Jamie Gullan on Barry Robson tenure and Raith Rovers future
For Jamie Gullan, and a handful of others in the Raith Rovers squad, the anguish of missing out on the play-offs was aggravated by uncertainty over the future.
It was clear the torture of coming so close to landing fourth place – just one goal for Livingston would have done it – was not the only thing that had some players close to tears at Hampden.
The dust of the impressive 5-1 hammering of Queen's Park and an unfortunate end to the campaign will not take long to settle before thoughts turn to next season.
Some notable servants are set to leave Stark's Park to make room for manager Barry Robson to put more of his own stamp on the squad he inherited in late December.
Gullan, with four goals in the 18 appearances of his latest stint at the club, admits he is unsure whether the short-term deal he agreed in January will be extended.
However, the former Hibernian forward is convinced the late bid to reach the play-offs hints at brighter things ahead for Raith.
'We've been on an unbelievable run to even get to the position where we were fighting for it on the last day,' Gullan told Courier Sport.
'I couldn't be prouder of everyone at the club, because we've really given everything the last four or five months since the gaffer's been in.
'Ten games unbeaten in the Championship is very, very good. It doesn't happen often.
'And it just shows what we've been doing is working.
'Yes, we're just gutted right now. But I think once everything settles down we'll look back and be proud of the run we went on.
'To know we potentially had to win by four goals and going and doing it, it's incredible.
'So, yes, we did our bit and it just wasn't to be.'
Gullan admitted there would be regret in the Raith ranks, lamenting this game or that, or this moment or that. In the end just two points separated them from Partick in fourth.
But the 25-year-old, who was full of praise for the 'unbelievable' Rovers fans, almost 1,500 of whome descended on the national stadium, is convinced they can learn from this season and go at least one better in 12 months' time.
'The manager just kind of told us to remember the feeling and how hard it is to take,' added Gullan.
'But he spoke of trying to get momentum into next season after showing what we can do in this quarter when we've not lost.
'So, if we take that into next season, then who knows what this club can do? We should be in the play-offs.
'And I think this club should be fighting at the top end of the table. We've proved that we can do that the last few months.
'So, that's the message.'
And as for the possibility of a contract extension?
'We were waiting until the end of the season, so we'll just see what happens,' he added. 'The whole club was just focusing on the play-offs, to be honest.'
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