New Raith Rovers striker Korede David sees deal until January as an opportunity he’ll seize with both hands

The Nigerian 23-year-old this week agreed a short-term deal with the Kirkcaldy club as a free agent running until January, subject to international clearance.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what the next couple of months hold,” David told Raith TV following his arrival at Stark’s Park.

“I’ve heard a lot about the club and knew it was somewhere that I wanted to be at.

“I’ve got to see how good the club are for myself and I’m excited to get going.

“I’m going to give everything I can give to the club because they’re a good club.

“I’m excited about the opportunity that I’ve been given and I’m going to grab it with both hands.

“It’s a short-term deal and I think it’ll work well for both parties. We’ll see what comes of it.

“I’m going to put my best foot forward and hopefully it’ll turn out to be a good experience.

“I’ve got to grab the opportunity and, at the same time, I can see everything that there is to see about the club and help them work towards getting back up the table.

“Most people I’ve encountered since I came to Scotland have mentioned Raith Rovers so I had to come and see.

“As soon as they said Raith, I was like ‘all right, cool’. I saw it as a no-brainer.”

Ex-Everton youth player David, alias Cody, has been signed to increase Rovers’ options up front while Lewis Vaughan is sidelined by a hamstring injury sustained during Raith’s 3-3 William Hill Championship draw at home to Hamilton Academical last month.

Coincidentally, their new recruit’s only prior experience of Scottish football was at the South Lanarkshire club, on loan as a teenager, and he says he’s glad to be back this side of the border.

“It feels good to be here,” he said. “It feels like I’ve waited a long time for the opportunity to come back up here.

“My agent called me and said that Raith were interested a couple of months ago but obviously that didn’t go as planned, but the opportunity’s come round again and I just thought I have to take it.

“I went up to Hamilton when I was quite young on loan from Everton, so I’ve seen the physicality here.

“When I came last time to Scotland, when I was 17, I saw the level of physicality was higher than it usually is in England and other leagues but it’s not something that I feel like I can’t keep up with.”

He’s enjoyed meeting and training with his new team-mates, saying: “I’ve met some. I’ve not met the ones that are out injured. The rest I’ve met and they’re all very good lads.”

David’s hoping his playing style will help meet Rovers’ need for goals, their goal difference of minus-six ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Queen’s Park, with kick-off at 3pm, being the worst in the division except basement side Airdrieonians’ minus-11, with only five scored, none of them away.

“I like to be direct,” he said. “I like to get on the ball, I like to run the channel.

“I’ve got a bit of pace and I like to get in the box and get on the ball there and see what I can do.

“I prefer to play as a No 9 than a No 10.

“I’d say I’m good in the air but I feel I need to improve the timing of my headers. That’s where I’d like to improve.”

Rovers manager Neill Collins is glad to have another striker on board besides Jack Hamilton and Callum Smith, saying: “We are delighted to add Korede to the squad.

“After Lewis’s injury, we felt striker was a position that we were a little short in and I believe Korede has the qualities to supplement the players we have in that area.

“Korede brings some real power and pace in that position, along with a fantastic left foot.”

David’s CV includes scoring 11 goals in 17 matches for the Merseysiders’ under-18s during the 2018/19 season and making 50-plus appearances for Accrington over two seasons.