Stark's Park will be turned into flats, vows Raith director

RAITH Rovers director Colin McGowan has told the club’s fans to put their money where their mouths are if they want him out, or face the possible nightmare of Stark’s Park being demolished for flats.

The 50-year-old Glaswegian property-developer was rounded on by protestors at the recent 2-0 win over St Mirren and is ready to sell his stake, wounded by the level of personal abuse he has received.

McGowan was part of the group which bought the closure-threatened club from Dundee businessman Alan Kelly in 1999 and helped Raith reduce debts of 1.8million.

However, the former carpet-fitter was solely responsible for the disastrous decision to bring untried manager Claude Anelka to Kirkcaldy in the summer, a move which will result in relegation and could take the club years to recover from.

Since that disastrous decision, which caused an east versus west divide in the boardroom, McGowan has jumped into the vacuum left by the resignation of Turnbull Hutton in October and is responsible for most daily operations. His recent sale of hero Paquito to Hamilton for 3,000 has further incensed supporters who want McGowan and his west coast property associate, Alex Short, to go.

However, the Glaswegian duo, who own 50 per cent of the controlling interest, will not bow to fans until they get their money back in full. And McGowan has warned that, with the pair holding 50 per cent of the company - West City Developments - who own Stark’s Park, the stadium could be sold for houses unless the community takes the destiny of its club into its own hands.

"I don’t like veiled threats but when I get annoyed, I feel hurt. When I am hurt, I get better. However, if I get angry, it is different, you might just see architects and engineers walking about up here," warned the developer, who has put a time limit on how long he is willing to wait for the dissenters to come up with hard cash.

"If someone puts an offer in just now to put houses here, I will fight against it for this club. But if I am to be subjected to abuse and nobody comes forward, I will not stay forever.

"If anything happens to this club, it will never be Colin McGowan’s fault. If the people cannot stand up and be counted then it will be the people of Fife’s fault. The people of Fife can blame the people of Fife. If it wasn’t for Glasgow, there would not be Raith Rovers FC."

Not since the chairmanship of Kirkcaldy builder Alex Penman has there existed a more tangible opportunity for a board to be created involving only those with Raith Rovers and Kirkcaldy in their hearts.

Finance director McGowan admits that would also be his ideal motive in parting with his considerable holding.

It is understood a fee of about 600,000 would end the tenure of McGowan and Short and talks have already taken place between the former and the Raith Rovers Supporters Trust.

However, supporters will not forgive his error in inflicting Anelka on the club. Directors Turnbull Hutton, Eric Drysdale and Mario Caira all refused to sign Anelka’s contract. Asked if he took full responsibility, McGowan, who took no qualified footballing advice on the Anelka appointment, said: "Yes. I was blinded by the six figure cheque he was offering."