Aidan Connolly reflects on 4 years at Raith Rovers and reasons behind Stark’s Park exit

Aidan Connolly has aired his Raith Rovers frustrations, despite admitting it was ‘time to move on’ this summer.

The 29-year-old was freed by the Kirkcaldy club last month after spending the past four seasons at Stark’s Park.

With a previous four-month stint in Fife after leaving Dundee United in 2016, the winger has spent a significant chunk of his career at Raith.

And he is not the kind of person to bad mouth anyone following his departure.

However, his disappointments are clear after scoring 39 goals in 177 appearances across his two spells.

“I loved my time at Raith,” Connolly told Courier Sport. “I had four years there and in the first two years I was getting the game-time I wanted.

“Then there were changes at the club a couple of years ago – and then I wasn’t getting the game-time that I thought I deserved, at times.

“So, it was time to move on this summer. The club has changed a lot from above and that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

“But there was a lot of good people there and I wish them all the best for next season.”

His 15 goals in season 2022/23, when he started 33 league games, stands out as a high point.

Connolly: ‘It’s hard when you’re not involved’

But making just one start under current Rovers boss Barry Robson tells its own tale.

“It’s hard when you’re not involved weekly and you just want to enjoy your football,” he added.

“It’s hardest when you feel like you deserve opportunities and you aren’t getting them.

“It is tough. Even the season when we were pushing for the title (2023/24), I felt I could have had more opportunities.

“The fans would hopefully know from watching last season, that whenever I came on or whenever I played I made an impact.

“There was a period where I scored two goals in two games and then started the next game. And then I never had one start the rest of the season.

“That’s tough for me. But I’m moving on now and going on to better things, hopefully.”

Raith lifted the SPFL Trust Trophy in 2022 in Connolly’s first season at the club and then finished runners-up the following year.

The Championship title and promotion play-off push of the next season also proved what the club is capable of.

“Overall, it’s been a really successful time at Raith,” Connolly said. “Although, personally, I wasn’t playing all the time, as a team we were always doing well.

“We’ll just see what happens now. You want to go somewhere where you’re wanted.”