St Andrews United: boss Robbie Raeside pointing to push for promotion this term

Raeside – whose team’s scheduled King Cup first round tie at Glenrothes last Saturday was postponed due to a frozen pitch – is due to resume league hostilities this Saturday as they travel to bottom club Hawick Royal Albert, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

With just leaders Whitburn (46 points from 17 games) and second-placed Syngenta (43 points from 18 fixtures) currently ahead of United in the table, the run-in to the 2022-2023 campaign looks likely to be an exciting one for the Recreation Park manager and his players.

“I think we are in the promotion shake-up this year,” Raeside – who took over as manager in June 2022 – told the Herald and Citizen.

"I think the club finished fifth bottom last season but getting promotion this year was always the aim after we came in last summer.

“But there’s a lot of good teams around us. Syngenta and Whitburn are good sides above us.

"Although we beat Dalkeith Thistle well in our last league game (a 6-0 home St Andrews success on January 14), you’ve also got Arniston and then there’s Stirling University, who seem to be able to move players about from their Lowland League team which I find a bit strange given we’re a competitive league and not a reserve league.

"Stirling University were able to put out their first team against Syngenta (a 5-3 Stirling Uni away league win on January 14) and their other team (University of Stirling) was losing 2-0 to Cowdenbeath that day at the bottom of the Lowland League.

"I’m not sure about that one but it’s definitely going to add to the competition.

"Heriot-Watt University are also a good side and I think Thornton Hibs are not out of it either because they’ve got games in hand.

"It’s a very competitive top half of the table without a doubt but – like all the sides up there – we are certainly looking to get promotion.

"I’m obviously delighted with the way the season’s gone. When we came in last summer I think St Andrews United had only won one league game since January. So the club was on its knees a bit.

"There’s been a definite improvement and the chairman Fraser Oakes has come in and stabilised things behind the scenes.”

Since Raeside came in to St Andrews United, he acknowledged that there has been a “big turnaround” in players. And recently there was also a change in his backroom staff.

"I think there’s been about 10 players in and 10 out,” he added. "And a couple of months ago I actually lost my assistant manager Steve Fallon to Forfar Athletic.

"So I got a new assistant in, Gary Wright from Dunfermline’s academy.

"I’m delighted with Gary’s input since he came in and Steve’s before that.

"We also have a new under-20s team going this year with a lot of under-16s and under-17s and for the future of the club they’ll benefit from that.”