Raith Rovers CEO Andrew Barrowman on home league crowds more than doubling and his excitement about new signings Lewis Stevenson and Callum Fordyce

Raith Rovers fans provided brilliant backing throughout the 2023-24 season (Pic by Alan Harvey/SNS Group)Raith Rovers fans provided brilliant backing throughout the 2023-24 season (Pic by Alan Harvey/SNS Group)
Raith Rovers fans provided brilliant backing throughout the 2023-24 season (Pic by Alan Harvey/SNS Group)
After an action packed 2023-24 season in which their average home league crowd per game more than doubled from the previous campaign – rocketing from 1,982 to 4,192 for an overall increase of 39,780 across the 18 matches – Raith Rovers chief executive Andrew Barrowman has hailed the “huge collective effort” at Stark’s Park.

Barrowman – in his first year spearheading a new board also including general manager Dean Mckenzie, chairman Steven MacDonald, businessmen Colin Smart and Ruaridh Kilgour and football operations manager Allan Halliday – is also hugely enthused by the fine work of manager Ian Murray and technical director John Potter, with Raith having secured a runners-up Scottish Championship finish in their first season together and only being denied promotion to the top flight by a Scottish Premiership play-off final defeat to Ross County.

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“I think we can all take great pride in those attendance figures,” Barrowman told the Fife Free Press. "It’s a huge collective effort.

"Everyone connected with the club, from the players on the pitch – the great work that they’ve done – and everyone behind the scenes, the new board of directors.

Andrew Barrowman is greatly impressing in his role as Raith Rovers chief executive (Pic by Ross Parker/SNS Group)Andrew Barrowman is greatly impressing in his role as Raith Rovers chief executive (Pic by Ross Parker/SNS Group)
Andrew Barrowman is greatly impressing in his role as Raith Rovers chief executive (Pic by Ross Parker/SNS Group)

"I think it’s a little moment just to take stock of what’s been achieved in the first year at the helm.

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"Every day there’s hard work between staff and volunteers, everything that goes along with a football club of this size. It’s a really proud moment for everyone.

"The total attendance figure increase has probably exceeded our expectations.

"You hoped that if we did certain things that people would buy into what we’re trying to achieve and get behind us.

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"But I think it’s fair to say that we’ve done that and more.

"Not just in terms of attendances but everything, retail, commercially, the local business community, everyone got behind us.

"I think we believe in what we’re trying to achieve, we believe in the work that we’re doing and people are getting behind us and backing us, whether that be with their support on the terraces or investment in terms of sponsorship and commercial deals.”

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Early transfer business at Stark’s Park this summer saw the first two new arrivals named as former Airdrieonians player/assistant manager Callum Fordyce, a 31-year-old centre-back; and legendary ex-Hibernian left-back Lewis Stevenson, 36 – a Kirkcaldy-born Raith fan – both on two-year contracts.

Barrowman added: “Both players have had a very successful career at different levels.

"I think both bring a level of consistency, what it says on the tin is what you get type thing.

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"It’s been well documented that there have been several attempts over the years to sign Lewis for the club to lure him back home, so it’s great to finally get him.

"I’m looking forward to seeing him pull on that Rovers shirt and it’s the same with Callum, he’s a tough competitor.

"When we played against him last year he did very well against us and was arguably one of the best defenders in the league.

"I’ve got first hand experience of playing with him and against him so I know the qualities he will bring to our team.”

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