Raith Rovers have led tributes to Bill Clark after it was revealed the club’s former chairman has passed away.
The ‘deeply saddened’ Kirkcaldy outfit announced Clark died aged 76 on Monday following an illness.
The Stark’s Park club will hold a minute’s silence before their SPFL Championship encounter with Queen’s Park on Saturday as a mark of respect.
During his working life, Clark served as rector of Galashiels Academy, chief inspector of schools for Scotland and also director of education in Islington, London.
But he will be remembered by most for his time spent in the boardroom at Raith.
Everyone at Raith Rovers Football Club was deeply saddened to hear that former Chairman Bill Clark passed away on Monday.
Our thoughts are with Bill’s wife Ann and all of his loved ones.
There will be a minute’s silence before kick-off tomorrow as we remember a great man. pic.twitter.com/TGT5vaR6SO
— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) January 12, 2024
A lifelong Rovers supporter, Clark joined the club as a director in October 2017 and was subsequently appointed chairman in May the following year.
He was faced with the struggles of the Coronavirus pandemic and the football shutdown that followed, and successfully steered Raith through the financial difficulties of the pandemic during his two years at the helm.
He also led the club during the legal battle to ensure the club’s promotion from League One was honoured following the curtailed 2019-20 campaign.
After a brief spell away from the board, Clark returned as a director in October 2020 and spearheaded the club’s youth development and community work at that time.
Untenable
However, his relationship with Raith was soured when he stepped down from the board in February 2022 in protest at the signing of David Goodwillie.
He claimed his position was untenable after his objections to the deeply controversial move were overruled.
It was reported at the time that Clark and fellow director Andrew Mill had been outvoted by their colleagues on the board and he subsequently resigned as a matter of principal.
A statement from Raith said: “Everyone at Raith Rovers Football Club was deeply saddened to hear that former chairman Bill Clark passed away on Monday.
“Our thoughts are with Bill’s wife Ann and all of his loved ones.
“There will be a minute’s silence before kick-off tomorrow as we remember a great man.”
