Raith Rovers aim to net new fans with welcome sessions

Raith Rovers are to run pilot welcome sessions in a bid to attract a new generation of supporters.

The Kirkcaldy club is expected to try the novel approach for the first time at Saturday’s home game with Queen’s Park, with a free event organised from 12.30pm to 5.15pm.

League One Rovers say the aim of the initiative is to take people in with no previous association with the side and, over the course of a Saturday afternoon, bring them up to speed with the Stark’s Park club’s past, explain how it works and try to make them feel part of the Rovers family.

Sessions will involve a tour of the stadium, talks on the history and set-up of the club, lunch, meeting the manager and players and of course watching the game from 3pm.

A club spokesperson said: “Hopefully, for some of them, this first visit will turn into a lifelong involvement with Raith Rovers. At the very least, they will have a great afternoon and spread the word.

“The future of the club depends on the size of our support base – the more support, the better the atmosphere for everybody and the bigger the playing budget we can afford.

“Although we are always keen to encourage lapsed fans to return to Stark’s Park, we’re also looking to encourage new fans along – people who have never been involved with the club, but may be open to it.

“They may have just moved to the area recently, or lived here all their life but never had a good enough reason to head down to Pratt Street.”

Places will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications will close tomorrow.