Club prospects for the coming season

RAITH ROVERS

It would be fair to say that anything that could go wrong did go wrong for Raith Rovers last season.

However, the club took the brave decision to stay full-time after the hammer blow of relegation from the Championship.

That helped lure Barry Smith from part-time East Fife to take the reins. Smith was thrust into management after Dundee went into administration in 2010, but that novice is now a veteran.

His stewardship will be vital this season with a squad short on numbers. Smith’s transfer business has been limited by budget restrictions but he pulled off a coup landing strikers Liam Buchanan and Greig Spence, while a fit Scott Robertson is another boost. Raith will start favourites to go straight back up, but Smith will taking nothing for granted.

Key man: Ross Callachan. Target: promotion.

Prediction: first.

ARBROATH

Of all league-to-league gaps, that between Two and One is probably the smallest. Providing their squad isn’t broken up, the champions of the bottom league should expect to contend at the top end of the table the year after.

The fact Dick Campbell’s playing staff looks stronger than in the last campaign (they actually paid a transfer fee) reinforces the idea that Arbroath will give backto-back promotions a real go.

He’ll get a torrid time when he plays at Station Park but Gavin Swankie may still have it in him to be a class act in League One, albeit an inconsistent one.

There are several other course-and-distance performers at Gayfield. Raith Rovers and Ayr United are full-time and deservedly the favourites, but Dick Campbell knows the lower league waters better than any manager.

You can’t underestimate the winning mentality Arbroath will bring with them, and four out of their first five games look winnable. Key man: Ryan McCord. Target: the play-offs. Prediction: fourth.

FORFAR

Forfar made all the running at the top of League Two last season, only to be pipped by Arbroath.

The fixtures between the Loons and Lichties this season will be games to savour.

Manager Gary Bollan hasn’t had too much encouragement from the Betfred Cup campaign, losing the shootout to Brechin and suffering defeats to Stirling Albion, Falkirk and Inverness CT, but things will settle down when the league business begins.

Key man: Simon Mensing. Target: survival.

Prediction: seventh.

EAST FIFE

Just missing out on the promotion play-offs last season was hard to take. However, the squad was ravaged by injury with the manager at the time

Before the physio’s room started filling up, East Fife put together an 11-game unbeaten run between December and the start of February.

Manager Barry Smith moved on at the end of the season, lured by the chance of managing full-time again with Raith Rovers.

Darren Young took the reins at Bayview but the injury curse has struck again, undermining their Betfred Campaign with the manager having to dust down his boots again. Young only had three subs including himself for their final game in the cup against Elgin on Tuesday, with the team winning 3-2.

That should give the Fifers a boost ahead of their league opener at Stranraer.

Key man: Chris Duggan. Target: the play-offs.

Prediction: sixth.