'I can improve even further', says resurgent Raith Rovers defender
Having missed several months due to a major injury layoff and latterly contracting the norovirus winter vomiting bug which led to him losing a stone in weight and being bedbound for a week over Christmas, Callum Fordyce is back in action for Raith Rovers.
After the long period out, the 32-year-old former Airdrieonians star has played the 90 minutes as Raith have kept clean sheets in their last two league games, a 0-0 draw at Livingston on March 5 followed by last Friday’s 2-0 home success over Dunfermline Athletic.
Fordyce told Raith TV: “I’m definitely starting to find my groove. Obviously I’ve had a lot of problems. Unfortunately some things can’t be helped.
"I’m over that now and I just need to look forward.
"It’s been tough with injuries and illnesses but you just have to bide your time and work hard. When you get the nod you have to be ready and thankfully I’ve done that the last two games.
"I think there’s probably more still to come.
"I’ve obviously not played a lot of games this year. But with the manager coming in the training’s been intense, it's hard.
"Every player has worked really hard and I still feel there’s levels I can go up to that I’ve been at for the past three or four years.
"I just need to continue that and hopefully keep progressing."
Fordyce, who said he was relishing being part of a three-man central defence, loved getting his teeth into what proved to be a comfortable Fife derby win at Stark’s Park against the struggling Pars thanks to goals in each half by Finlay Pollock and Paul Hanlon.
“Obviously the atmosphere was very intense,” he said. “First of all in a derby you have to have fight, desire, win challenges, win second balls, play percentages at times just until the game settles down.
"And I think we did that. I think it showed throughout the first half and the second half that we probably dominated the game.
"Finlay showed great composure going through for his goal. To have the composure in a derby to go round the goalie and slot it away, I’m delighted for him.
"He’s been a massive threat for us and he’s only going to get better. It was also a great finish by Paul Hanlon for his goal.
"And a clean sheet is great. That’s our job at the end of the day. I think we limited them to 40-yard efforts which made it easy for Josh (Raith goalkeeper Josh Rae).
"That’s two on the bounce for us so I’m delighted with that. We just need to continue with that.”
Raith visit Partick Thistle in the league in a 7.45pm kick-off this Friday.