John McGlynn still hopes to lead Raith Rovers into Challenge Cup final as jinx strikes for third time

The Raith Rovers boss was due to be in the dug-out at McDiarmid Park last Saturday for the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

That match was postponed due to coronavirus, meaning McGlynn has yet to manage in a cup final despite qualifying for three.

The 58-year-old guided Hearts to the final of the League Cup in season 2012-13 only to be sacked just two weeks before the Hampden showdown, which the Edinburgh club lost to St Mirren.

He repeated the feat with Livingston, making it through to the Challenge Cup final in 2014-15, but left the club by mutual consent before the 4-0 win over Alloa clinched the trophy.

With another final now taken away from him due to unprecedented circumstances, McGlynn is hopeful that the game can still be played at a later date, rather than scrapped altogether.

“I can only hope that it will get played, and that I’m going to be there with the rest of the backroom staff and the team to fulfil that fixture,” he said.

“It is what it is, and we have to put it into context with what’s going on, but you would never have thought having got to a third cup final, what else could actually stop you taking the team out?

“This virus has come along and had an affect on everything.

“With it only being one game I’m sure it will be able to be fitted in – I can only hope that is the case.

“If they say the whole season is finished completely and that’s it, then it’s a blow for everyone connected with Raith Rovers and Inverness that we’ve both worked extremely hard and played really well to get into this situation and not had the opportunity to do it.

“From my point of view, for it to happen for two cup finals was bad enough, but three is quite incredible.”

McGlynn has been placed on furlough along with his coaching staff and the players as the club looks to use the government job retention scheme to navigate through the football shutdown.

“This could have a knock-on effect for a good bit of time,” he said.

“Companies who were going to do sponsorships, maybe they can’t do that now as there won’t be so much money coming in.

“Will people and businesses take hospitality? Are people going to be able to buy season tickets?

”There’s a knock-on effect here that make for really difficult times ahead.

“It’s very difficult but it’s difficult for everyone. We’re talking about football when there’s people dying. It’s very much an insignificance.”