Encouraging feedback to club’s ‘new fans’ initiative

Raith Rovers have hailed as a success an innovative pilot scheme designed to bring in new fans.

The League One outfit laid out the welcome mat to locals with ‘little or no experience’ of the club at last weekend’s home clash with Queen’s Park.

The 21 VIP guests met manager Barry Smith, players and chairman Alan Young, and were given a tour of Stark’s Park, a history lesson and lunch before taking in Rovers’ 2-0 victory.

With some even getting in touch subsequently to ask about season tickets, the Kirkcaldy club are making plans to repeat the exercise.

A spokesman said: “We wanted to see if it was possible to take people with little or no experience of the club, and fast-track them into becoming fans.

“The aim of the session was simple – over the course of a Saturday afternoon, bring them up to speed with our past, explain how the club now works and make them immediately feel part of the Rovers family.

“Feedback has been excellent, with most comments praising how friendly and welcoming everyone in the club was to them.

“We are grateful to those that came along, and hope to see many of them back on Saturday.

“The challenge we now face is turning this into something we can deliver regularly, which would provide a new way to steadily increase the fan base over time.”