One
Day in May 1965
On
the 15th May 1965 Linlithgow Rose had one of the greatest
days in the clubs history.
At Hampden Park in front of 35500 people the Rose won the
coveted
Scottish Junior Cup for the first time.
It
was a day when it seemed like the whole town had travelled
to Glasgow
to cheer on their hero`s. From early morning the town was
awash with fans bedecked in the maroon and white club colours.
The team met at Prestonfield for a light training session
and at around midday long queues had began to form at the
town`s railway station for a special train to take them to
Glasgow. At the same time many buses and cars were departing
for Hampden for what would be the finest day in the clubs
history. At around 2.55pm the teams took the field and were
met by a huge crowd. By 3.05pm the Rose were a goal up thanks
to a Malkey Oliphant special. Many who travelled on the special
train missed the goal as to the train`s late arrival.
Further
goals from Grant, Gardner and Cowie crushed ant hope Bailleston
had of a revival, but to their credit they battled on and
scored a late
consolation goal but the final score was four goals to one
for Linlithgow.
The result started celebrations usually seen on Marches Day. On the way
home the team bus passed through Bailleston and to the credit of the locals they turned out in their hundreds to cheer the Rose side who had just beaten their side. After a meal at the Kenilworth Hotel the team returned home where they were met by the Local Pipe and Reed bands who proceded to play the players and committee through the town on an open top bus. It was estimated that a crowd of between eight and ten thousand had turned out to welcome home
the side from Hampden. On the town hall steps the team were met by Provost George Baird and when the congratulations were over they took to the balcony of the town hall to the cheers of the vast crowd to show of their prize. This lasted for almost an hour before the team retired to a civic reception given by Mr Baird. Celebrations carried on into the night in most Linlithgow households and it`s fair to say that there was a few sore heads the next day.
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