Friendly fire as Raith Rovers get ready for kick off

Regan Hendry, who signed for Forest Green Rovers this week, in action for Raith against Stranraer last year

Rovers will play three games in a week, starting off with Stranraer on Saturday followed by Clyde and Queen’s Park.

All three games are at Stark’s Park with the Clyde match behind closed doors.

McGlynn says he’s looking forward to getting his players out on the pitch.

“Match fitness is what you're looking for now,” he says.

“These games will give everybody a chance to get on the pitch and get minutes.

“We'll try and balance that out so that everybody is ready for the start of the season as best we can.

“We're not carrying a lot of bodies at the moment. Frankie Musonda is out at the moment after his operation. Tom Lang had an operation too, though he will be back before Frankie.

“They're getting rehab at the moment but they won't be ready early in the season and Dave McKay isn't back in with the squad yet.

“Although we have a lot of defenders, only four of them are fit at the moment so they will have to play a lot of minutes.

“It's not ideal, we would have preferred to rotate them, so that's a little bit of a concern.

The matches will also give the gaffer a chance to cast an eye over some trialists as well as youngsters Quinn Coulson, Aaron Arnott, Luke Mahady and Keiran Mitchell - the latest to step up from Fife Elite.

“We'll continue to work hard in the build up to the start of the season,” he added.

“If you add in the young guys we've got a reasonable number in the squad.

“Before we kick off for our first league game I would think we will have another two players in.

“We can't just bring players in willy-nilly, we have to work to the budget and try to get the best players we can and we’ll always be looking to the loan market as well.

“I have to get that balance right with regards to the balance in the team.

“At the back for example, I think you need six for those four positions.

At the moment we've only got four available. Those are the sorts of things that throw a spanner in the works.

“This is how your squad forms but we’ll be keeping our eyes open over the next few weeks for new faces.”