Cup double in fantastic first year for Gordon Herd as Linlithgow Rose boss

The sacking of Brown Ferguson – a very good and intelligent football man – was a bold move by the Rose committee but their decision to replace him with ex-Camelon boss Herd proved to be a masterstroke.

In addition to leading Linlithgow to an astonishing 21 consecutive wins in league and cups between August and February, Rose ended eight years without a trophy by winning finals in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup and East of Scotland League Cup on consecutive Sundays.

"When the management team took over at the end of August we felt that the league was maybe away from us and we went on that mad 21-game winning streak that gave us a wee bit of hope,” Herd said.

"But we just kind of fell short at the end. We had a wee blip that we couldn’t really afford to get and it kind of took the wind out our sails.

"But the boys have bounced back with two cup wins and it’s lifted the place.

"You can see the joy on the committee’s face and the supporters’ faces, it’s totally worth it.

"So as a management team we’re pleased to have got two trophies over the line after an eight-year wait.

"It stands us in good stead for next season.”

What made Sunday’s 3-2 league cup final win over Tranent Juniors at Newtongrange even more special was the fact that Rose won from 2-0 down.

After two penalty goals by Jamie Docherty for Tranent, Linlithgow stormed back to triumph with Mark Stowe’s penalty, Alan Docherty’s composed finish and Gary Thom’s late header.

“It was a thrilling cup final,” Herd said. "Going two goals down, it’s normally us who go 2-0 up and then we’ve given away three or four two-goal leads this season.

"So it was pleasing for the boys to be on the other end of that and pull that back.

"The manner of our second half performance was excellent, Tranent didn’t really have an answer.

"First half we weren’t at the races, we gave them a rollicking at half-time and made a wee tactical change which worked and the boys were brilliant in the second half, I couldn’t fault any of them.

"For the second goal, Alan Docherty has picked Darren McCormack’s pocket and it was a great finish from the big man.

"Fittingly the goal at the end comes from Gary Thom who is the longest serving player.

"He’s waited eight years to lift a trophy, he’s scored the winner in the last game of the season to bring us the double.

"I thought it was really fitting for Gary, who was immense on Sunday.

"We signed Gary on a new two-year deal at Christmas time to take him to his testimonial season so Gary’s tied up for the next two years.”

Herd revealed he, his backroom staff and players partied hard after Sunday’s triumph.

He added: “It was a really good celebration. The boys went back to the club, the supporters welcomed us in, we had a good celebration in the club and on the park.

"Some of the photos that Andrew West has produced has been great so it’s memories for a lifetime for the guys.”