Raith Rovers: Motherwell loan recruit Ewan Wilson wants to complete SPFL set

The on-loan Motherwell left-back, 20, who has made 45 competitive appearances for his top flight parent club since 2022, has also starred at League Two and League One level during previous loan spells at Albion Rovers and Stirling Albion respectively.

Now the ’Well academy graduate, who has been an unused substitute in Raith’s last three games – including last Saturday’s 2-0 home league loss to St Johnstone – as he plays understudy to Lewis Stevenson, wants to quickly complete the set of playing in Scotland’s top four tiers by turning out for the Kirkcaldy side as they bid to stay in the promotion shake-up.

Wilson, who is on loan at Raith until January, told the Fife Free Press: “I haven't experienced the Championship to see what the difference is between all the levels.

"I look forward to getting that experience, hopefully chipping in and trying to get assists and goals, helping the team, hopefully have a successful season and try and make the play-offs.

"I didn't really know much about Raith before joining, I'll be honest.

"I wasn't just looking at Scotland, I was looking abroad, just to see if I could maybe get somewhere to play as many games as possible.

"It was kind of just getting out and seeing if I could get as many games as I could and luckily enough Raith came up.”

Airdrie-born Wilson has made the move to Fife after finding his first team opportunities limited at Motherwell – and their Danish boss Jens Berthel Askou – by the fine form of newly signed fellow left-back Emmanuel Longelo who has scored four times in nine matches in a hugely impressive start at Fir Park.

When asked about the summer chats he had with gaffer Askou ahead of joining Raith, Wilson added: “He (Askou) pretty much just said to me that I'd been progressing well but Manny had hit the ground running and done well. He’s been great.

"So the boss was just really positive and saying it was best for me to go out and get as many games as I could.

“And come back stronger and fitter and obviously fight as I'm doing now, fight for that position again.

"I knew on the Wednesday that I might go out on loan.

"I eventually spoke to the Raith manager (Barry Robson) on the Thursday, then on the Friday everything got finished. So it was kind of really quick to get it done. I didn't really have much time to take it in.

"I'd seen some highlights of Raith playing and since coming here I can tell how good a club it is. The boys in the changing room have been great.

"Everyone around it is just together which is just what you need at a football club to take you places.

"Lewis Stevenson is a great player, a very tough opponent in my position. But I have come here to try and show my qualities, drive my career and gain more experience.

"So I will just fight for that jersey and bide my time before I get my chance to show everyone what I can do.”

Wilson said he expects his parent club ’Well to have a strong season under their new gaffer, who is instilling a refreshing passing style featuring a slow build-up from the back and plenty of attacking play.

He said: “Just before I went out on loan, just seeing the complete change in the way we've been playing, especially from recent times, was great.

"When you're looking at the way Motherwell play now compared to back then it maybe wasn't attractive to fans.

"But this season it's been, really attractive with a lot more attacking and riskier play with so many players so close to each other.

"When it works it looks amazing. It looks really really good so I can see Motherwell having a really good season if we continue to keep up the way we've been going at the moment.”

When asked if he believes Raith can go up to the William Hill Premiership this season, Wilson responded: “I've started to get to know the boys here really well.

"They're great. They've got real quality in the squad and there's a real togetherness as well.

"They bail each other out if there's if there's ever a problem or whatever which is something you need in a squad to do well.

"The morals and everything else just seem happy right now which is what you want so I think it'll be a great season for Raith.”