St Johnstone vs Raith Rovers – Match Preview

Champions St Johnstone host Raith Rovers on trophy presentation day. Raith Rovers have failed to find the net against the Champions in the Championship in their 3 attempts this season. St Johnstone came out with 3 points in the first league meeting between the sides, winning 2-0 on the road. The sides have met twice after that, with both games finishing goalless. Raith Rovers’ last win against Friday night’s opponents came back in 2004, in a 1-0 win. Their last win at McDiarmid Park came in September 2003, in another 1-0 win. St Johnstone come into this fixture off the back of a 2-0 win away from home against Dunfermline Athletic, which saw them become champions. The Perth outfit are unbeaten in their last 12 Championship matches, winning 7 and drawing 5. Raith Rovers come into this meeting off the back of a 2-1 defeat away from home against Arbroath, which ended a run of 4 consecutive wins. The maximum number of points that St Johnstone can reach is 77, no side has reached that figure in the Championship since Rangers won the title in 2015/16, when they finished on 81 points. Although still within reach, the play offs look increasingly unlikely for Raith Rovers. Dougie Imrie’s side currently sit 5th, 5 points behind Dunfermline in 4th, who play Queen’s Park away from home, before rounding off the league season at home against Arbroath. Josh McPake will play his final game for St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Friday night. The winger, who will join Hearts in the summer, joined the Saints on a free transfer in June 2024. The forward has enjoyed an impressive campaign with St Johnstone thus far, scoring 16 goals in the league, which sees him lead the way in the top scoring charts – 3 ahead of Dunfermline’s Tod. Keeper Toby Steward, who has kept 18 league clean sheets so far, summed up his loan spell after securing the title on Tuesday night against Dunfermline Athletic: “My family have come up loads and they have absolutely loved it. They have new friends now, both supporters and people from around the club. “From day one, we had a goal. That was to make something happen and go up. For the fans and everyone connected with the club, I’m so happy we could do it. “The boys are all amazing. A great group. And obviously great players. They are friends for life now. I’ll never forget this. Just fantastic. It’s been class. Absolutely loved it.” Raith Rovers sit 2nd when it comes to clean sheets. The Fife outfit have kept 15 clean sheets in the league, 2 more than their city rivals Dunfermline Athletic. Simo Valakari on the difficulty of the Championship: “It is a difficult league because you play every week and every opponent is at you. They’re kicking, they’re pushing you, so to do this our way, it’s unbelievable. I’m so proud of everyone. “It’s not easy with how much I have demanded from them. We have been in numerous Sundays when everyone else is sleeping in their beds. We have been training on Sundays after the Saturday. “We have been working, we have had many things (to deal with), but the players, they wanted this. That was the biggest thing. All of these players wanted to be here. They want our club to be successful.” On Friday night: “The fans have been by our side all season, now we can all look forward to a great day at McDiarmid Park on Friday. Let’s make it a carnival, let’s make it full rock and roll.”    

James Forrest Signs One-Year Extension With Celtic

Celtic winger James Forrest has extended his time at Parkhead by another year, penning a deal that sees him at the club until the end of the 2026/27 season. Forrest, who turns 35 in the summer, has never played for a club other than Celtic, becoming their most decorated player of all time with 26 major honours at the time of writing. He scored on his debut in 2010 as a 19-year-old in a 4-0 home win over Motherwell, and hopes he can continue his record of scoring in every season since next year again with the Hoops. Forrest told club media: “I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve been here my full career and I’ve loved every minute of it. “We’ve been so successful in my time here and I’m delighted to have signed another year, and I’ll just give my best to the club for however long I’ll be here. “While I’m still playing I can hopefully keep contributing and helping the team when I can and I’m just going to give it everything until I finish. “When I do stop, I will look back on so many great memories, but hopefully I can make a few more before I do finish.” Interim manager Martin O’Neill brought him off the bench to rescue Celtic on Sunday in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St. Mirren, and he is happy to see Forrest potentially see out his career as a one-club-man. O’Neill said: “I really want James to finish his career here at Celtic, and I just didn’t want him to be going elsewhere, and I think he wanted that as well. “But the major point about taking anyone on is to know whether they’re worth an extra year and James has proved this season that he has been worth that. “He has changed games and he has done wonderfully well. His contribution in recent weeks when he’s come off the bench has been absolutely terrific, and he has deserved it, and that’s the point. “So, take sentimentality right out of it, he’s deserved it. “He’s been immense for the football club since Neil Lennon brought him in when he was a young kid in the reserves, and he is what I love – I love players who take people on and he can take people on, even to have that little burst of pace at his age is worth its weight in gold.” There is still scope that Forrest can make the plane for the World Cup this summer, having been part of Steve Clarke’s last two major tournament squads. But with the title race in the balance, and Celtic in a Scottish Cup final against former manager Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline, adding to his record high Celtic honours will be at the forefront of the Scottish international’s mind.

Discovery Fire Sprinklers Extends Official Partnership with Dundee Football Club in Multi-Year Agreement

Dundee Football Club is proud to announce the extension of a multi-year partnership with Discovery Fire Sprinklers, a leading provider of fire protection solutions across Scotland and the UK. The agreement will see Discovery Fire Sprinklers continuing as an official partner of Dundee FC, strengthening the club’s commercial portfolio while aligning with a trusted, safety-focused brand. The partnership will include branding opportunities, digital activations, and community engagement initiatives throughout the duration of the agreement. As part of the collaboration, Discovery Fire Sprinklers will work alongside Dundee FC to support local initiatives, promoting safety awareness and contributing to projects within the Dundee community. John Nelms, Managing Director at Dundee Football Club, said: “Discovery Fire Sprinklers are a valued partner of Dundee Football Club. This multi-year agreement represents a strong alignment between two organisations committed to excellence, community, and long-term growth. We look forward to continuing to build a successful relationship in the coming years.” James Bryceland, Managing Director at Discovery Fire Sprinklers, added: “Partnering with Dundee Football Club is an exciting step for us as a business. The club sits at the heart of the local community, something we are incredibly passionate about supporting. This partnership gives us a fantastic platform while engaging with supporters and the wider Dundee community over the coming years. We’re proud to be associated with such a historic club and look forward to a successful relationship.”