How ex-Rangers star Charlie Telfer has been one of 13 injured Raith Rovers players in 'crazy' season

Telfer, 31, was a regular early as he impressed in midfield before missing nine matches between September and November after picking up a severe hamstring tear in training.

But ex-Rangers youth player Telfer is now back as part of the Raith squad trying to mount a William Hill Championship promotion push which if successful could result in the club playing in Scotland’s top flight for the first time in 30 years.

Looking back at when he put pen to paper to join the Kirkcaldy side back in June, Telfer told the Fife Free Press: “When I signed I knew the quality of players that were here and I knew it was going to be really competitive to get in the team.

"I felt like I got in and did well and then obviously got injured, which is just part and parcel of football.

“Personally it was a bit frustrating to get an injury but I'm back training now and back involved. I’ve been delighted to be back involved in the squad and be involved in the matchday prep.

"I didn't think the injury was going to be as bad as I thought and then we obviously got the scan and the results weren't great.

"The initial time frame was anything between six to 14 weeks, so I got back in just under eight, so it's been a lot quicker than we thought.

"It wasn't ideal, it came at a kind of rubbish time as I felt like I was getting really fit and felt strong and felt good and felt I was playing well.

"I've been quite fortunate throughout my career to not have too many bad injuries but the team's gone on and we're in a really good position just now.

"There's been some really good performances and some really good results.

"When you're away from it, I think maybe when you're younger you're quite selfish in a way that you kind of want to, maybe not the team not to do as well, but you want to come back and go straight in the team.

"But for me at this age I just love seeing us doing well and it's good to come into a squad where there's confidence to think that we will be the top end of the table.

"Speaking to players across the league and different teams, I think everyone looks at our squad and knows that we've got really good players.

"I think obviously we don't have the biggest squad, but you look around at the 22 boys we have.

"All of them can be starters in the team, so I'm not surprised that we're up there.

"Obviously nobody deserves anything, you have to go and earn it, so the boys have done really well and a lot of the guys have been playing with limited options off the bench.

"So it's been a credit to everyone that's dug in and hopefully now a few of us getting back, it kind of helps.

“Vaughany (Lewis Vaughan) has come back and then obviously Anton (Dowds) has been back a few weeks and Cal (Rangers loanee Calum Adamson) is back, so the squad's starting to get a bit stronger.

"Everyone has their injury problems, ours have just been really unfortunate ijn that they have kind of come at the same time.

"So hopefully we're kind of starting to get over the end of that and then we can be a bit stronger as a group moving forward.”

One weird anomaly about Raith’s injuries this season has been that – while the backline of goalkeeper Josh Rae and defenders like Paul Hanlon, Jack Baird and Jai Rowe have been regular features in the starting XI – it’s been a different case in the midfield and attacking areas with several casualties including long term absentee Dylan Easton who remains out until the New Year with an ankle injury.

Telfer added: “It’s peculiar our injuries haven’t just been spread across every position.

"Among our front three, George (Oakley) and Anton (Dowds) kind of got injured before George came back after Paul (McMullan) and Tiff (Scott Tiffoney) had quite a lot to do themselves.

"It's hard when you lose attacking options as they're the ones that you change when you need something like a different spark in the game. It falls on them to do a lot of the workload and create and we've done great for the limited options we've had.

"The back four have been amazing as well. We are where we are in the league for a reason, so hopefully we can just continue that. Nothing's won in November, but hopefully we can kick on.”

Rovers are second on 25 points from 14 matches ahead of resuming their league campaign at Ayr United in a 3pm kick-off this Saturday.

Telfer said: “I've never gone down to Ayr and won convincingly or it's been an easy game, so it'll be difficult. Obviously they've had a disappointing result last weekend, but we know they've got really good players and the manager's done really well.

"So they'll be up for it, they'll be wanting to try and put last week's result behind them.

"We'll have to be up for the game. It's on grass, which is a change also for us, but that's the league we're in.

"We're all up for it. We had a good result on Friday (0-0 home league draw Dunfermline). Obviously you want to win games of football, but it was a good point and hopefully we can go and build a wee bit more momentum, maybe get a result on Saturday and then you've got a big one the week after as well.”