We're missing out on a big crowd, says Raith Rovers boss McGlynn

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will lift the restrictions on supporter numbers at sporting events from Monday, but McGlynn bemoaned the fact that it will come just a few days too late for the clash with league leaders Arbroath this weekend.

“We've got a big game on Saturday so it's a real shame that it wasn't lifted before then so we could get a big crowd,” he said

“We missed out on the derby crowd at the start of the month against Dunfermline so to miss out again against the league leaders is a bit of a blow.

“Arbroath are carrying quite a good support these days so it could have been a bumper crowd.

“It's really good that it's getting lifted, but we could have done with it getting lifted on Friday.”

Raith go into the match on a run of four games in the Championship without a win, though McGlynn says he was encouraged with a much improved performance at Inverness on Saturday when they came home with a point.

"We played really well,” he says.

"Obviously it would have made a massive difference if we had won the match and we did come close.

"Our record up there isn’t great so getting a draw is almost as good as a win, so I’m not going to get hung up about it.

"I want to be positive about it. It’s the best we’ve played for some time and there were a lot of good performances.

“I though Ben Williamson was great, Sam Stanton came on to a really good game in the second half, Ross Matthews was back at it and Ethan Ross scored a fantastic goal and gave them all sorts of problems.

"We also defended really well as a team. It was kind of a sore one to lose such a late goal but if we can play as well as that going forward it could be a really exciting second half to the season.”

Another plus point in the Highlands was the fourth Raith debut for Jamie Gullan – this time as a full-time Rover having had three loans spells in the past.

McGlynn said: “It's great to get Jamie here for the next two and half years and perhaps even beyond that.

“He's really well liked at the football club, in the dressing room, the fans all love him and he's delighted to be here.

“So now he's here and is looking to kick his career on.

“We brought him on from the bench and he was impressive when he came on.

“Now he'll want to be starting games and producing the goods, get a goal and build from there.

“That's what we're very much looking forward to as well.”

With Gullan joining Stanton and Williamson as new faces in the Stark’s Park dressing room, McGlynn says he’s not in any rush to add any more players to his squad during the January transfer window, if at all, and confirmed that striker James Keatings has extended his loan spell at Montrose until the end of the season.

“We brought three players here in a very short period of time so I don't see us doing too much more.

“As a manager you're always one or two players away from a right good team so you're always hoping those opportunities will open up.

“I'm very grateful to the board and the people who put money into the supporters fund that we've managed to bring in the players that we have.

“It may well be that something crops up but I'm absolutely delighted with what we've brought in.

“It's only mid-January so there's plenty of time left in the month.

“James has had a bit of a knee injury so he's not been playing as much as all of us would have liked, so we thought it would be best if he stayed there at Montrose and tries to get games.”

The new additions will all be in contention this Saturday where a win would see Rovers close the gap on Arbroath to just one point.

“I have to give massive credit to Dick Campbell and his players,” McGlynn said.

“What they've achieved in the first half of the season as a part-time team is phenomenal.

“Dick's got another Manager of the Month Award, but for me it could easily be Manager of the Year.

“So, we'll give them every respect as we have in the two previous games this season.

“We know that they are a right good side playing with a lot of confidence so we will need to be at our best.

“That's what we will aim to do.”