Latest news with #Raith
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Finlay Pollock doubtful for Hearts pre-season as he reveals help from a Tynecastle legend
SPFL loan at Raith Rovers helped the Riccarton kid develop Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts midfielder Finlay Pollock is doubtful whether he will be ready for new manager Derek McInnes' first pre-season programme. The 20-year-old suffered a season-ending hamstring injury on loan at Raith Rovers in April and underwent surgery. He is now in a race against time to be fit for pre-season training. McInnes was appointed by Hearts last week and is currently assessing and reshaping the first-team squad. Pollock is eager to prove himself to the new head coach when players report to Riccarton in the middle of next month, but he admitted he may need to wait a little longer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's touch and go whether I make pre-season,' he told the Hearts website. 'Hopefully I can make sort of mid-July or the end of July. That's the aim, if all goes well, to try and get back for then. I'll need to make sure I'm right before I come back.' Six goals in 25 Raith appearances amounted to a productive loan spell for Pollock in the Scottish Championship. He was moved from midfield to attack by Raith and is grateful to the club's assistant manager, Colin Cameron, for helping him develop. Cameron is an iconic Hearts figure who won the 1998 Scottish Cup with the club. SPFL Championship move helped by Hearts Scottish Cup winner 'Obviously he is a bit of a legend here [at Hearts],' acknowledged Pollock. 'My whole family know that and my dad reminds me how lucky I was to be with him each day. But he taught me on the pitch as well. Even if it was after training when we'd go out for second sessions. He just showed me where to be, different positions to keep and to hold and when to run, when to stay, when to come short, when to go long – all these different things. That just helped me on the pitch and it just improved me as a whole.' Pollock adjusted quickly to life as a striker after Raith shunted him forward from midfield last autumn. 'They [Raith] definitely saw my pace,' he said. 'That's one of my strengths and they saw that I could probably outrun centre-backs in the league, fairly comfortably. They always wanted me to stretch the game. They really wanted me to try and utilise my pace as much as possible against these defenders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad '[Cameron] let the rest of the team know that as well. That was sort of the main message for me to do that – and I got a lot of goals out of doing that as well. I learned a lot. The Championship was very tight, it was very competitive, very physical. So, you've got to adapt when you're on the pitch and use different parts of your body to protect the ball and keep the ball. And learn when to go forward, when to come short, all different aspects like that. Just getting a run at games like that helps you to learn and understand.'
The Courier
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Courier
Finlay Pollock picks out 'legend' as Hearts kid hails Raith Rovers loan
Finlay Pollock has hailed the influence of 'legend' Colin Cameron in his rapid development at Raith Rovers. The Hearts youngster moved to Stark's Park on loan in September and went on to score six times in 25 appearances for the Kirkcaldy club. However, his campaign was cut short by a serious hamstring injury sustained in the 1-0 victory over Ayr United in April and he returned to Tynecastle prematurely. It meant the on-form attacker missed the final four games of the season as Raith fell agonisingly short of landing a shot at promotion through the play-offs. Despite that bitter disappointment, Pollock looks back fondly on his spell across the Forth in Fife and has detailed the improvements it helped him make to his game. 'They definitely saw my pace,' he said of his time at Raith, where former Jambo Cameron is assistant-manager. 'That's one of my strengths and they saw that I could probably outrun centre-backs in the league, fairly comfortably. 'They always wanted me to stretch the game. They really wanted me to try and utilise my pace as much as possible against these defenders. '[Colin Cameron] let the rest of the team know that as well. That was sort of the main message for me to do that – and I got a lot of goals out of doing that as well. 'Obviously he [Cameron] is a bit of a legend here [at Hearts]. My whole family know that and my dad reminds me how lucky I was to be with him each day. 'But he taught me on the pitch as well. Even if it was after training when we'd go out for second sessions. 'He just showed me where to be, different positions to keep and to hold and when to run, when to stay, when to come short, when to go long – all these different things. 'That just helped me on the pitch and it just improved me as a whole.' In an interview with Hearts TV, Pollock added: 'I learned a lot. The Championship was very tight, it was very competitive, very physical. 'So, you've got to adapt when you're on the pitch and use different parts of your body to protect the ball and keep the ball. And learn when to go forward, when to come short, all different aspects like that. 'Just getting a run at games like that helps you to learn and understand.' With Pollock's season ended prematurely by injury, his focus has turned to next term and successfully completing his lengthy comeback. 'It's touch and go whether I make pre-season,' added the 20-year-old. 'Hopefully I can make sort of mid-July or the end of July. That's the aim, if all goes well, to try and get back for then. 'But I'll need to make sure I'm right before I come back.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
The Kieron Bowie rise to Hibs and Scotland stardom as SPFL icon who made way for his debut pays tribute
The Hibees ace won his first Scotland call-up after a strong end to the campaign - but there is plenty more to come reckons hitman Liam Buchanan remembers Kieron Bowie as a gangly 16-year-old with questionable fashion sense when he first rocked up at Raith Rovers. But six years on he is certain the big striker is ready to fill his favourite shirts - for Hibs and Scotland. Buchanan made way for Bowie's big entrance into the professional arena at Stark's Park as a sub late on in a routine 4-1 win over Montrose. Now as he winds down his own career at Berwick Rangers he's loving watching the rapid rise of the kid that was fast-tracked into the Raith top team by the savvy John McGlynn that day in September 2019. Bowie is living the dream at Buchanan's boyhood heroes Hibs after winning a move away from Raith to Premier League Fulham for two years. His form since returning from injury saw him handed a call-up from Steve Clarke ahead of Scotland's June friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein. And Buchanan hopes the 22-year-old can grab his big chance to shine ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. He said: 'Kieron has done brilliantly since breaking through as a kid at Raith. 'He was really raw but obviously John saw something in him to give him a chance. From the off though you always knew that he had a good attitude. 'He wanted to work hard, he was a good character. 'Would I think he'd reach the heights that he has? Maybe not. But you could see that he had that work ethic at a young age. 'Kieron had a way that he would sort of glide and he was tall. 'He trained quite a bit with the first team that season. Sometimes he would even go and play centre half in training. 'It never fazed him. He would take it in his stride and had real confidence. 'He used to arrive for training with some really shocking pairs of jeans. He'd get stick for that. But he could take a joke. 'You sometimes forget how young they are. And how daunting it can be to come into a changing room full of experienced pros. 'He handled it really well. It was a good grounding for him. And he's kicked on massively. 'You could always tell he had an eye for goal. He could finish. And since then he's added size to his game, he's a big powerhouse now. 'John could see from the beginning, in all fairness to him, that he had the attributes. That if Kieran wanted to, he could actually go and be a really good player. 'I've gone along to see him for Hibs a few times this season and it's great to see how far he's come. 'I knew him from when he was a 16-year-old debutant to now going and playing for the team that I support. It's great to see him do so well.' Bowie is the latest fresh-faced hopeful to be called up as Steve Clarke looks to boost his firepower options ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. With Lyndon Dykes injured it's Tommy Conway, George Hirst, James Wilson and Bowie who will join the tried and tested Che Adams in the forward line. Buchanan said: 'I think Kieron fits the bill of a number nine for a lot of managers. 'He looks like a real asset for Hibs. Playing and training for the last year with Dwight Gayle is certain to have improved him. 'Next season now is a massive season for him. Hopefully he can go on and win lots of caps.'
The Courier
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Raith Rovers to miss out on Kieron Bowie international cash windfall
Raith Rovers will miss out on a cash windfall if Kieron Bowie makes his Scotland debut in the forthcoming friendlies. The Hibernian striker has received his first full call-up after impressing with the Easter Road club this term. The 22-year-old netted six times in 22 appearances in a campaign that was interrupted by a serious hamstring injury sustained on duty with Scotland U/21s in September. Bowie first made his name as a raw youngster with Raith, where he made his first-team breakthrough aged just 16 in February 2019. An impressive start to the following season attracted interest from down south and the powerful marksman agreed a deal to join Fulham in July 2020. His subsequent move to Hibs in August last year landed Rovers a six-figure bonanza as part of the 'sell-on' deal struck with the English Premier League club when he moved to London. Further add-ons were also included in Bowie's move south. However, for Raith to have benefitted financially from his international bow it is understood it would have had to have come before he left Fulham. Instead, the Kirkcaldy club will have to content themselves with a sense of pride if 'Ziggy' does play for Steve Clarke's side against either Iceland or Liechtenstein. 'Congratulations to former Rover Kieron Bowie on his first senior international call-up,' said Raith of Bowie's inclusion in the Scotland squad. 'Well deserved, Ziggy!'
The Courier
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Raith Rovers eye up return move for Josh Rae after goalkeeper made available for transfer by St Johnstone
Raith Rovers could make a move for Josh Rae after the goalkeeper was made available for transfer by St Johnstone. Rae spent the second half of the season with Raith after a difficult start to the campaign with Saints. He struggled to settle into life at McDiarmid Park following his switch from Airdrie 12 months ago. A number of high-profile errors early on saw him lose his place to Ross Sinclair. And when Saints signed Andy Fisher on loan from Swansea City in January he was allowed to leave for Rovers on loan. The 24-year-old was thrown straight into the starting line-up for a difficult debut in the 5-0 Scottish Cup hammering away to Celtic. But he went on to rack up an impressive seven clean sheets in his 14 Championship matches for Barry Robson's side. The former Queen of the South and Airdrie goalie's shut-out ratio of 50 per cent was bettered in the division by only Harry Stone, who managed eight in 15 games at Ayr United. With the expiry of Rae's loan, Raith are on the hunt for a new number one this summer after also announcing the departure of cult hero Kevin Dabrowski. It is understood the Kirkcaldy outfit are keen on a return to Stark's Park for Rae after the impact he made following his loan capture in early February. They had vowed to monitor his circumstances at Saints and are expected to make enquiries now that the custodian, along with ex-Dunfermline loanee Andre Raymond, has been made 'available for transfer' by his Perth employers. Much will now depend on how easy Saints are to deal with, in terms of seeking a fee and their desire to get Rae off their books, as manager Simo Valakari rebuilds following relegation to the Championship. For his part, Rae has spoken previously of being open to a return to Rovers if he was deemed surplus to requirements at McDiarmid Park.
