Linlithgow Rose announce double signing swoop and contract extension for skipper

Striker Lewis Payne, who has joined Linlithgow Rose from Kennoway Star Hearts, has big boots to fill after Tommy Coyne's recent departure

Linlithgow Rose have announced a double signing swoop and a contract extension for skipper Gary Thom.

In a flurry of activity, striker Lewis Payne has arrived at Prestonfield from Kennoway Star Hearts, with right-back Greg MacPherson also joining from Cumbernauld Utd.

the East of Scotland League Premier Division giants has also announced that captain Gary Thom has signed a contract extension which will keep him at the club until the end of season 2023/24.

Manager Gordon Herd, who was appointed in September after the sacking of Brown Ferguson, had been looking for a striker to plug the enormous hole created by the departure of legendary Rose striker Tommy Coyne three weeks ago.

The 35-year-old, the club's all-time leading scorer with 371 goals, brought the curtain down on his 13-year Rose career when he signed for West of Scotland League Pollok.

Herd, who last week brought in centre-back Dan Baur from Spartans on a one-month loan, is hoping his reshaped team keep up the pressure up on the top two after a run of six straight East of Scotland Premier Division wins.

Third-placed Rose, who have 29 points from 14 games, are chasing down leaders Penicuik Athletic (39 points from 14 games) and second-placed Tranent (38 points from 16 matches).

“We just need to concentrate hard, keep winning games and see what happens above us,” Herd told the Linlithgow Journal and Gazette

"We are hopeful that we can catch the teams above us but it’s a big ask.

"All credit must go to the players. They have bought into what we’re doing. We’ve upped the tempo in training.

"We felt the fitness levels needed to be improved a bit. We’ve added some new faces, so a number of things have added to how well we’ve done.

"We came in and knew we would have an impact. Maybe as quickly as we have, probably not.”

Tomorrow, Herd’s team face Camelon, who sacked him seven moths ago.

But Herd added. “We’ve landed at a better place so they have done us a favour.

"I’m not bitter about it. I was bitter when we first got sacked because it was nothing to do with football but we’ve landed at a far superior club so there is nothing to be bitter about any more.”