John McGlynn shuts down David Goodwillie question as Raith boss admits striker is required in January

John McGlynn refused to discuss reports linking Raith Rovers with a move for David Goodwillie but admitted a striker is a January priority after watching his side draw another blank in the Fife derby.
Raith Rovers manager John McGlynn applauds the home fans after the 0-0 draw with Dunfermline.  (Photo by Alan Rennie / SNS Group)Raith Rovers manager John McGlynn applauds the home fans after the 0-0 draw with Dunfermline.  (Photo by Alan Rennie / SNS Group)
Raith Rovers manager John McGlynn applauds the home fans after the 0-0 draw with Dunfermline. (Photo by Alan Rennie / SNS Group)

The goalless draw with Dunfermline at Stark's Park means the Kirkcaldy men have gone six matches without scoring from open play and a move for the Clyde frontman, who has 16 goals this season, has been rumoured.

The speculation has prompted a backlash from supporters on social media while best-selling author and former club director Val McDermid is strongly opposed to signing a player who was branded a rapist in a civil court in 2017.

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McDermid, who has a stand named after her and sponsors the club's home jerseys, posted on Twitter: “He’s not a role model in any sense. I don’t want him running around with my name on his chest."

McGlynn stressed, "I'm not going to get dragged into that", when asked about the Goodwillie link but insisted that he is in the market for a goalscorer to ignite his side's title bid as Rovers look to close the four point gap to Championship leaders Arbroath.

"It's been obvious, isn't it? We've been trying to do that. Recruitment is all-year round. You're getting players sent to you all the time so we look at that all the time. You don't have to be the brains of Britain to look at our strikers and how many goas they've scored. It's not enough.

"Everything is ongoing. We've got a list a mile long but it's getting the right one. I don't think there will be anything imminent."

McGlynn changed his formation for the derby, handing Matej Poplatnik his first league start since October to partner regular starter Ethon Varian in attack, but to no avail. The on-loan strikers have just five goals between them this season.

"Frustrating," the Raith boss summised. "It was probably a dour, drab, dull derby. Not an awful lot of chances. Lacking in quality. We can play better than that.

"A clean sheet is all you can really take from it. It wasn't great.

"We changed the formation and went with two strikers up top, but again we still didn't create enough chances. Not that I'm one for thinking playing two up top you actually create more, but we tried it and it didn't necessarily work from that aspect either. We need to find something that is going to get us some goals."

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McGlynn also handed debuts to Ben Williamson, on loan from Rangers, and Sam Stanton, and was happy with the contribution of both, with ex-Hibs, Dundee United and Dundalk midfielder Stanton receiving the home fans' man of the match award.

"I thought Sam and Ben acquitted themselves really well," he said. "They've just arrived but we wanted to get them in the team," he said. "We've went a little bit stale so we needed that freshness coming in."

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