Raith Rovers appeal for financial support to help club through coronavirus crisis

Raith Rovers are hoping to raise 25,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to help it through the coronavirus pandemic. Pic: Michael Gillen

The postponement of all upcoming fixtures - including this Saturday's derby against East Fife and the upcoming Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle - has left the League One leaders with a significant financial shortfall this month.

With no income stream for the foreseeable future and wages still to be paid, the club has set up a Justgiving page with the aim of raising £25,000 after being contacted by a number of supporters offering financial assistance.

A club statement read: "Whilst the decision of the SPFL/SFA announcement on Friday to suspend all fixtures immediately is entirely understandable, the financial implications of this situation on our football club cannot be overstated.

"Every Scottish football club at our level has a heavy reliance on gate income as a main source of revenue. Therefore, the cancellation or postponement of home fixtures is a significant issue, particularly as a large amount of costs will still be incurred regardless such as wages, council tax, etc. during this period.

"To compound the issues, we’ve also had to cancel other fundraising events that were planned.

"We recognise that this may be a challenging time for many people, however the club have been contacted by a number of fans sympathetic to the financial situation we face, and asking how they can make a financial contribution at this time. Therefore, we are open to contributions from anyone in a position to do so."

As well as the crowdfunding page, fans can also contribute by signing up to, or increasing, the monthly contribution to the Raith Supporters Fund, or by making a one-off donation directly into the club's bank account.

The statement added: "We are truly grateful for any help that our fans and wider community can make at this time.

"We hope that everyone remains healthy, and we ask all fans to follow the official advice and look out for the more vulnerable members of the community during this challenging time.

"We hope to see you all back at Stark’s Park in the very near future."