East Fife’s new manager John Robertson is expected to settle fully into his new role today when he meets players, staff and fans at New Bayview for the first time.
The former Hearts and Inverness Caledonian Thistle boss was swiftly installed as Stevie Crawford’s replacement on Tuesday evening and is due at the club this afternoon to set about turning the Methil outfit’s fortunes around.
The Fifers have struggled of late and sit just five points ahead of bottom club Dumbarton the side they travel to face on Saturday in what is anticipated to be Robertson’s first game in the dugout.
Robertson, who was offered the manager’s job until the end of the season by chairman Sid Collumbine, will meet staff and officials at New Bayview before running the rule over his new side at training in the evening. Fans will also get the chance to speak directly to the new manager at the ground at around 9.15 tonight.
Following previous boss Stevie Crawford’s resignation on Monday, today effectively represents something of a new start for the Fifers after the club also decided to part company with Crawford’s assistants Jason Dair and David Westwood.
A spokesman confirmed, “The board of directors did not take this decision lightly, but it was felt that to be fair to a new manager a fresh start was needed.”
Meanwhile, the build-up to Saturday’s game took another bizarre twist when Dumbarton confirmed that their manager Jim Chapman had also quit his post.
With the Sons rock bottom of the second division, Chapman has decided to step down from the manager’s role and has accepted the post of community and football development director at the club.
Assistant manager Alan Adamson has taken temporary charge and is likely to be in the dugout on Saturday, although the Sons suggested a further announcement regarding Chapman’s replacement will be made in due course.