, as were Hibs after a replay, St Mirren and Clyde, again after a replay. It was to be a disappointing day as they lost 2-0 to Falkirk. The Fifers have contested two League Cup finals and one Challenge Cup final, with two wins out of three in those competitions.
3. In 1922, a planned tour to the Canary Islands for 13 players and seven officials from ran into trouble when the steamship they were on board, Highland Loch, become grounded on rocks just off the Spanish port of Currubedo. The travelling football party had to scramble down rope ladders to waiting lifeboats and be taken ashore safely. The players put it behind them to win their four tour games.
4. Striker Gordon Wallace became the first non-Rangers or Celtic player to win the Scottish Football Writers Player of the Year Award in 1968. Wallace netted 27 goals in 34 league games that season and was a major factor in Raith avoiding relegation.
5. Former Cowdenbeath and St Mirren manager Danny Lennon missed out on Raith Rovers’ League Cup win over Celtic in 1994 due to injury. Lennon, who scored a penalty in semi-final win over Airdrie, broke a metatarsal in training in the lead up to the Ibrox showdown. He sat out the final, which Raith won 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw although he did have the satisfaction of winning the trophy as the Paisley side’s manager in 2013.
6. Raith’s success in the League Cup allowed them entry to the UEFA Cup and, after defeating FC Gotu of the Faroe Islands and Akranes of Iceland, they drew the might of Bayern Munich. The first leg, played at Easter Road, was won 2-0 by the Germans, however Raith did have the satisfaction of leading 1-0 in the Olympic Stadium at half-time before Bayern hit back to win 2-1.
7. Raith Rovers’ green and black Hunting Stewart tartan second strip this season marks the sacrifice players at the club made during the First World War. Seven Kirkcaldy-based players joined up with footballers from Hearts and other clubs to form McCrae’s Battalion in the 16th Royal Scots. The soldiers took part in action including the Battle of the Somme and Passchendaele, and three Stark’s Park players — Jimmy Todd, Jimmy Scott and George McLay — lost their lives. Instead of a sponsors’ logo the word ‘Remember’ is on the shirt.
8. While Raith Rovers may never have won the Scottish Cup, manager Grant Murray does have a Scottish Cup medal. He was an unused substitute when Hearts defeated Rangers 2-1 in 1998 to lift the trophy for the first time in more than 40 years.
9. French superstar Nicolas Anelka has a connection with Raith Rovers through his brother Claude, although it was not a successful one. Claude invested in the Fife club in 2004 in return for being appointed as first-team coach despite having no senior football experience. He became Director of Football after just eight games, having gathered just one point and left in October 2004.
10. The prize for shortest time on the pitch in comparison to impact made in Raith colours must go to goalkeeper Brian Potter. The 17-year-old had made only one appearance in 1993/ 94 and the following season he was listed as the back-up goalkeeper in Raith’s League Cup run as Ray Allan was cup-tied. Potter was thrust into action in the semi-final against Airdrie when regular No 1 Scott Thomson was sent off with Raith leading 1-0. The Diamonds equalised to force extra time and penalties with Potter saving Alan Lawrence’s spot-kick to send Raith into the final but he never played for the club again.
Craig Stewart
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