McGlynn leads the rise of the Rovers
In the 1930s a crowd of 25,500 packed Stark's Park on a Wednesday afternoon for a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay between and .
The first match had been watched by 19,000 at the old Bayview.
The treasurers of those two clubs, or indeed most others in Scotland, are unlikely to ever again witness crowds of that magnitude.
But at Rovers, things are looking brighter than they have done for some time.
John McGlynn has made steady progress with Raith Rovers since joining in November 2006. Photo: SNS.
Jimmy Nicholl won the manager of the year award in season 1994/95 for his remarkable achievements at the club, which included a League Cup win over Celtic, qualification for the Uefa Cup and a never-to-be-forgotten match against Bayern Munich.
The man who now occupies his old office at Stark's Park can't quite match those feats yet, but in anyone's book John McGlynn has done a terrific job.
With a , promotion now looks a good bet.
Since replacing Scotland manager Craig Levein at Stark's Park in November 2006, the former Hearts caretaker has worked miracles.
With the kind of budget a city banker splashes out on champagne on a Friday night, McGlynn has propelled Rovers from the Second Division to their current richly deserved spot at the top of the league above.
Operating with the bare bones of a full-time squad and without a full-time goalkeeper on the books, Raith have prospered under his workaholic style.
As the only full-time coach at the club, McGlynn's duties run the full gamut, through running the first team, involvement in the youth set-up, scouting and driving the minibus.
First in, last to leave sums up his commitment to the Kirkcaldy cause.
His time at the club has been marked by steady progress.
The heartbreak of two play-off defeats has been followed by subsequent promotion to the First Division culminating in what looks like title-winning form.
While some managers regularly bemoan the lack of money to spend, McGlynn has simply done what managers used to do. Manage.
Getting the best out of a hard-working squad of players is an art, and while some might not think Raith the prettiest team to watch, a picture has emerged of a side playing to their strengths and doing what they are good at.
Winning the First Division would be a well-deserved reward for their hard-working manager.
The rise of the Rovers has been remarkable and John McGlynn deserves huge praise for that.
They pay me to watch football and talk football. That’s some people's idea of Christmas every day. I can't deny it's mine too. I view the football world through a different lens from some journalists, because I live and work in Dundee. The Old Firm are interesting, but so was my breakfast this morning. There is a whole lot more on the Scottish football menu than the big two. From the SPL to the juniors, the game offers lots of dishes, and they all get my taste buds going.
Comment number 1.
At 11th Mar 2011, Robbie Weir wrote:Glad McGlynn is getting recognition in some respects. Last week Dunfermline's Jim Leishman came out in a local paper to say, with all due respect (his words), that the Pars only had to finish above Falkirk in order to secure the title. The overall, vast majority of Raith fans are cautious of how long we have left to play but even if we do finish second or third it is a tremendous achievement for our club given the resources at his disposal. Even better, he has taken players like Willie Dyer, Andy McNeil and Dougie Hill and given them an opportunity where many would say they wouldn't be good enough. As of now, all three have been fantastic for our club.
While there is a long way to go, we're still optimistic we can go the whole way. From 2nd bottom of the second division, to top of the 1st division in the space of just over 4 years with a Scottish Cup Semi Final thrown in and scalps against two SPL teams. A truly remarkable achievement with some remarkable seasons.
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Comment number 2.
At 12th Mar 2011, Uriah Heep wrote:Glad to see McGlynn getting some plaudits. Some guys are destined to be No2s and have faltered when stepping up into the hot seat. McGlynn however has flourished and good on him. He is an interesting contrast to the younger (and less experienced) managers in charge of our biggest clubs and as you write, he is getting there on a shoestring and relying on his managerial capability.
I was also intrigued by the notion that Rangers can't compete because they are starved of funds yet recognise you can prosper through good coaching, tactical awareness and motivation in every other league.
Finally, Robbie @1 is right to be cautious - it was only 10 weeks ago this blog was debating Hearts good form and the real prospect of splitting the Old Firm but for sure they are now in pole position.
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Comment number 3.
At 12th Mar 2011, rab75 wrote:Fantastic to see Raith Rovers finally mentioned and getting the credit they and John McGlynn deserve. Any other team 5 points clear at this stage of the season would undoubtedly be receiving plaudits galore. McGlynn's work ethic is a fantastic example to all these younger and supposed shining lights endorsed and indulged by the media. Hopefully he can maintain the current over achieving of his squad and lead them back up to the promised land of two horse race which is the SPL.
C'Mon the Rovers
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Comment number 4.
At 12th Mar 2011, Uriah Heep wrote:Sod's law - a few positive comments then gubbed the same day. That's fitba...
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