Rovers' Door Closes, Ton's Opens: Raith Appoint Dougie Imrie

The Saga ends

Raith Rovers have ended their managerial saga but have also opened up a new one within the William Hill Championship.

The Kirkcaldy club have appointed Dougie Imrie, who leaves his role at Greenock Morton, as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract replacing Barry Robson who was relieved of his duties on the 11th of November.

🆕 DOUGIE IN THE DUGOUT!

Raith Rovers Football Club is excited to officially welcome Dougie Imrie as our new Manager, starting a brand new chapter together at Stark’s Park.#YouBelong pic.twitter.com/TAYqMXmpZq

— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) November 25, 2025

The Rovers board of directors have stated that they went through “an extensive recruitment process over the past couple of weeks”, with the 42-year-old Imrie showing “a real passion and understanding of our squad and ambitions” which immediately made him the number one choice for the job at Stark’s Park.

Imrie, who won 66 of his 175 matches in charge of Greenock Morton, brings Andy Millen; his trusted assistant manager who departed Cappielow at the end of the season. Imrie has stated that his first challenge with be for the squad to “play with intensity, and get this team winning games again”, his first chance to do that will be on Saturday as the Rovers welcome Alloa Athletic at Stark’s Park in the third round of the Scottish Cup.

Rovers are getting a manager who could and perhaps was many clubs wish list within the Championship. Imrie has been nothing short of impressive at Morton since his arrival in 2021, working season after season with a limiting budget, a small pool of players within the first team squad and some might even say consistently punching above their weights and achieving excellent results.

🤝 Meet the gaffer.

Dougie Imrie sets out his vision built on ambition, attacking football and connection in his first RaithTV interview. pic.twitter.com/7VUwe7NXx5

— Raith Rovers Football Club (@RaithRovers) November 25, 2025

Another saga begins

A new challenge at a new club after a long spell at Cappielow should be exciting for Imrie and Co; but his arrival in Kirkcaldy means that the keys to the manager’s office at Cappielow is there to be picked up.

Billy Davies, the former manager of Derby County and Nottingham Forest, who is Morton’s technical head coach will take the interim hotseat for the time being whilst the club begin the recruitment process over Imrie’s successor.

Who next for the Ton?

Well, the obvious names in the Championship merry-go-round will surely come up again so expect the likes of Ian Murray, Rhys McCabe, Kris Doolan, James McPake who are all experienced managers at Championship level to perhaps be interested in the vacancy and even be interviewed for the job.

Managers currently in work down in the lower leagues could see Morton as a chance to get in at Championship level. Gary Naysmith has previously managed in the second tier with Queen of the South, and the former Hearts and Scotland defender will surely have eyes of reaching that level again. Don’t be surprised if Naysmith is one of those who the Ton hierarchy will be wanting to talk to after doing and continuing to do an excellent job with Stenhousemuir in League One. But perhaps Naysmith might think the bigger achievement would be to complete the job of guiding Stenny from League Two to the Championship within three seasons.

Perhaps Edinburgh City’s Michael McIndoe could be an option for the Ton. McIndoe has done an unbelievable job with the Citizens since his appointment in October 2023, despite relegation to League Two. Edinburgh City play attractive football and continue to punch above their weight as they operate with the smallest budget within the SPFL. Edinburgh City are bottom of the League Two table but that’s no fault of McIndoe and his players as the club were deducted 15 points at the beginning of the season, if they didn’t have the points lost, City would be in the promotion playoff places as things stand at the time of writing.

Whoever takes the job on will have difficult task of having to replace a popular manager at Cappielow and one of the league’s most experienced figures. A hard task lies at store for someone but first up for Billy Davies’ Ton is Balmoor for Peterhead away in the Scottish Cup. The post Dougie Imrie era at Greenock has begun.