Man of the Match Charity Donations 2020-21

2020/21 a year like no other….

….and nothing like adversity to bring the best out of people. For me, these few words capture the Raith Rovers Family performance both on and off the park. The players, management team and backroom staff achieved more than we could have ever imagined in their return to the Championship; RaithTV and the programme team earned great accolades for their professional productions; the office, ground staff and others performed magnificently in keeping the show on the road during the pandemic; the fans stepped up and made massive donations etc.

Whilst this was going on, some of the fans groups (led by the Neeburs o’ Geordie Munro): Fife’s Finest, Rovers Down South and the Jim McMillan Club (complemented by the Friends of Ronnie Coyle), struck an agreement to sponsor the Man of the Match for each home game to the tune of £150, topped up by £250 from the sale of Euro ’95 magazines. The winner had an open pick as to which local charity should receive the donation.

Over the season, 15 donations were made to 6 different charities: Maggies; Kirkcaldy Foodbank; Alzheimer Scotland; Fife Type1 Warriors; The Cottage Family Centre; and Women’s Aid. Donations totalled £2,900!

It would be an understatement to say that the receiving charities were grateful. They were massively taken with the thought behind this innovative initiative, especially during times made so much more challenging by the covid pandemic.

The 14 Man of the Match winners in Season 2020-21 (listed in order of receiving the award) were:

Ross Matthews, Manny Duku, Fernandy Mendy, Jamie MacDonald, Kai Kennedy, Iain Davidson, Kai Kennedy, Regan Hendry, Frankie Musonda, Regan Hendry, Dan Armstrong, Jamie MacDonald, Lewis Vaughan and Jamie Gullan.

We couldn’t finish the season without awarding our Man of the Season and final charity selection to Manager John McGlynn (although he is the first to say the achievements this season were down to a great team effort from all members of the Raith Rovers Family).

John said: “I’d like to thank Fife’s Finest, the Neeburs o’ Geordie Munro, Rovers Down South and the Jim McMillan Club for supporting the Man of the Match charity donations all season, and for giving me the opportunity to make this final donation.

It’s going to Kirkcaldy Foodbank whose work across our community is sadly so necessary, until hunger and poverty are finally shown the red card.”

Thanks to all those who make Rovers the Family they are.

Words by Martin Christie, Pictures by Tony Fimister.

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