Callum Booth may only be at Raith on a season-long loan from Hibs but there can certainly be no doubting his commitment to the Kirkcaldy club’s cause.
The full-back has moved home to be closer to Stark’s Park and even played his part in Rovers’ memorable 3-2 Scottish Cup win over his parent club in February.
The player, who found himself frozen out at Hibs by former boss Pat Fenlon admits he has unfinished business in Edinburgh and once this season is over, he is determined to go back and fight for his place in the new Terry Butcher regime.
When he does return, he is hoping it will be with a Ramsdens Cup winner’s medal in his possession with the final of this year’s competition looming large on Sunday against Rangers at an Easter Road venue he obviously knows well.
Booth said: “I’ll be familiar with the final venue and I think we’re in the home dressing room, as well. I’ve not been in there for a couple of years though.
“Obviously we were there in February as a visiting team, so the boys all have experience of playing there.
“I think it might help a few of the boys, having been there. Especially for a cup final, you want to be a bit familiar with surroundings and us having won there last time helps, definitely.
“Hopefully I will be back there next season. Maybe it has done me good, maybe it was bad, I don’t know. Obviously you’re not going to be happy if you’re not playing.
“I hadn’t played in about six months, so I knew I had to do something. I went on loan last season because, under the old manager, I wouldn’t have been playing. I had to do it.
“He was still in charge at the start of this season, so I had to get myself out and play.
“Moving to Raith has been brilliant. I’ve moved house to Dunfermline to make things easier and everything, on and off the park, is great.
“When I go back next season, I will be a lot more experienced a better person as well as a better player.”
When asked if he is hoping to return with a cup winner’s medal, he replied: “Hopefully, that would be a dream to lift a cup and the Raith Rovers fans would remember it for many years to come.
“We have a chance. Obviously we are going in as underdogs and rightly so. They have the bigger budget and are expected to win. But we have played a few cup matches as the underdog this season away to Dundee and away to Hibs and it might suit us. We have won them.
“Everyone expects Rangers to win and that is a good thing. We can play with a bit of freedom.”
Booth admitted that he was left in the dark by Fenlon over his reasons for freezing him out at Hibs with the former Scotland Under-21 player having to go on loan firstly to Livingston and then Raith.
However, he received a boost recently when present boss Butcher contacted him for a chat over his future. When asked if Fenlon had explained why he wasn’t playing, Booth replied: “No. There was nothing.
“It wasn’t the best but maybe it’s made me a better player. These things happen. There is no point in sitting and moaning or complaining. You get on with it.
“Up until that point, my career had been good. Everything had been on the up, I was playing for Scotland Under-21s and everything I hadn’t really had a knock-back.
“So to get a little bit of a knock-back under the previous manager, I wasn’t going to sulk. It just meant I had to go on loan for two seasons. Fine.
“When I go back, I’ll be a better player for it. There is definitely unfinished business for me at Hibs. I want to play more games for them. I will go back for pre-season but from now until the end of this season, I’ll do my best for Raith.
“Terry Butcher phoned me a couple of months ago, which was good of him.
“That gave me a wee boost, it was nice of him. As far as I know, I’ll be back there for pre-season and I’ve got one year left on my contract after that. It’s a big year for me, next season.”