Raith Rovers boss Grant Murray has issued a plea to the club’s fans to turn out in large numbers for their side’s league opener and help turn Stark’s Park into a fortress this season.
Supporters all over the country are being urged to attend matches on what has been dubbed ”Sell-Out Saturday” in a bid to dispel all the doom and gloom that has enveloped the game in this country this summer.
With Dundee United and Celtic not having a game this weekend because of the Hoops’ friendly against Real Madrid, there is even talk of fans of both sides travelling to Kirkcaldy for the Raith game against Hamilton to show their support for the brave stance Rovers’ vice-chairman Turnbull Hutton took during the Rangers saga.
Murray said: ”First and foremost, it is a home game and it is great to start a league campaign at Stark’s Park.
”But we know right away that it will be a tough match against Hamilton. We had some close encounters with them last season so we know exactly what sort of team they are and Billy Reid is an experienced manager.
”His team will try to get the ball down as they are a very good footballing side.
”We will be very wary of them but we are really looking forward to our first league game at home.
”There has been a lot happening in Scottish football recently but I think the fans have missed the football over the summer.
”They have had a wee taste with the Olympics and pre-season games but fans want to see competitive matches. Every fan looks forward to the start of the league campaign and hopefully we will have a big crowd out there on Saturday.
”We want to make our home stadium a fortress for any team coming here and the fans can make a real difference, giving the players a lift. The more fans we get through the gate helps the club and the team.”
Murray missed last weekend’s game against Berwick Rangers in the League Cup as a precautionary measure because of a slight niggle.
However, he is confident he will be able to take his place at the heart of the Rovers’ defence against Hamilton and he revealed he intends to combine the roles of player and manager for as long as he can.
He said: ”Before I was made player-manager, I had a year left on my contract as a player so I didn’t see that changing at all.”