Raith’s Ryan McCord insists there will be no old pal’s act when he faces former side Alloa today especially as most of the players who were his Wasps team-mates have “buzzed off” elsewhere.
The midfielder enjoyed four years with Alloa after being released by Dundee United.
However, he decided to have one more go at full-time football when he was offered the opportunity this summer by Rovers boss Ray McKinnon.
McCord was one of several players who left the Indodrill Stadium with a whole host of others including Daryll Meggatt, Ben Gordon, Kevin Cawley and Greig Spence also departing, with boss Danny Lennon drafting in several new faces.
McCord said: “It will be good to play against Alloa.
“It was one of the first fixtures I looked for and it will be good to see some familiar faces again.
“The four years I had at Alloa were brilliant so it will be a bit of a weird experience but these things happen in football.
“They gave me an opportunity to play week in, week out and I made over 150 appearances for them so they helped me a lot.
“The boys there were great and we had all stuck together since we were in the Third Division.
“There was a great team spirit and it is the same at Raith.
“That’s what you need that’s the most important thing.
“I haven’t spoken to any of the Alloa boys for weeks but I will probably text them before the game.
“To be honest, there are only a few of them left. There are a lot of new faces.
“A lot of boys had been there for so long and like me they fancied a change.
“I wanted a new challenge and experience to further my career.
“The gaffer there Danny Lennon has had to bring in almost an entirely new team.”
McCord is reaping the rewards of being back full-time but he believes the Rovers fans have yet to see the best of him.
He added: “I have been working hard in the gym.
“I am still a wee bit away and not feeling as sharp as I would like. I am usually a bit of a slow starter.
“But I can see the benefit of full-time training myself. I have lost a lot of weight.
“I am feeling much fitter and stronger.
“I am still not firing on all cylinders so hopefully, the best has yet to come from me.
“I’m still getting used to playing with my new team-mates but I am getting there.”
Rovers, of course, suffered a disappointing defeat at Stenhousemuir on Tuesday night in the Petrofac Cup and McCord is hoping they can get back to winning ways against Alloa today.
He added: “We need to keep the league form going.
“Tuesday night was a weird game. It is never good getting beat but the priority is the league
“If we can win on Saturday that will be six out of nine points in the league which is a good start.
“Hopefully we can push on up the table.”