6 former Raith favourites plotting Rovers' downfall with Falkirk

by · The Courier

Falkirk face Raith Rovers this weekend as joint leaders in the Championship and with the praise of Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers ringing in their ears.

For Bairns boss John McGlynn, it will be his first time back in action at Stark’s Park since leaving the club in 2022.

Having led Falkirk to the League One title and back to the Championship last season, his high-flying side are now one of the favourites for promotion to the Premiership after an incredible start to the campaign.

With five wins from five in the league so far, they are unbeaten on league duty in an incredible 17 months, and won plaudits for giving Celtic a scare in the Premier Sports Cup before succumbing to a 5-2 defeat at Parkhead.

Falkirk boss John McGlynn is all smiles for the camera at Parkhead. Image: Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

McGlynn will not be the only one returning to Kirkcaldy, however, with Falkirk’s success built on some familiar faces for Rovers fans.

Courier Sport takes a look at the former favourites who will be enemies for 90 minutes on Saturday.

1. John McGlynn

McGlynn ended ten years on the coaching staff at Hearts to take the reins at Raith in November 2006.

After two false starts, he led Rovers to the Second Division title in 2009 and subsequently to a title challenge with rivals Dunfermline for promotion to the top-flight in 2010-11.

There was a also a first Scottish Cup semi-final for the club in 47 years – which was lost to Dundee United in 2010 – before McGlynn left in 2012 to return to Hearts as head coach.

Six years later, he was back at Raith after a spell with Livingston and on the coaching staff at Celtic.

His job was again to get out of the third tier, which was successfully achieved in 2020, whilst Rovers also lifted the Challenge Cup the same year (as joint winners with Inverness Caley Thistle) and in 2022.

He left and joined Falkirk the following summer.

Paul Smith (right) has been John McGlynn’s right-hand man for years. Image: Mark Scates / SNS Group.

2. Paul Smith

A former Raith player with more than 100 appearances to his name, Smith was assistant to McGlynn during his first spell in charge at Stark’s Park.

Staying on as number two to Grant Murray when McGlynn left for Hearts, ‘Smudger’ later departed in 2014.

But the pair were eventually reunited when McGlynn returned to the club four years later.

A trusted right-hand man, who has had to step in to the hotseat himself on a few occasions, Smith was the obvious choice to be McGlynn’s assistant at Falkirk.

Sean Mackie had two spells with Raith Rovers before joining Falkirk two years ago. Image: Mark Scates / SNS Group.

3. Sean Mackie

Mackie kicked off his senior career with Raith after emerging at the Fife Elite youth academy.

Quickly snapped up by Hibernian after just one first-team appearance, the left-back made 22 outings whilst at Easter Road before leaving at the end of his contract in 2022.

Having spent one of his four loan spells back at Raith in the final few months of his Hibs deal, he then joined up again with McGlynn and Smith by signing for Falkirk.

The former Scotland U/21 cap is now in his third season with the club and has started all but one of the Bairns’ 12 games so far this term.

Ethan Ross (right) won the Challenge Cup with Raith Rovers in 2022. Image: Paul Devlin / SNS Group.

4. Ethan Ross

Signed initially on loan from Aberdeen, Ross made a big impact after being recruited permanently by McGlynn at Raith in October 2021

The winger scored five times in his first eight games and was popular with the fans.

However, hampered by injury, his second season did not go as well under Ian Murray and he was allowed to leave on loan in September last year.

Falkirk were the obvious takers and he helped the Bairns win League One and promotion back to the Championship.

When he departed Raith at the end of his contract that move to Falkirk was made a permanent one.

Brad Spencer is now in his fifth season playing under John McGlynn. Image: Mark Scates / SNS Group.

5. Brad Spencer

Spencer joined Raith in 2019 after spells with Dumbarton and Forfar in the wake of his departure from first club Kilmarnock.

The midfielder became an integral part of McGlynn’s passing game-plan and went on to make 126 appearances for Rovers.

A League One and Challenge Cup winner with the club, he also played regularly under Ian Murray two seasons ago.

But at the end of the campaign, he opted to leave Stark’s Park and shortly after joined Falkirk, where he is again a key performer.

Dylan Tait is congratulated on his Falkirk performance by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. Image: Craig Foy / SNS Group.

6. Dylan Tait

Tait quickly caught the eye under McGlynn after making his Raith debut in 2019 as a 17-year-old.

Calm and assured on the ball, the midfielder made 20 appearances the following season before his breakout campaign in the Championship in 2020/21.

His form caught the eye of Hibs, who signed him for a six-figure fee in August 2021 but loaned the youngster back to Rovers.

Despite further loans at Kilmarnock, Arbroath, Hamilton Accies and Falkirk, Tait failed to convince he could make the grade at Hibs and he departed Easter Road in the summer having made just one substitute’s appearance.

It was no surprise that his next move was to return to Falkirk permanently to link up again with McGlynn.