By Bruce Fegen

FIFERS ARE being warned to beware of anyone calling at their homes seeking donations for the campaign to buy out Raith Rovers from the present owners and return the club to community ownership.

Reclaim The Rovers warned yesterday that this is not part of its campaign and no one has been given permission to do carry out door-to-door collections.

Fund-raising leader Tom Phillips said, “We have been told that an individual, claiming to officially represent the campaign, has been collecting in the Glenrothes area.

“We would like to clarify that no one has been authorised to do this.

“The idea has been considered by the fund-raising group but rejected because of the difficulties involved.

“We have reported the matter to Fife police because, although there is a chance the person concerned has been well intentioned, we believe that he has also claimed to officially represent the campaign. I would repeat that this is definitely not the case.”

Tom added, “Reclaim The Rovers has always tried to publicise its fund-raising efforts in the local media to make sure that as many people as possible know what is going on.

“Anyone approached on their own doorstep and asked to contribute to the campaign in this way should contact the police immediately.

“It would be sad if people with a genuine interest in their local football club were conned out of money by some chancers only interested in themselves.”

A police spokesman urged anyone with information about the collector to contact them on 01592 251111 as soon as possible.

The Reclaim The Rovers campaign brings all supporters groups together in order to raise £100,000 to help to bring Raith Rovers FC back into community ownership.

A collection at the ground prior to Saturday’s game against Morton raised £4169—visiting fans donated £393—and pushed the total to within touching distance of the finishing line.

Sadly, some collectors at Stark’s Park were abused by so-called Rovers’ supporters and club secretary and Reclaim The Rovers campaigner Eric Drysdale yesterday condemned their behaviour.

Writing on the official fans’ forum, he said, “It really annoys and saddens me to hear this. If they were to have simply walked past, fair enough, but to abuse the people that are saving the club they purport to support just makes my blood boil.”

Eric said, “If people did not want to join the (sponsored) walk, or buy a loan note, or donate at meetings, or buy merchandise, or go on a pub crawl, or do a parachute jump, or attend Rock The Rovers, or climb a Munro, or stick a fiver in a bucket etc., then they did not have to.

“If the timing was wrong for an individual, then the option to donate to Reclaim The Rovers via Paypal is there, permanently.

“Let’s remember that all supporters around the world have had loads of opportunity to contribute, and very many have done so, most generously.

“However, there have been far fewer people who have donated something arguably more valuable than money—their free time.

“What we are about to achieve here is a monumental, historic change in this club of ours and, make no mistake, it is principally down to the few dozen people who have given up their summers, their evenings, their lunch hours, their weekends, their family time in order to bust a gut for all of us.

“The famous names attract the headlines, but none of this would have been possible without the efforts of the Reclaim The Rovers committees and their helpers.”

More information is available at www.reclaimtherovers.com