Raith Rovers rotating club captaincy to boost leadership qualities

Raith Rovers are continuing with an experimental stage in the club captaincy at the start of a new season.
Ian Murray (picture by Fife Photo Agency)Ian Murray (picture by Fife Photo Agency)
Ian Murray (picture by Fife Photo Agency)

Manager Ian Murray explained it was to give different players a flavour of what it’s like to lead the team, with Jamie MacDonald wearing the armband against Dumbarton on Tuesday night, Aidan Connolly in charge last Saturday against Stirling Albion and Dylan Easton having the honour against Peterhead.

“We’ve passed the captaincy around since the opening game,” he said. "It’s just purely to give people experience of being a captain.

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"We have not picked one yet – although we will eventually – but the captaincy is great and it's a responsibility.

Jamie MacDonald performed well during the midweek League Cup game at Dumbarton and made a couple of vital saves in the penalty decider to give Raith a bonus-point win (picture by Dave Johnston/Alba Pictures)Jamie MacDonald performed well during the midweek League Cup game at Dumbarton and made a couple of vital saves in the penalty decider to give Raith a bonus-point win (picture by Dave Johnston/Alba Pictures)
Jamie MacDonald performed well during the midweek League Cup game at Dumbarton and made a couple of vital saves in the penalty decider to give Raith a bonus-point win (picture by Dave Johnston/Alba Pictures)

"We're looking for guys, with or without the armband to be leaders. We’ve still got another couple of guys to give it to and we will. It just helps everybody build team spirit together as well and captains need help too. Just because they’re the captain, it doesn’t mean they might be having a bad day or off form. The more guys that we can get out there who can lead, the better.”

Easton shone brightly as he found the net against Peterhead, while Connolly was on target on Saturday in a high-quality moment against Stirling Albion. MacDonald made key saves at Dumbarton before and during the penalty shoot-out.

Murray added he liked the League Cup competition but he felt it could be split up a little bit better, perhaps with two group games now and two in October or November.

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"I understand there are time restraints and reasons for it,” he said. “But if you gave us and every team in the league an extra seven to 10 days to get ready, I think you would see a better quality of football. You would have better squads assembled – but it is what it is and I get the reasons.”