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marvin_andrews_raith_promotionHAMPDEN HERO Marvin Andrews helped Raith Rovers clinch the second division championship with another characteristic display of strength and purpose against Queen’s Park but revealed that Saturday’s final home league game against Arbroath at Stark’s Park may be his last for the club.
Andrews has been magnificent for the Kirkcaldy side since returning 10 games ago after his self-imposed retirement— they have lost only once and conceded just two goals— but he now faces a decision on where he will be playing his football next season.

“I don’t know if I’ll play on,” said Andrews. “I’m going to go into prayer and ask God for direction where he wants me to be next season.

“At this moment I don’t have the slightest idea.”

Rovers boss John McGlynn is determined to do everything in his power to hang on to the big man.

“We’re very keen to keep Marvin Andrews,” he said.

“To say he’s a big character is an understatement and I don’t think it’s coincidental that we’ve kept so many clean sheets since he came back.

“The timing of his coming back has certainly helped us over the winning line.

“We have a very tight budget but Marvin won’t just do something for the money, so we have a chance of keeping him. I’d like to think we could.”

The Trinidad and Tobago internationalist wore the biggest smile at Hampden Park, as he reflected on the single-goal win that gave Raith the second division title.

The 34-year-old beamed, “I’m really delighted, but I’m more happy for the manager and the team because they’ve been working hard all season.

“It’s really good for them because it’s the third time running that they’ve been so close and twice they’ve been unlucky in the play-offs.

“I’m grateful to be part of the team. I thank God, because he’s responsible for this.

“It’s good to clinch it so that next week can be a day of celebration for Raith Rovers and the whole of Kirkcaldy.”

To illustrate what a cult figure the defender has become, a dozen or so Queen’s Park ball boys lined the tunnel to cheer him as he left the field at the end of the 90 minutes.

Andrews was only too pleased to go over to shake hands and high-five the youngsters who, minutes earlier, had been cheering on the other team.

“They were supporting their team and I’ve nothing against that,” he said, “If they needed to boo me to put me off my game that’s fair enough, but at the end of the day they are the future of Scotland.

“One day they will probably be running out there lifting a championship or something like that.

“If I can inspire them or help them by being nice to them I’m happy.”

Winning silverware at Hampden is of course nothing new to the player.

“I’ve won the CIS Cup here with Livingston, and another with Rangers and now I’ve lifted a champion-ship,’’ he said.

“Today was just as good as those other times.’’