The team finished off a disappointing league campaign away to Bathgate who were gearing up for the Junior Cup final the following weekend. Rose on the other hand named Mark Whyte in their squad for the first time this season. Additionally, 2 trialists were required to help ensure the club could fulfil the fixture. In the event, a 1-1 draw was less than the team deserved for a decent performance but more than the supporters might have expected given the limited playing options available to Gordon Rae.

While Rose and Bathgate enjoyed the spring sunshine, Queen of the South gave Rangers a huge fright by coming from 2 goals down to level the scores in the Scottish Cup final before Kris Boyd won the trophy for the Glasgow team with his winner. Nobody at Linlithgow could have expected the team that knocked them out of the Scottish Cup to come this close to winning the tournament but Queens proved the shock value of any cup competition. They earned huge plaudits for their performance and Rose supporters were delighted for the club after they had made us so welcome on our big day in Dumfries.

The extent of the team’s form slump and injury crisis was confirmed when Keith Hogg was awarded the Supporters Club Player of the Year trophy. Hogg had not kicked a ball for 2 months but his influence earlier in the season was clear for all to see as the Rose fans consistently nominated him as their key player.

As the Rose prepared for their Fife and Lothians Cup semi final against Camelon, news broke that Greig Denham was the man Camelon wanted to replace Alan McGonigal. More surprisingly, Pollok announced their new manager following Rab Sneddon’s decision to stand down at the end of the season. Step forward Jim Sinnet! His break had been shorter than most had anticipated but he was an outstanding candidate for the post in Glasgow.

The Camelon game saw Rose lift themselves yet again to produce a performance of character which deserved a place in the final. It was not to be. Despite going down to 10 men when Carrigan was sent off for a rash challenge, the team rolled up their sleeves and dominated the game. They led until a late – and extremely off-side – equaliser forced the match into penalty kicks. Camelon finished with more precision than the Rose could muster and another chance to end the season on a high was gone.

Last chance saloon lay in the semi final of the Dechmont Forklifts cup away to a Musselburgh side which had seen off Bathgate and Whitburn with ease in recent weeks. On a burning hot day, Rose simply didn’t have the legs to restrain Musselburgh. The home side ran out comfortable 2-0 winners and could have helped themselves to more.