37 Years had passed or to be exact 13,518 days since that day 1965 and many felt that the scenes witnessed that day would never be repeated as The Rose faithful went through year after year of heartache in the quest for the "holy grail". None more so than the defeat in
1974 but now on the 19th May 2002 The Gallant Rosey Posey were once again dining at Junior Football's top table.

 

Rose had began their Scottish Cup campaign with a 9-0 drubbing of Annbank. That was followed by wins over Port Glasgow, Neilston, Fauldhouse, Vale of Leven and Shettleston.

 

Following a 2-1 win over Tayport the might of Auchinleck Talbot stood in the way of a historic second Junior Cup for Linlithgow.

 

Jim Sinnet was in his first full season at the club and with the signing of players like Davie Beaton, Iain McLaughlin, Ian Gallacher and Marc Corcoran to go alongside established players like Mark Whyte, Danny Smith and Davie Flynn the Rose were heading for their best ever season as records tumbled.

 

The early part of the match saw Rose on top for long spells but unable to make a breakthrough, Corcoran and McLaughlin had come close but McIntosh in the Talbot goal was equal to the task. With Whyte and Corcoran pounding the wings and Landels and Smith dominating the midfield things still looked good for Rose.

 

A long clearance from Buzz Lamont in the Rose goal bounced through and as Talbot keeper Stuart McIntosh came to collect Jimmy
Creaney stuck out his foot and got a toe poke on the ball just as the keeper was picking it up, The ball broke free and Creaney tucked it away to send the huge Rose support wild in the Jackie Husband stand at Firhill.

 

The referee waived away claims that Creaney had fouled the keeper and the final whistle could not come quickly enough for the maroon hoardes. Keeper Lamont was called on to make a good save as nerves jangled but finally time was up and 1931 weeks after they had last won it Rose were Scottish Cup winners once again.

 

Davie Beaton and Ian Gallacher hoisted aloft the famous cup and the party to end all parties began. The streets of Linlithgow were a sea of Maroon and White as Rose made their way from the Brig Inn to the Town Hall for a reception with Provost David Rae, Sadly after three times round the well, works on the town hall meant the cup could not be paraded from the steps but nothing could spoil the parties that in some cases lasted for days.