Bonnyrigg Rose get party started as Lowland League champions

Bonnyrigg Rose boss Robbie Horn says lifting silverware with a football club is a moment you treasure for the rest of your life.

There was a title party in Midlothian on Saturday as Rose finally got their hands on the Lowland League trophy following the 2-2 draw with East Stirlingshire.

There was a bumper crowd at New Dundas Park with supporters young and old draped in red and white as captain Jonny Stewart and his team-mates soaked up the moment they had been waiting for since clinching the championship down at Berwick last month.

Of course, Horn and his squad can ill-afford to put their feet up with the first leg of their pyramid play-off against the Highland League winners now just 12 days away.

Bonnyrigg Rose captain Jonny Stewart raises the Lowland league trophy aloft to celebrate with teammates. Picture: Joe Gilhooley LRPS

But Saturday was a special moment for Bonnyrigg and its community.

"It's been a great season since starting off with a win against Celtic B last July and it's just kind of gone from there," Horn explained. "We've been incredibly consistent and the players have been outstanding to a man, every single one of them has contributed this season. It's a great moment for everyone at the club and memories you don't ever forget to be honest.

"Teams like Edinburgh City, Kelty Hearts and Cove Rangers are an inspiration to us when you see how well they have done since gaining promotion into the SPFL. That is the carrot for us but we know how strong the Higland League is. Cowdenbeath have also picked up as well since Maurice Ross came in, so if we do get through the first play-off matches, and assuming they finish bottom of League Two, then it will be another very difficult tie."

Treasurer Brendan Parkinson also commented how important it was for the club to share its success with the fans.

Bonnyrigg's youth players gatecrash the first-team's championship title celebrations at new Dundas Park. Picture: Joe Gilhooley LRPS

He said: "We obviously won it a few weeks ago down at Berwick and we were given the opportunity to have the trophy presented that day, but we made the decision that we wanted it to happen in front of our own fans. We see everyone that turned up, the youngsters, they deserved that chance. It's just great."

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