Linlithgow Rose, Prestonfield – Hopper Tales #98

An Anniversary Rose and Hearts

Linlithgow Rose v Hearts B team… what better way for Mrs Hopper and I to celebrate our ninth wedding anniversary!

Nobody try to tell me I’m not a romantic soul…

We have tried previously to visit Prestonfield but it was during the cold snap and the weather got the better of the pitch on the day.

We popped back into Edinburgh to watch Tynecastle FC v Broxburn Athletic instead.

This time, barring heavy rainfall, we should be good to go and with the sights covered in our previous journey there, we would have more time to explore Linlithgow’s watering holes.

A Rose, Hearts and drinks – what more could a lady want?

The Journey

The day started early, with a six am roll call and strangely, I was wide awake when the alarm went off.

Unusual for me.

We arrived at the bus station in plenty of time to catch our X1 bus into Newcastle. It arrived on time at 07:03.

It was a frosty but sunny day and that winter sun was brutal in my eyes whenever the bus faced east.

An hour later we were in Greggs, munching lukewarm steak bakes. As I munched, I was wondering why they charge an extra 40p (per item) to sit inside and eat.

Another example of rip-off Britain in action.

Having left 80p worth of mess on the floor and table, we set off for Central Station.

The 08:49 train for Aberdeen had a platform alteration and we crossed the bridge to Platform 3 to await our chariot.

At 08:35, the train arrived and we settled on board for a nice quiet journey north.

We arrived in the Scottish capital at 10:25 and made our way to Platform 9. Our connecting train was already there, waiting for us.

Having departed Waverley at 10:36, we were in Linlithgow twenty minutes later.

Linlithgow

Linlithgow is an ancient market town where settlements have existed since the Bronze and Iron Ages. It is located twenty miles west of Edinburgh and eight miles east of Falkirk.

Its name derives from the Old Welsh language (lynn llaith cau) and translates as ‘Lake in the moist hollow’.

With a population just shy of 13,000, historically, Linlithgow was West Lothian’s county town. In fact, some people still refer to West Lothian as Linlithgowshire.

The town became synonymous with Scottish royalty and Mary, Queen of Scots, was born in Linlithgow Palace on December 8th, 1542. James V was also born in the palace.

The palace was attacked by Cromwell’s forces in 1650 and later burnt in 1746. Though roofless, it remains mostly intact and is the chief tourist attraction in the town.

Linlithgow can claim the first murder ever to be committed with a firearm in Scotland. A dubious claim to fame but one that exists anyway. James Stewart, the first Earl of Moray was assassinated here by James Hamilton, a supporter of Queen Mary.

Next to the palace is St Michael’s church. Well known for its aluminium spire top that replaced the original stone one, damaged in 1768.

In 1964, Geoffrey Clarke’s controversial design was placed atop St Michael’s and is supposed to represent the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head before the crucifixion.

Linlithgow town was a centre for leather and shoe-making for many years and with the arrival of the Union Canal and railways, the town developed rapidly.

Nowadays, the town is focused on hospitality and tourism.

Notable People

Aside from Mary, Queen of Scots and James V, other notable natives of Linlithgow include; Politician, Alex Salmond; marine biologist and natural historian, Charles Wyville Thomson and John West, who emigrated to Canada and started a little salmon canning business that you may have heard of…

Also born here – in one hundred and ninety-eight years time – will be Montgomery Scott who is destined to be Chief Engineer aboard the USS Enterprise. A plaque adorns the wall of the Annet House Museum to commemorate the future birth of this fictional TV character from Star Trek.

I will now post a section from a previous Hoppers Tale, relating to our visit to Linlithgow for the postponed game against Cowdenbeath in January.

Linlithgow (January)

Twenty minutes later, we arrived in Linlithgow and the winter sun greeted us warmly.

Well, it greeted us anyway.

It was actually pretty chilly and the ground was covered with frost This didn’t inspire me with confidence for the match going ahead, but so far, nothing had appeared on social media to say otherwise.

As we walked around Linlithgow, it had a nice feel about it. Quirky buildings mixed in with a mini-Edinburgh feel and all was dominated by the spire of St Michaels church.

We had a wander into a craft shop where Mrs Hopper bought herself some wool and I practiced a few words of rusty German on the lady behind the till.

I ‘think’ I pulled it off.

Then we headed up past the church to Linlithgow Palace and wandered around the southern bank of the loch behind it.

After helping a lovely lady in a wheelchair down a slippery path, we continued on… and fell over.

More specifically, Mrs Hopper did.

After laughing and asking her to stay put while I took a photo, (yes, she was ok and no, you can’t see it, you horrible lot!) we carried on a little more gingerly.

The loch was looking great in the winter frost, although the Palace is unfortunately undergoing repairs and is covered in scaffolding.

We came back into Linlithgow’s town centre and this was when we found out that the game had been called off.

Linlithgow Gallery (January)

Linlithgow Loch

So, having already seen the main attractions, we decided to visit a couple of watering holes in the town.

It took us about three minutes after leaving the train station to find the first one.

Platform 3

As its name suggests, Platform 3 is located near the train station and you can see the overhead lines in the photograph above.

At the bar, we were greeted by a friendly lady.

We ordered a pint of Tennents for me and a Hazy IPA for Mrs Hopper. At £10.15 for the two, this wasn’t a cheap pub but it was nice and cosy with a few interesting features.

While pouring our pints, the lady patiently answered my questions about the footballs on a shelf. Apparently, one of the regulars is a Bristol Rovers fan who has sponsored match balls at their games.

She then told Mrs H about the rubber duck collection on the shelves over the optics.

While this was going on, I watched in fascination as a model train went trundling along the wall near the ceiling. I have to say, that does grow old quickly after a few times of noisily clunking along.

I’d suggest maybe lowering the frequency – although, they may suggest I’m just an old crank…

We only had one pint in here but I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Linlithgow. The Hazy IPA was delicious and I’m not even a fan of IPA.

We moved on along the main street and found our next pub.

The Four Marys

This pub was a larger one than Platform 3.

It had more of a restaurant feel to it, although we sat at the bar away from the dining areas.

We ordered a pint of Tennents and a Deuchars IPA, which cost a total of £8.95.

While here and elsewhere in Linlithgow today, we heard quite a few North American voices. This draws my attention, with Mrs Hopper being American too.

I have no idea if it was just a coincidence, or maybe there was some event in the town that had attracted them?

I’m pretty sure they weren’t all here Hopping!

From the Four Marys, we carried on along the main drag, past the Black Bitch statue.

The Black Bitch is a dog of legend and it is said that his master was sentenced to starve to death on an island in Linlithgow Loch.

The dog swam from the town every day with food and managed to save the man’s life.

At least, that’s one version of events and there are others. Either way, the Black Bitch is an important part of folklore and a symbol of loyalty and bravery in Linlithgow.

It also features on the town’s coat of arms.

You can therefore imagine the controversy that was stirred up in the town when the pub of the same name was taken over by the Greene King pub chain and the name was changed from the Black Bitch to the Willow Tree.

All because one woman visiting the town complained…

If you are interested, you can read more about this controversial decision here.

The pub itself was a little further up the road and we headed there next.

The Willow Tree (AKA Black Bitch)

We initially wandered into the lounge area before moving to the other side of the pub which is the designated bar area.

Rugby Union’s Six Nations tournament was being shown on the TV but I have no idea who was playing, due to a complete lack of interest. I’m sorry rugby fans.

We ordered a pint of Madri and a Jack Daniels (the Jack was for my ageing bladder’s sake) at a cost of £8.90. Unfortunately, the short stops me getting a direct comparative cost to the other two pubs but it feels on the expensive side.

It was a nicely presented pub but at the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but feel for the locals who hated the name change. After all, the name has zero relationship with racism and everything to do with the town’s stories of legend.

After drinking up, it was time to head off to Prestonfield Stadium.

Linlithgow Rose – Prestonfield Stadium

Getting In

At Prestonfield, you have a choice. You can either pay at the gate or buy tickets in advance from Fanbase.

We decided to pay at the gate, where they accept cash or card and it was a £10.00 entrance fee per person.

Unfortunately, Linlithgow Rose produces neither a programme nor a teamsheet. This meant I had no idea who the players were.

The North End

Once inside, the first thing I noticed, was the other side of the turnstiles where a wall of bricks commemorates Rose fans past and present.

There is also a large social club at this, the northern end of the ground.

This end of the ground wasn’t much used by spectators on the day. It is more of an entrance point for the social club (and toilets) and the east side of the ground where the main stand is.

West Side

The western side of the ground is taken up by a partially covered concrete terrace that runs the length of the pitch.

At the northern end is a small shelter with a few seats in it and I assume (please correct me if I’m wrong) that this is a section reserved for disabled spectators.

A brick wall runs behind the terracing and the roofing is attached to the wall in the middle section.

A snack bar is located between the shelter and the covered terracing.

South End

The southern end of Prestonfield is a grass bank with a path at the bottom, made of bark and stone which gave off a lovely pine needle scent.

Atop the bank, is a row of trees that acts as a ball catcher for wayward shots.

This was a popular spot for some of the younger kids who spent the match playing football at the top of the bank.

East Side (Davie Roy Stand)

We made our way toward the main stand but were told to “Please go back, you can’t come through here.”

It seems we had inadvertently walked into an area for players and officials because the gate with the sign on it had been left open.

We walked around the pitch, intending to sit in the Davie Roy Stand.

The stand is named after a legend of Linlithgow Rose Football Club and you can read more about him here.

This is a two-tier, covered stand with around three hundred seats on the upper tier and the dressing rooms and offices below.

A small terrace lies on the northern side of the stand and a path on the southern side, (with a no-entrance gate!)

We climbed the steps and started heading to a seat when we were told that it cost an extra £1.50 each to sit here.

After heading back down the steps of the exclusive stand, we headed for the covered terrace on the west side.

Prestonfield has a natural grass playing surface and a capacity of 2,264, three hundred of which are seated.

There are four floodlights, one in each corner of the ground.

Linlithgow Rose – Prestonfield Stadium Gallery

Linlithgow Rose Tidbits

The Linlithgow Rose Football Club was formed in 1889, although there is a suggestion that this could have been a misprint, as no official record of the club existed until 1898.

The club was defunct between 1916 and 1923 when it was reformed.

The Rose has played at Prestonfield Stadium since 1949.

Their previous homes were; Captain’s Park (until 1913/14); Upper Mains Park (until 1930) and Lower Mains Park, where the club played until the onset of war and a cessation of club activity.

They defeated Bonnyrigg Rose 9-1 in the inaugural game at Lower Mains.

Following the end of World War Two, the club was restarted and a new ground was purchased for the princely sum of £150. Originally called Preston Park, it is now known as the familiar Prestonfield.

Prestonfield Stadium has a current maximum capacity of 2,264 spectators (301 seated.)

The record attendance at the ground is 3,536 for a Junior Cup tie against Petershill in 1965.

They have won the Scottish Junior Cup four times: 1964/65, 2001/02, 2006/07, 2009/10. They have also finished as runners-up on three occasions.

In 2018, The Rose moved from Junior football into the Senior leagues of professional football.

They have made a successful start to life in Senior football, gaining entry to the East of Scotland Premier Division at the first time of asking.

A further promotion has taken them to within one further promotion of the SPFL. They are currently plying their trade in the Scottish Football Lowland League.

Linlithgow Rose has three nicknames – The Rose, Rosey Posey and The Gallant.

Linlithgow Rose – Pre-Game View of Prestonfield

Linlithgow Rose v Heart of Midlothian B – The Game

Form

Before this game, Linlithgow Rose occupied seventh place in the Lowland League.

During March, the Rosey Posey have played three games, resulting in two defeats and a draw.

Last time out, saw them gain a point at the Broadwood Stadium against the Cumbernauld Colts.

This was an improvement on a 2-1 defeat at Tranent and a 1-0 defeat at home to Albion Rovers.

They would be looking to avoid another home defeat today against a very good Hearts B team, who occupy second place in the league.

The Hearts B team meanwhile have had a very successful campaign and March has been no different.

In their last three games, they have picked up the maximum nine points from three tough games.

They ended February by beating top-of-the-table East Kilbride 4-2 at home.

This was followed by wins against Albion Rovers (2-1) at home and Broomhill (1-0) away.

Although B teams are (quite rightly in my opinion) not allowed to gain promotion, they will be doing their utmost to catch East Kilbride and finish top of the pile come season’s end.

With all this in mind, I was predicting a 2-0 away win (quietly.)

Kick-Off

The game started as we tucked into the delicious steak pies from the snack bar on the west terrace.

Seriously, the pies in Scotland blow away their English counterparts. This particular specimen’s only disappointment was that it didn’t have haggis in it, too.

We missed out on that delicacy – which had sold out – and had to settle for this one, positively full of tender steak morsels and a nice rich gravy.

Oh yeah… game… focus!

The game was often quite tetchy and threatened to boil over on a few occasions.

The same can be said of a couple of people standing near us.

A ‘debate’ raged over whether there was a foul or not and resulted in a Hearts fan being told to “f**k off if you’re offended!”

He didn’t, but neither did he take the issue further, much to my relief, seeing as both participants in the debate had young kids with them!

On the pitch, Hearts were looking like the better team in a tight game, as the league positions had suggested.

I was particularly impressed with numbers fifteen and seventeen (I’ve no idea who they were). They worked in tandem down the right-hand side and looked good to my untrained eye.

Despite looking the better side, Hearts couldn’t take advantage and Rose had chances of their own before the break.

Neither side could break down the other’s defence and they left the field in a hard-fought stalemate.

Half Time – Linlithgow Rose 0 Heart of Midlothian B 0

Halftime brought about the sore check from the Bet365 stadium and it wasn’t good.

After putting a few good performances together, it seems like things regressed on Saturday.

Already 0-2 down at the break against a decent Norwich team, it worsened to 0-3 by the end and it was lucky for us that results in the Championship could have been a lot worse.

With eight games to go and just five points separating fifteenth and twenty-third in the Championship, there are going to be some squeaky bum times between now and the end of the season for quite a few clubs.

Sad to say, Stoke is one of them.

Second Half

It took seven minutes of the second half for the Wee Jambos to get their deserved goal.

It started with a corner for The Rose, with Hearts clearing the danger and racing down the other end to score.

I managed to get the goal on video, below.

The match continued to be tight and testy right to the end, with quite a bit of stuff happening off the ball.

As the game neared its conclusion, Rose pushed forward in numbers and tried their best to get a leveller.

It didn’t come and the Wee Jambos held on for what I believe was a deserved win.

Both teams gave everything in this game and despite being a low-scoring affair, it was a decent game.

Linlithgow Rose has adapted well to the Lowland League and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them take the next step up at some time in the coming years.

They would be a welcome addition to the SPFL.

Full-Time – Linlithgow Rose 0 Heart of Midlothian B 1

Attendance – 704

Entrance Fee – £10.00

Programme – Not available

You can read a more detailed Match Report here, courtesy of the Heart of Midlothian website.

Linlithgow Rose v Heart of Midlothian B – Match Highlights

Up Next

Next up for The Gallant is a local derby game against Bo’ness United at Prestonfield on 23rd March.

I’m sure this will be a fantastic match to attend if you are thinking of visiting Prestonfield.

Their last four games of the campaign see them face Cowdenbeath at home on the 30th. They then travel to one of our favourite towns to face Berwick Rangers on April 6th.

A home game against Tranent on the 13th is followed by the final game against Civil Service Strollers (20th)

Meanwhile, Hearts B will look to continue their fine form when they face a trip to Gretna 2008 on 23rd March.

Their last three fixtures will see them face East Stirlingshire at home (April 5th), Bo’ness United at home (12th) and Celtic B team away (20th).

Linlithgow Rose Thoughts

Prestonfield is another hidden gem for football in Scotland.

A welcoming town with some great boozers and history.

It’s disappointing that no programmes or teamsheets were available.

This results in neutrals like myself, not having a clue who the players are on the field and the same can probably be said for away fans.

Please consider producing at least a teamsheet!

I also asked at the gate if pin badges were available and got another negative.

I think that if the club want to charge people extra to sit in the stand, this should be made apparent at the gate with separate entrance fees clearly listed.

This cuts out the confusion for new visitors to the ground and frees the steward from having to stand there taking money and dishing out wristbands.

Although I didn’t have time to visit the social club on the day, Mrs Hopper (after visiting the ladies’ room inside) said it was big and was busy, even after kick-off.

At £2.10, the steak pies were excellent in value and content. A little disappointing that the steak and haggis pies had run out, though. Maybe add a few extras to the inventory for bigger games?

All in all, Prestonfield is a great venue for football at this level and comes recommended by us.

Linlithgow – After the Game

Following the final whistle, we made a dash for the train station… okay, we walked a bit quicker than our normal saunter.

With a 17:15 train to catch and a twenty-minute walk between us and the station, I didn’t want to take any chances.

We made it with time to spare and boarded the train to Waverley, arriving in Edinburgh at 17:34.

More Train Chaos

Our 17:55 Lumo train to Newcastle was already on Platform 7 and we made our way to get aboard.

Nope, there was apparently a faulty windscreen wiper and the train was delayed with nobody allowed aboard.

17:50 brought news that it was no longer delayed, but cancelled.

Just as this news broke to the disgruntled passengers, a young guy came hurtling down the platform with a look of anguish on his face as he neared the train.

We told him it had been cancelled and he collapsed on the ground in front of us.

After he had recovered, he said he had run from Easter Road from the Hibernian game and this was the last train that would get him home to Brighton that day.

We all trooped off to the waiting room as directed by Lumo staff on the platform and awaited further news. There wasn’t another scheduled Lumo train to Newcastle until after eight o’clock!

After making a fuss in the ticket office and getting no joy there, we asked if we could use another company’s train instead of Lumo.

We were told Lumo had to initiate this process and to go back to the waiting room until there was more news.

We were eventually told that Newcastle-only passengers could get on the Trans Pennine Express train, leaving at 19:03.

I have no idea how other passengers got home (or even if they did) but our friend from the Hibs game was still not home on Sunday evening.

We eventually arrived in Newcastle at 20:50.

After waiting a few minutes, we caught our bus home and got through the front door around 22:00, well over an hour later than scheduled.

Next Up for Hoppers Guide

Next week, we will again be heading to Scotland as we continue our quest to visit the forty-two SPFL grounds.

This time, the venue will be East Fife‘s Bayview Stadium in Methill on Scotland’s east coast.

We have seen East Fife a couple of times, once at Falkirk in one of our ‘missing’ Hopper Tales and again last season at Stenhousemuir.

Of those games, they have won one and lost one, so let’s see how the trilogy pans out.

It will also be our first time watching Stranraer in a game.

We are looking forward to seeing another of Scotland’s grounds but more importantly, savouring the hospitality of another Scottish town.

Onto the next!

Hopper Tales #97 – Wigan Athletic

Hopper Tales #99 – East Fife