Raith Rovers boss Dougie Imrie explains crucial role Lanark United had in keeping him grounded
Raith Rovers gaffer Dougie Imrie has explained the crucial impact which respective managers at former club Lanark United had in helping him stay grounded when he was the junior club’s best player as a winger who netted a sensational 77 goals in 138 appearances between 2004 and 2006.
Imrie, 42, who earned a move to Clyde in January 2006 and later went on to star for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Hamilton Accies (in two spells), St Mirren and Greenock Morton before hanging up his boots in 2019, told Raith TV: “I had a really good time at Lanark. I worked under some wonderful people. Derek Brown, known as Tiddler, a very well thought after person around Lanark and a tremendous manager in his own right at junior level.
"He gave me my first opportunity at Lanark United and then after that I got to work alongside Tam MacDonald, the Auchinleck Talbot legend who'd won six Scottish Junior Cups. He was assisted by John Gibson and they were excellent for me.
"They came in and certainly put me in my box a few times but that probably made me the player I am today because at that time I was probably the best player on the team and thought I could do anything that I wanted.
"But they grounded me a little bit and they put me in the right direction.
"They always said that I had the ability, I just had to rein it in a little bit. I'm always grateful that they did that with me.”
One match in particular stands out for Imrie when he thinks about his two years starring with the Moor Park club and the management doing their best to keep him grounded.
He added: “I can always remember a game for Lanark against Stonehouse at Stonehouse.
"I think we were losing 1-0 and they just took me off at half-time and I'm thinking: ‘Okay, what's going on here?’
" I wasn't used to that and I think from that day on was when I kind of realised, okay, maybe I'm not as good as I think I am.
"That kind of made me reset and say: ‘I need to work harder’.
"I've always got to be thankful because if they'd never done that, who's to say I'd have had the career I've had?”
Imrie is in his second managerial job having previously bossed Greenock Morton between 2021 and 2025.
Raith Rovers – sixth with 25 points from 21 matches – continue their William Hill Championship campaign at home to third-placed Arbroath this Saturday in a 3pm kick-off.