John McGlynn is eager to refocus Raith Rovers on their promotion push as they bid to finish a turbulent week by posting a first win in eight league games.
The embattled Stark’s Park side host Hamilton Accies at the end of a calamitous few days that have followed the hugely controversial capture of David Goodwillie.
After at first doubling down and defending the divisive signing, the Kirkcaldy outfit have since apologised to angry fans and said the striker – ruled to be a rapist by a civil court judge in 2017 – will not play for the team.
Rovers have lots of bridges to build after alienating great swathes of their support, the local community and wider society, as well as sparking the resignation of directors, staff and volunteers and drawing condemnation from politicians and charities.
McGlynn himself has been criticised for viewing Goodwillie as a viable signing target, with some arguing he should consider his own position.
But, referring to the statements already made on Goodwillie by the club and chairman John Sim, McGlynn is concentrating his energy on trying to steer his team through a difficult time on the pitch as the club copes with waves of negativity off it.
Making it clear he would speak only about the visit of Accies and not about Goodwillie’s signing, the former Hearts and Livingston manager said: “There was a lot of good stuff on Tuesday night against Queen of the South. It was the most chances we have created for a hell of a long time, maybe all season in one particular game.
“We had loads and loads of chances. We were back to our fast, free-flowing football for the vast majority of it.
“We just allowed Queens back into the game when we were in such a superior position and could have been out of sight.
Hamilton ‘will be tough’
“There are positives but there are always negatives, because we never won the game.
“We scored three goals and could have scored a lot more, and we need to improve on that, but you shouldn’t really have to score four goals to win a game.
“Hamilton have picked up and have been going quite well. They’ve got some good players and Stuart [Taylor] has now got them playing the way he wants them to play, which is an attractive style of play. So, it will be tough.”
