Raith Rovers are close to providing ‘clarity’ on their out-of-contract stars.
The Stark’s Park outfit have a team’s worth of talent with deals expiring on Friday.
First-team regulars and fans’ favourites, such as Dylan Easton, Liam Dick and Ross Matthews, are on a list that also includes Keith Watson, Dylan Corr and Scott McGill.
Easton, in particular, has been the subject of fevered speculation, with Premiership clubs and Championship rivals understood to be firming up their interest in the attacking playmaker.
Raith’s title push and subsequent qualification for the Premiership play-offs have understandably delayed the process of making decisions on some of the players’ futures.
Until Sunday, the Kirkcaldy club did not know where they would be playing their football next term.
That uncertainty led to more concrete negotiations being put on the back burner until after the play-off final.
However, chief executive Andy Barrowman has indicated that ‘a lot of the groundwork’ had still taken place.
‘Preparatory work done’
And, with Callum Fordyce having already been recruited for next season and other new signings imminent, an announcement on the fate of the current squad is expected in the coming days.
“In fairness, there had been lots of discussion already,” said Barrowman.
“Maybe not decisions, but there had been discussions between the club and players – players currently here and players at other clubs or free agents.
“There was a lot of preparatory work done.
“But you kind of have to wait, because there was a Plan A and a Plan B in terms of which league we were going to be in.
“That delays the decision-making.
“But a lot of the groundwork had been done and it’s just about having the conversations and getting to the point where there’s clarity for everyone on both sides.
“That’s important. It’s people’s careers, it’s people’s livelihoods, so it’s important we have those discussions sooner rather than later.
“We’re well on with that already.
Update
“We’ll give everyone a squad update once we’re in the position to do that.”
Another player whose deal at Raith is coming to an end is Shaun Byrne, who spent the season on loan from Dundee.
The 30-year-old has been freed by the Dark Blues and is now on the radar of Livingston, Partick Thistle and Dunfermline.
However, Raith remain eager to hang on to the midfielder on a permanent contract.
