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DECLAN McManus insists he has not given up on his dream of making it in English football as he seeks to shoot Raith Rovers to success this season.
The former Aberdeen youngster joined Rovers on a season-long loan deal this summer after accepting his chances of a first-team place at Fleetwood Town were virtually non-existent.
The 22-year-old spent the second half of last term on loan at Morton after feeling his ‘face did not fit’ under Steven Pressley down south.
Ironically, Pressley resigned as Fleetwood boss within days of McManus returning north to Raith, but the Scotland under-21 cap has no regrets over the move.
Instead, he is desperate to use his spell in Kirkcaldy to prove he deserves another crack south of the border.
McManus, who has another year’s ‘option’ at Fleetwood, said: “Raith is a brilliant club. The manager (Gary Locke) and (assistant) Darren Jackson are ambitious, the squad are the same.
“It is a good place to be and where I need to be to try to fight for trophies and accomplishments.
“I just want to better myself and keep improving. Raith is a good fit for me and I am enjoying it.
“I asked to go on loan and I am up here trying to impress everybody as much as I can.
STRIVE
“Every young boy wants to play at the highest level he possibly can and in Britain that is in England.
“That is what you strive for and I took the opportunity to go down to League One a couple of years ago now.
“I started well but it has not worked out since because of the manager situation but I am still young and only 22.
“So, come next summer, if I am back up in Scotland permanently, then I still have plenty of time to work myself back down there.”
Raith’s unbeaten league run came to an end with a 2-0 loss at home to Falkirk last Saturday but McManus is hopeful they can spark a new one away to undefeated Queen of the South this afternoon.
He added: “When you are on a run, you want to keep it going as long as possible, but there always comes a day when it ends.
“That has now happened but hopefully we can start another wee run with a win on Saturday.”
