The big surprise of the season was Raith Rovers’ relegation to League 1 via a play-off defeat from Brechin City. Twelve months earlier Rovers were in the promotion play-offs trying to reach the Premiership, so their fall has been spectacular. Gary Locke was an uneasy appointment as manager in May 2016, but he was off to a winning start and another tilt at the promotion play-offs seemed possible. By the midpoint of the season Rovers had only lost four games and were comfortably in mid-table. Then it all went badly wrong in 2017. Over the season Rovers were solid at home, but on the road they were terrible and only gathered 10 points from 18 fixtures.
Promising striker, Lewis Vaughan, was suddenly loaned out to Dumbarton in January and this coincided with an awful run of 14 games without a win in league and cup competitions. Vaughan also helped secure Dumbarton’s status in the Championship. Locke was dismissed in February and experienced John Hughes took charge. His brusk style grabbed the headlines but it didn’t improve Rovers’ form. Of the 13 games when Hughes was manager, only four of these produced wins. Rovers avoided automatic relegation, but finished in 9th place. In one moment of farce, striker, Ryan Stevenson, created history by starting in goal at Ayr for Rovers as all of their goalkeepers were injured. Stevenson played well, but they lost 1-0. A 1-1 draw at Brechin in the 1st leg of the play-off suggested they would survive, but nerves took hold at Stark’s Park in the return leg and Brechin won 4-3 on penalties after extra time. A complete rebuild is required at Stark’s Park.
