Raith Rovers captain Jason Thomson admits he is looking forward to being reunited with Gary Locke after the former Hearts manager was unveiled as Ray McKinnon’s replacement at Stark’s Park.
Thomson was a player at Tynecastle when Locke was the club’s first team coach under then manager Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown.
Locke has secured a return to the dugout after being axed as Kilmarnock boss in January but defender Thomson is confident the 40-year-old can build on the foundations laid by McKinnon after Rovers reached the Championship play-offs.
Thomson said: “I worked with Gary at Hearts when he was the first team coach when Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown were there.
“It might be a bit different now that he is actually coming in as a manager rather than being a coach but from recalling the time when he was at Hearts I enjoyed playing under him.
“He is an enthusiastic and a passionate guy and I’m sure that’s not changed
“I’m looking forward to getting back into it when pre-season starts, it’s a fresh start.
“I can’t talk for Hearts and Kilmarnock but what I do know is that he is coming into a club where everyone is together and we’re all pulling in the same direction.
“I think there is also around 14 or 15 boys signed up for next season as well so there is the core of the squad that we had last time and there won’t be much change.
“The last manager left us in good shape in terms that he had everyone playing for each other, so he’s coming into a good club.”
