There is a particular kind of quiet confidence that comes from a manager who has been here before — who has kept a thin squad together through a League Cup group stage on fresh air and sheer organisation, and come out the other side with something to show for it. That is precisely the mood Dougie Imrie is carrying into Friday evening's Fife derby at East End Park, where his Raith Rovers side travel to face Dunfermline Athletic live on BBC Scotland.

Raith head into the match second in the Scottish Championship, unbeaten in the league with two wins and a draw from their opening three fixtures — seven points on the board and a dressing room that, by the sound of it, is in a genuinely good place. For a side that went into pre-season with what Imrie himself described as a "pretty bleak" squad, owing to a cluster of early injuries, that is a remarkable turnaround in a matter of weeks.

"We're delighted with the start, but we'll not get carried away," the Raith manager said, displaying the sort of measured tone you tend to hear from coaches who have navigated tighter spots before. Imrie pointed to his time at Morton as the experience that shaped how he handles a threadbare group at the start of a campaign, recalling seasons where he was working with 13 or 14 players through the League Cup phase before the league got going in earnest.

The summer rebuild at Kirkcaldy has been substantial. Imrie brought in 11 players while letting 13 depart — a near-complete overhaul of the squad's personality — and the early signs are that the group has gelled quickly. Central to that has been the arrival of winger Scott Tiffoney, a player Imrie had been tracking since January and a figure who arrives with a proven record at Championship level from his time with Partick Thistle. Getting that deal over the line feels like a genuine statement of intent from the club, even if Imrie himself is reluctant to frame it that way.

Injuries to striker George Oakley and winger Aaron Lyall have complicated matters somewhat, but Imrie seems sanguine about the overall picture. His emphasis, tellingly, is less on tactics and more on culture. "The most important thing in any football club is the environment," he said. "Make them believe they are good players. Everybody knows they have an opportunity to play in my team, but they also know they have to be at it every day to keep that jersey."

On the other side of Fife, Neil Lennon will be hoping his Dunfermline side can rediscover the form that took them to last season's Scottish Cup final and the Championship play-offs. The Pars have started sluggishly — two draws and a defeat at Livingston — though they did progress to the League Cup's last 16 before falling at home to League 1 side Ross County. Lennon is not panicking. "It's not terminal or anything like that," he said. "This is only our fourth league game. Couple of wins and we'll be looking down the table rather than up."

Lennon oversaw a similarly significant squad turnover at East End Park this summer, with ten out and nine in, and he believes the new arrivals will come good. His ambition remains championship promotion, and he is not walking back from that. "I think we'll be in the mix at the end of the season for sure," he said.

Friday's match kicks off at 19:25 BST and is available to watch on BBC Scotland and iPlayer. A local derby, the league's second-placed side hosting a side desperate to find their feet — there are worse ways to spend a Friday night in August.

Key Storylines to Watch

  • Scott Tiffoney making his mark against a Championship rival — a player Imrie coveted since January.
  • Whether Dunfermline can bounce back from their Livingston defeat and justify Lennon's early optimism.
  • How Raith cope with the continued absences of Oakley and Lyall in attack.

Frequently asked

Where can I watch Dunfermline v Raith Rovers on TV?
The match is live on BBC Scotland and available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Kick-off is at 19:25 BST on Friday 28 August 2026.
How have Raith Rovers been doing in the Scottish Championship this season?
Raith have made a strong start, picking up seven points from their opening three league games — two wins and a draw — which places them second in the Championship table.
Who is the Raith Rovers manager and what is his background?
Dougie Imrie is the Raith Rovers manager. He previously managed Morton, where he gained experience of building and maintaining squads through early-season cup campaigns with limited player numbers.