Andy Barrowman has defended Raith Rovers’ controversial social media post that has brought stinging criticism from Dundee United fans and beyond.
The Stark’s Park side used footage of a lunging challenge from Jack Hamilton on United keeper Jack Walton to continue celebrations of Friday night’s 2-1 victory over their title rivals.
But the ‘sliding into Sunday like…’ message on X drew condemnation, particularly from United supporters.
The forceful tackle earned Hamilton a booking, but many believe it should have resulted in the striker being sent-off.
Sliding into Sunday like… pic.twitter.com/htFGmVTzPU
— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) February 18, 2024
Raith were accused of ‘celebrating a violent foul that endangered a fellow player’ with their post, which has been seen over 750,000 times and liked more than 1,100 times.
However, Barrowman is adamant Rovers, who hauled themselves to within a point of United at the top of the Championship, did not mean any harm with the ‘tweet’.
And the club’s chief executive insists it just was ‘part and parcel’ of the ‘banter’ his club has found itself on the wrong side of at times in recent weeks.
“I didn’t think it was that controversial, to be honest,” he said. “It was a bit of fun.
“We’ll be on the end of things like that. And we have been on the end of things, especially in recent weeks when we’ve been on a bit of a bad run.
‘Plenty of stick’
“We’ve taken plenty of stick in the last month or six weeks.
“We took plenty of stick when the Arbroath sub goalie [Ali Adams] scored, but that’s part and parcel of the game.
“We’re meant to enjoy it, we’re meant to have fun.
“So, we’ll give it out and we’ll take it when we get it as well.
“That was all it was from our point of view – just a bit of fun.
“We certainly didn’t mean any harm by it, and wouldn’t have posted anything if their goalkeeper had been injured or anything like that.”
He added: “I was with my family on Sunday and had switched my phone off, so I didn’t really catch up with it until a few hours later.
“And I was like, ‘Oh, my God’. One tweet got a bit of a reaction.
“But it was just a bit of fun, that’s exactly what it was.”
Raith were on the end of some good-natured ribbing last month when they crashed out of the Scottish Cup to Livingston.
‘Football’s meant to be enjoyable’
Having posted that they would have twice as many away supporters at the game as their hosts, the Lions bit back in the wake of their 2-1 victory.
They said: “Double the fans. Half the goals. Into the hat.”
Barrowman added: “Football’s meant to be enjoyable and we’ll take it when it’s dished out to us.
“Livingston poked a bit of fun at us on their social media when they beat us in the Scottish Cup.
“But that’s great. Internally, we were laughing at that.
“Yes, there’s part of you cursing them, but you’ve got to take it on the chin. It’s good.
“We’re all football fans and we want to enjoy it. Sometimes you’re on the right end of it and sometimes you aren’t.
“People are talking about Raith Rovers and I saw lots of tweets that were positive from fans of other clubs.
“Some said it was a good bit of fun and they wished their clubs did the same.
“It’s good to get people talking about us and talking about the game. We’re not going to stop that and shy away from that.
“It doesn’t matter how many Dundee United fans comment on it, we’re still not going to stop it. We didn’t come here to be the same as everyone else.”
