When asked in September whether Sam Stanton had been substituted versus Queen’s Park with a slight injury, the Raith Rovers manager responded that he would only do so if forced to.
Stanton had picked up a knock in that match after setting up Callum Smith for the opener.
In a notably competitive squad, Stanton has started every match for Ian Murray so far this season.
On Wednesday, Club 1883 members were alerted to the news – through an exclusive email teasing a “Christmas present” in the subject line – that the 29-year-old had signed a two-year extension.
It gave another boost to a fan base in more buoyant mood than it has been for a while and continues the excellent business completed by the club in the summer window.
It was no surprise that Stanton’s eye-catching performances; his latest coming in the huge victory against his old club at Tannadice, had Raith fans worrying if the player’s future lay elsewhere.
There is also little surprise that the club moved to prioritise him as one of the players to keep at the club beyond the summer.
Sam Stanton deal a sign of things to come?
This bodes well given that other key players are on deals that expire in little more than six months.
Dylan Easton suggested that he’d speak to Raith before anyone else after his match-winner against Dundee United – and then there are others such as Ross Millen, Liam Dick and Lewis Vaughan whose deals also expire in the summer.
The noises from Murray in recent weeks have been about building something sustainable, regardless how this season ends.
That was echoed by CEO Andrew Barrowman in a recent chat with Courier Sport.
Rather than backing himself for a move to the Scottish Premiership, which he has earned on performances, Stanton backs himself to do so with Raith Rovers
Stanton committing his future to the club is an important step towards doing just that.
The midfielder was one of Rovers’ better players in an, at times, difficult season last term.
Since the start of this campaign, he has gone from strength to strength and will undoubtedly be in the running for player of the year come the end of the season.
As well as improving the infrastructure to have a better chance of persuading such players to stay – or to come in the first place – an infectious feel-good factor has been built at Stark’s Park this season.
Tapping into that – as Fife rivals Dunfermline did after their League One success to get some long-term deals done in the summer – can be just as important for a club’s future.
Stanton is clearly enjoying his football at the moment and, rather than backing himself for a move to the Scottish Premiership, which he has earned on performances, he backs himself to get there with Raith Rovers.
If the midfielder’s signature is a sign of things to come and the likes of Easton, Millen and Vaughan follow suit, even if Rovers fall short of promotion this time around, they will be a force in next season’s Championship.
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