Raith Rovers go into the new season with a renewed vigour not felt at the club for a long time.
The acid test is always going to be results on the pitch and Ian Murray’s side eased themselves into the new campaign with an unbeaten pre-season versus teams from down the Scottish pyramid.
They took that form into the Viaplay Cup, racking up nine points and reaching the last 16 as one of the best second-placed teams.
A trip to play Murray’s boyhood Hibernian is the reward but, for now, attention turns to his second crack at the Championship with Raith, starting with Partick Thistle away on Saturday.
Courier Sport previews the 2023/24 season as Rovers look to build on a disappointing finish last time out.
How are Raith likely to set up going into the 2023/24 Championship season?
Ian Murray has played one shape throughout pre-season and the Viaplay Cup group stage and is intent on using it going into the league season.
If it's also the same set-up, this is how they'll line up. pic.twitter.com/i6LsUM3KUC
— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) July 26, 2023
In his 4-1-3-2 he asks his full-backs to play high, leaving just the two centre-backs and the holding midfielder back – though they did deploy a slightly more defensive version versus Kilmarnock recently.
In that match, they showed their ability to go direct and get their forwards behind the opposition backline but they will largely adopt a possession-based approach going into the league.
Dylan Easton drops in to link defence and attack and Murray said his wide players “need three lungs” for the set-up.
Where will Raith Rovers finish?
After a disappointing league campaign last season – beset by injuries – Rovers have had a summer that has edged them into whisper it quietly territory.
Dundee United are favourites to bounce back at the first time of asking, but it took them a while the last time they fell into the Championship.
Ian Murray won’t go as far as to predict his side will be in amongst it – he regularly talks about how tough the league is – but the summer business and the early indications from the Viaplay Cup mean they should be aiming for the play-off at least.
Should things click early, the ingredients are there to be nearer the top of the division at the business end.
Who will be Rovers’ key player?
This time last year Dylan Easton made a flying start to season, netting a hattrick against Peterhead.
A switch in formation and injuries to other players resulted in the playmaker starting off the left more often than he or his manager would have liked.
Dylan Easton with a piece of magic to level things up in the Fife Derby! 🤯
The @RaithRovers man dribbled through the heart of the defence before dinking it in to the far corner 👏 pic.twitter.com/VBADXFil86
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) July 15, 2023
Easton has again started the season as the No 10 – the crucial link between defence and attack.
In a summer that has seen the attacking options bolstered, Easton will roam around to link with the new-look attacking unit.
He is the one to make things happen in the centre of the pitch, can beat his man in a flash and seems to only score cracking goals.
What was Raith’s best bit of summer business?
Jack Hamilton is the No 9 the club craved last season, Josh Mullin adds the experience of winning the Championship, Callum Smith adds pace to the attack and Kevin Dabrowski is already becoming a fan favourite.
But it may be a more understated signing who is key.
As standards have improved off the pitch, Keith Watson is the type to set them among the squad. He has already captained the side in the absence of Scott Brown and, like Mullin, has won the division.
Watson is the type of defender to put his body on the line, evidenced by how he led Rovers to a crucial bonus-point win over Kilmarnock in the Viaplay Cup.
Conceding from set-pieces was a real issue for Rovers last season and the capture Watson – along with fellow new signing Euan Murray – is clearly designed to address it.
Which player could have a breakthrough season at Stark’s Park?
Adam Masson, Kieran Mitchell and Aaron Arnott have all started the season on the fringes of the squad – and could very well be loaned out at some point.
That has already happened for young goalkeeper Andy McNeil – but there is one youngster who has started every match so far for Raith.
Dylan Corr was brought in during the summer after being schooled at Celtic B and the 18-year-old centre-back compliments Watson in defence.
He has the physical attributes to be a success and is comfortable with the ball at his feet, perfect for how the Rovers boss asks his defenders to play.
Corr has already spoken about the value of playing alongside such pedigree and how it will aid his development.
Key question that looms large
Are Rovers a “different animal” as their manager declared recently?
The early indications are that they are. Last season’s Viaplay Cup campaign was disappointing and this season they have come through a tough group.
The manner in which they did so was in stark contrast to last season. Rovers fell behind in three of their four matches – and struggled to break down the defence in their other – yet fought back each time to take at least a point.
Things are going in the right direction but they have to back it all up by taking it into the league campaign.
