Manager Robí di Lathamé and his plucky band of Raith Rovers players have taken the Fife side to some fairly unlikely heights. Having begun in Scottish League One obscurity, they've gone on to win the Europa Conference League, won a League Cup, finished runners-up in the Scottish Premiership, and earned a point at Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Robí di Lathamé was enjoying a delicious, undoubtedly extremely expensive glass of Rioja deep in the bowels of the majestic Santiago Bernabeú. And he couldn't help but reflect on how quickly things had changed.
The amazing rise of Raith Rovers has seen the club go from Scottish League One to European football, Scottish League Cup winners in 2025, through to sitting at the top of the Scottish Premiership moving into 2026.
It was safe to say that Robí di Lathamé was enjoying life in Kirkcaldy, despite the relative lack of finances available to him. And it was in such a happy state of mind soaking in the rare rays on Kirkcaldy beach that he received a phone call from chairman Robbie McGinn.
At this point, I am so glad I'm not streaming Football Manager as... I went absolutely berserk celebrating. I composed myself, went on the defence and time-wasting and we held on for a 2-1 to reach the Europa Conference League Final!!
Plucky Raith Rovers had made an astounding start to their second season in the Ladbrokes Premiership. The side was showing that you can win things with kids as they sat third in the league, well behind leaders Celtic but just one point back from Rangers, and looking forward to a League Cup Final against the former.
Manager Robí di Lathamé was celebrating doubling his wages to £2,500-a-week as a reward for making a solid start to life in the Scottish Premiership.
Joining the job hunt in 2024 there were several roles available and I appeared to be in with a chance of getting them - despite having been on holiday for 5 years.
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