1 week ago
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Linlithgow Rose 3 Bo’ness 1
The brothers sit in a corner of the hall, one sipping a pint, the other pulling on a bottle of beer. With their long hair and their vibrant bonhomie, they have the aspect of ageing rockers. Jim and Billy Grant would cheerfully admit to such a charge.
They chuckle about seeing AC/DC back in the day in a venue in Armadale, their home town. The band has moved up in the world since but so have the Harris brothers.
‘My dad was a coal man at first,’ says Billy, 67. ‘But he got a wee garage. We went straight into it after school. It was hard graft.’
He remembers doing a repair under a lorry with his brother as youngsters. ‘My dad shoved a fish supper — one fish supper — under the lorry and told us not to bother coming out to eat it as time was tight. That was our dinner.’
He laughs at this. The Harris brothers could now dine in the best restaurants in the world. Saturdays, though, are devoted to Linlithgow Rose. The brothers have sponsored the club for 18 years with shirts now bearing the logo of J&W Harris.
Jim and Billy Harris, who built a major car hire firm, are the proud sponsors of Linlithgow Rose
The Harris siblings travel to every away game in a modified tour bus 'that could tell a few tales'
Linlithgow Rose are a club on the up and they sit proudly at the top of the Lowland League
‘We have a wee hospitality bus for away games,’ says Jim. We go out behind the stadium and there sits the bus, complete with bar, television and cooking facilities.
‘That bus could tell some tales,’ adds Billy. But so can the Harris clan. They built a major car hire firm and then sold it to Avis. They had more than 4,000 vehicles, more than 100 employees. Their company now is more small scale, selling mostly vans to loyal customers.
‘We have a wee property company too,’ says Billy. ‘But it is just to keep us interested.’
Their background is one of hard work but there is glamour too. Their company once transported rock stars across the country on tours. Their relationship with the music industry now is to fly all over the world to watch their favourites.
But, in many ways, home comforts are the best. They once lived near Daytona Beach in Florida after securing a big deal and contemplating retirement. It was not for them. West Lothian called them back and the Rose entered their lives.
‘We were motorcycle fans and worked with Suzuki on superbikes,’ says Billy. But a chance meeting at a Burns’ supper changed all that. The then Linlithgow manager approached them and asked them to become involved. They did.
‘We had a meeting with Davie Roy (the Rose stalwart who passed away last year). We spent five minutes on the sponsorship details and the rest of the time having a good natter. We agreed to do it for three years.’
That was 18 years ago.
Supporters watch from the sidelines as Dylan Paterson celebrates scoring his second goal
Bo'ness are themselves fourth in the Lowland League standings and it was a competitive affair
‘We love it,’ says Billy. ‘There have been highs and lows but we have won a Scottish Cup while we were sponsors and are doing well. It’s a well-run club and we meet the same group of friends here every game.’
They seem to know everybody. ‘There are a lot of good people coming through these doors,’ says Jim, nodding towards the entrance of the hall. The Harris brothers are just two of them.
Jon Mahoney is a moving target. But he is captured by a series of pursuers. The club president is filling the fridge with soft drinks two hours before kick-off. He then sprints to a briefing for stewards. I trap him for a few minutes but our chat is interspersed with queries from volunteers about various matters. As I leave the stadium four hours later, he is taking photographs of those who have indulged in hospitality for the day.
He is a volunteer at the helm of a substantial football enterprise. Derby day in West Lothian entices about 1,200 spectators. It also gives Rose three points to see them at the top of the Lowland League. There is the opportunity and the desire to move into the SPFL.
This comes with a heavy burden off the pitch. ‘It is a big season and it has started well,’ he says.
He works more than 50 hours as a volunteer at the club. ‘The increasing level of regulation means football at this level really is not different from the lower reaches of the SPFL,’ he says.
‘To move into the SPFL you have to prove you are at a certain level. So there is a regulatory burden. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but it is a different thing compared to the past and it is more intense.’
He concedes that life as a president contains ‘some highs and a lot of lows’ but adds: ‘I am trying to help Linlithgow Rose to be the best we can be. We have an ambition to be the best small club in Scotland. I want our community to be proud of the club. That is my burning driver.’
Derby day in West Lothian attracted a healthy crowd to Prestonfield
Linlithgow's Prestonfield ground could soon be an SPFL venue if all goes to plan this season
He admits to a particular reason for wanting to win on derby day. ‘I have lived in Bo’ness for more than 40 years so I can expect some stick if we lose.’
His derby day memories? ‘Here is one. Years ago I backed us at 28-1 to win 4-1,’ he says. ‘We were winning 4-0 and Bo’ness got a penalty.’
He admits to wanting Bo’ness to score for the first time in his life. The penalty was duly converted. ‘That was a good day.’
The date is rattled off. ‘May 10, 1997,’ says Andy Gardiner, chairman of the Rose supporters’ club, when asked about his best memory. He has watched the Rose win the Scottish Junior Cup in 1965, 2002, 2007 and 2010 but picks that day 28 years ago as a highlight. At 77, he has followed the club since he was 13.
‘We were playing Bo’ness and the winners would lift the East of Scotland title,’ he says. ‘We were 2-0 down and it could have been four or five. But we switched things around.’
With five minutes left, though, Bo’ness were leading 2-0 on their own patch. However, substitute Derek Halcrow scored two, with an own goal providing the Rose with victory and the title.
‘We came back here and the phone was ringing constantly,’ he says. ‘I was picking it up and just saying: “Rose won 3-2”.’
He adds: ‘This could be a big season, Mind you, for me every season is a big season. But I am always confident in my team.’
His confidence is justified. Rose win a tough match cosily. ‘Quality shone through in the end,’ says Gordon Herd, Rose manager.
‘We have said since we came into this league that East Kilbride would be hard to compete with but we knew that when they went up we would have to be ready. This has been three years in the making. It’s early days yet but we will keep pushing.’
He recalls one memory in the East of Scotland cup final against Bo’ness in 2010. Rose won the toss to host the game and Herd, a local hero as a player, scored the winner. He ran the length of the terrace in celebration. Responses were mixed from the jubilation of the home support to the boos from the visitors.
‘I wasn’t too well-liked by Bo’ness fans,’ he admits. He did not do much to improve this state of affairs on Saturday. He remains, however, a hero on a mission for Rose.
