BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
Linlithgow Rose have been handed the perfect Christmas present, with the club set to bank at least £20,000 for their fairytale Scottish Cup run.
The Prestonfield outfit finally navigated their marathon tie against Wick Academy on Tuesday evening with a thumping 5-1 win over the nine-man Highlanders in the third round replay.
Rose will host Forfar on January 9, with a sharp surge in revenue expected from a bumper attendance, packed hospitality and social club takings, and prize money.
It has made the stress of their Scottish Cup saga against Wick, which cost them £4,000 and included five postponements due to horrendous weather in Caithness, all worthwhile.
Rose club secretary Jim Harkins told Capital City Press: “It was a magnificent night for us. A lot of people do a lot of work that’s never seen at this club, and this is for them.
“It’s always special to play under the floodlights, the place was packed with 1,600 fans and the boys put on a great performance.
“Progressing to fourth round, and everything that brings, means a lot financially to the club and is excellent news for us.”
However, their run is about prestige as much as pounds, as Rose aim to become the first Juniors side to ever reach the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
Harkins continued: “Financially it would be massive, but not everything at Linlithgow Rose is about money – it’s about success.
“We are very keen to become the first Junior side to reach the last 16, we would love that.
“We have been to the fourth round before against Queen of the South [in 2008] and, in truth, we were outclassed by a team which reached the final that year.
“However, we are very hopeful of giving a good account of ourselves against Forfar.”
