Raith Rovers: Latest signing Shaun Byrne has been team-mates of four Raith stars at other clubs

Midfielder Byrne, 30, told RaithTV: “I played at Dunfermline with Ross Millen for quite a few years, and Callum Smith, then Josh Mullin at Livingston for three years and had quite a successful time, obviously winning League One and getting promoted into the Championship and then the premier league as well.

"Jack Hamilton was younger at Livingston, he’d just come through and done really well. So I know quite a few of the boys and obviously playing against them a lot you start to know them as well.

"It’s a really good changing room and they’ve made me feel welcome.”

Byrne, who lives in Leven and was born and brought up in Kennoway, is delighted to have joined a local Fife club.

"Absolutely this is the ideal move for me,” he said. “You can see the way the club is at the moment as well, it’s a project that I want to be part of this season and hopefully we can have a successful season.

“I’d been speaking to John Potter (Raith Rovers technical director) for quite a while so I knew there was a bit of interest there.

"Obviously I’d spoken to a few clubs as well but it was quite an easy decision in the end.

"Raith Rovers were the team that sort of made me feel wanted the most and I think it’s important for a player that you’re somewhere that you’re wanted.”

Byrne, who started off his football career as a youth player at Celtic, moved onto Dunfermline in 2008 before making over 100 senior appearances for the Pars.

Spells at Livingston and Dundee followed for a player who has vast experience of playing in the Scottish Championship.

He added: “It’s a really challenging league. I think every game you’ve got to be on it or you’ll get turned over.

"I think we’ve got a lot of quality in this squad so there’s no reason why we can’t go and have a good season.

"I like first and foremost getting on the ball and making the team play, protecting the back four, letting our attacking players go and do their stuff higher up the park knowing that I’ll be behind them trying to protect a bit more.

"I’ve played quite a lot of games in this league, done well in this league.

"So I’m just trying to bring that experience to the squad and try to sort of just let the attacking players go and do their thing and hopefully I’ll be there to mop up behind them.”

Byrne also reminisced about making his first start for ex-club Dunfermline in a Fife derby on New Year’s Day 2013, a game which the Pars won 1-0 at East End Park thanks to a solitary strike by Andrew Geggan after 71 minutes.

"That feels like a long time ago now,” he said. “There was a great atmosphere.

"I’ve seen a few of the games at Stark’s and East End. They are passionate fans and it’s something I want to be part of again so hopefully I can do well against Dunfermline this season.”