Lockdown just the business for Raith Rovers keeper Robbie Thomson

The Stark’s Park no.1 would usually be back in pre-season training but, with the league on hold, Raith have no return date as yet.

However, the 27-year-old has been far from idle and has spent time working on his coaching business which he says has been going from strength to strength.

“I’ve been really busy and I’ve weirdly quite enjoyed lockdown to be honest,” he said.

“I’m usually a busy guy. Normally I have my football, my coaching business and I work at Celtic as well as an academy coach, so with the time away from the football I’ve been able to focus on bettering my business.”

Robbie started Pro Performance Academy in partnership with fellow players Callum Tapping and Blair Munn and says it’s been a huge help to him on and off the pitch.

He said: “We set it up about four years ago and I’ve focussed on the goalkeeping side of things.

“It’s grown arms and legs without us really pushing it too much and it’s given me a release away from football. It’s generally what I focus on in my spare time.

“I really enjoy it. It gives me something else to go and do away from club football. I really think it helps to have that focus away from football.

“It helps you to switch off so when I go back into work with Raith it helps me to re-focus a bit more.

“It’s really beneficial to get the best out of me on the pitch.”

Away from his business Thomson says he’s been working hard to stay in shape.

“There’s a gym in my street. It belongs to one of my neighbours. He works away so he said I could use it whenever I want to.

“The club have been brilliant too. Cammy Ross is the strength and conditioning guy and he’s been giving us some mad programmes to do.

“When you’re playing games you can’t really hammer the gym as much as you would like because it can impact on performance, but I’ve been smashing these programmes to come back in really good shape.

“As well as that I’ve been doing my own fitness. Lots of running and I’ve been doing yoga as well. Anything that I can do that can be slightly beneficial.

“I’ve been able to get back on the pitch too. I have access to a facility so I’ve managed to keep training ticking over too.

“Your basic technique doesn’t go, it’s more picking up the speed of the ball again. Judging a ball, positioning, things like that.

“But hopefully I’ve put some building blocks in place to make sure I’m back and ready to go so I don’t have to waste time getting that back.

“I’m ready to go for training and all I need to worry about is getting match sharpness.”

“I’m just dying to get back to the football now.”

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