Laurie Ellis has decided to join cowdung,We have got enough ex-rovers players anyway.

Seemingly, the Raith's move for an Itailian striker from the Turin Sports Acadamy has fallen through - maybe we could move for him.

Was the italian boy not some fraudster?

From today's Courier

RAITH ROVERS have become the latest victims of an elaborate hoax by an Italian who tried to con his way into the Stark’s Park side.

Alessandro Sarreli had been expected to join the club for pre-season training last night as part of what appeared to be a genuine link-up between Raith and the Italian FA.

The scam claimed that some of the country’s top prospects were being farmed out from a youth academy in Turin with the Italians meeting the 22-year-old striker’s wage and accommodation bills.

However, after the club was alerted to the possibility that Sarreli was not all he appeared to be, Raith have managed to avoid being duped at the last minute.

While officials were suspicious in the outset, fans contacted the club after seeing a Sky TV expose.

The only differences between those revelations and the Raith hoax were the spelling of the player’s name and the name of the Italian Youth FA official, who called himself Valerio Fattini in dealings with Rovers but Matteo Colobase in the other scams.

Commercial manager John Drysdale said the club was now taking “appropriate action” but stressed Raith had no commitment to the player other than a trial.

“I almost wish he would still turn up—just to see the length of his brass neck,” he said, warning other clubs to be wary. “We were never 100% sure about it but all it has been is a monumental waste of time.

“Thanks to the generosity of some Rovers fans, it wasn’t even going to cost us a hotel bill—that generosity was exactly what the fake player was going to play on if and when he arrived here.

“All it would have cost us is perhaps £20 here and £50 there as well as a couple of phone calls but we would have lost the goodwill of the fans that were going to put him up.

“We started getting very suspicious around two weeks ago when we told him that we have some fans who have links with Torino and they were willing to put him up so he could stay with people that live locally.

“The reaction to that wasn’t what I expected and I think this was an unexpected turn as far as he was concerned.

“He had been calling two or three times a week prior to that and the calls have dried up over the past two weeks.”

It has since been revealed the ‘player’ has previously turned up at Welsh clubs Bangor City, Connah’s Quay and TNS with valid-looking paperwork.

Raith manager Gordon Dalziel said he wasn’t too disappointed that the prospect of an Italian star at Stark’s Park had disappeared.

“I wasn’t really pinning my hopes on it to be honest,” he concluded.



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We should sign Pavarotti and would get an Italian for a tenor.

I thought someone would have picked me up about my spelling ie signings,not sigings,never mind

wheres stevie nic headed next season zak.

No where when I last spoke to him,he has been offered juniors,but does not want to go there,just yet,maybe stenny they have enquired.

I spoke to John Martin today he says that Ally Mitchell is really fit for his age,he could not believe how fit he is,he is the fittest in the squad,Too many slackers in the close season,but Baikie will sort them out,

Did you get a win at the Bingo then Zak?

bingo bob what rae you on about

zak,who in your opinion are the two or three players,we are trying to add to our squad.

Thought you spoke to John at the Bingo,obviously I wiz wrong!