Programme – The Rovers Review

As featured in the Fife Free Press this week…..

As clubs across Scottish football are closing down, slimming down, or outsourcing their matchday programmes, Raith Rovers appear to be bucking the trend.

Tomorrow’s game against Morton sees a major drive to boost sales, with publicity around the ground encouraging supporters to scan a QR code to buy the programme online,  and dispel the myth that the content is largely recycled from the internet.

The only thing recycled about the Rovers programme is the paper it’s printed on, and RRFC Season Ticket holders can access it free via the Rovers’ Online Lounge.

Editor for the last 4 years, Bill Gilby, says it’s all down to:

• The strong foundations laid by previous editor Phil Nicholson
• Teamwork, planning, and organisation, especially seeking out and encouraging new contributors – the programme is written by supporters for supporters
• Being in tune with the readership through annual surveys and other communications
• Support from the club in the shape of regular Boardroom/CEO updates, and increased advertising revenue

The Editor added, “You can’t resist the football metaphors. We have a team where everyone understands what’s expected of them – first team picks, squad players, promising youngsters, older heads, and there’s a backroom staff bigger than John McGlynn’s! But it’s not a game of two programmes, and we don’t subscribe to “one game at a time”. We’re always planning ahead. And in Deputy Editor Bryan Fisher, we have an absolute rock.”

Barcelona based Carol Alison Smith was once an occasional contributor…………… and now finds herself Deputy Editor (Digital). Carol remarked, “our most successful e-version was the special when we were due to play the Pars on International Women’s Day last season – we got around 2000 hits. So there’s an appetite for what we’re doing. We just need to tap into it.”

But maybe Mississippi based contributor Grace Fowlie sums it up, “I’ve written for the programme since 2019 because I love to write about things I’m passionate about. I’m given the freedom to simply write about what I love. The thing I love most about the programme is the team behind it. I genuinely love to read all their contributions. Each volunteer has an individual personality, outlook and contribution, but they’re all brought together by their love for Raith Rovers. Everyone is supportive of each other and share the same excitement when a programme receives a good public response.”

Look out for our volunteers selling the Rovers Review outside the stadium as you approach the turnstiles tomorrow!

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