Linlithgow Rose boss Gordon Herd insists players will be ready to go again after play-off heartache

Just moments after last Saturday's 2-1 victory over Bonnyrigg wrapped up the league title, Herd had to inform his players their opportunity of promotion to the SPFL via the Pyramid play-off was no longer viable as the club do not have the necessary bronze licence to make the jump to Scottish football's fourth tier.

Gordon Herd is gutted the way the season has ended but proud of his players for winning the Lowland League

Unaudited accounts has proved to be the stumbling block, Rose's committee electing not to have them independently verified with the club occupying sixth, 14 points off the pace in February, and seemingly out of title contention.

Having their accounts audited at a cost of somewhere in the region of £10,000 was not a priority at that stage, with the club comfortable at allowing the deadline to pass.

But an upturn in fortune on the pitch shot Rose up the table. Suddenly those unaudited accounts were now under scrutiny.

And when Linlithgow saw off league challengers Clydebank 4-1 at Prestonfield almost a fortnight ago, the destiny of the title was now in their own hands.

It was then they learned the SPFL would not permit a Pyramid play-off place if they indeed went on to finish in top spot, and an opportunity to face off against Highland League winners, Brora Rangers.

A double whammy then ensued before the final league fixture against Bonnyrigg with news that the West Lothian outfit's appeal to the governing body had also been thrown out.

"We're disappointed as a management team but we understand the committee's stance," Herd said in an exclusive interview with the Evening News. "Everything we've asked of the committee they have given us so I think some of the criticism they've had is unfair. They were put in a position to stick or twist, they stuck, and it's backfired.

"In February our form wasn't the greatest, we'd just been beaten by Hearts B and the committee maybe thought the title was away from us. But they still stuck by us as a management team.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think even a lot of the supporters thought it was going to be a tall order, so I'm not going to slaughter my own committee because they've been excellent. I know they chose the option, at the time, that they thought was in the best interest of the club, but it's backfired.

"We knew after the Clydebank game that the waivers had been rejected. I know what the feeling was like after that game, there were a few distraught members. But we appealed and then found out just before the Bonnyrigg game that it had failed too.

"It's a lot of money for clubs to fork out. There should be a support mechanism for clubs like ourselves, i.e. a waiver being put in place where if we don't have our accounts audited by the first game of the season then we'd receive a points deduction. They did that with Edinburgh City so why can't they allow us at least the opportunity to get into the leagues.

"We'd be an asset to the SPFL. We won the league fair and square, and we'd still have had to navigate our way through the play-offs which is no guarantee in itself, but we should have had that chance. It's a sore one.

"I get rules are rules, but it's a catch 22."

Herd revealed his players weren't aware of the SPFL's decision to quash their appeal until after the game at New Dundas Park last weekend.

"They were shocked, I'm not going to lie," he said. "There was a conscious decision made between myself and the management team that we didn't want to tell the players before the Bonnyrigg game that the appeal had been rejected. We didn't think it was fair.

"We felt the case was there to go and win the Lowland League by winning the game, which is still a massive achievement in itself. We just wanted them to concentrate on the game.

"But as a group they are all in it together. We've had a meeting with the committee as well, and they gave their reasoning, which we are all on board with. We're just in the process of trying to organise a night at the Burgh Halls in Linlithgow to honour the guys for what they have managed to achieve. They've made history, but we did of course want it to be by taking the club into the SPFL.

"The run we went on was incredible, winning away to Broxburn, Caley Braves, Tranent, Celtic, Bonnyrigg, it was phenomenal. I hope they look back and they aren't soured by what's happened.

"It's still a success. Even if we'd finished second or third, it's the most competitive Lowland League there's ever been. So for them to win the league given we've only been in the league three years where we previously finished sixth and eighth, they deserve huge credit. They've got that youth in them that we feel that they can go and do it again. We can use that fire next season.

"There's been a lot of Clydebank fans mumping and moaning, but these guys have had grants coming out their ears to get stands built etc. We get absolutely nothing because where we're located. Everything we get is through the hard work of businesses. I just find it a bit distasteful because at the end of the day we won the league on a lower budget on what those guys have as well."

For now, it's time to regroup and recharge the batteries for another crack next season. Brora will now face off against League Two bottom-of-the-table Edinburgh City for a place in the SPFL, but Herd can't help but view this as a missed opportunity, confident his players would overcome both of those sides.

He said: "We feel we are match for anyone. I have full belief in the players. They've come through some huge games this season. We've already beaten Edinburgh City in a cup tie so I would have fancied our guys against anybody over two legs. Unfortunately we won't have that chance to prove it.

"The players love it here. They're playing for one of the biggest lower league teams in Scotland. They are well looked after, the facilities, everything is there for them. We own our own ground, with no debt.

"Collectively, the committee, management, players, and fans, we'll all do our best to make sure we get there next season. We won't cross that bridge again, we'll get our licence this time. Accounts are now ready to be audited, we are a VAT-registered club, so they are there to be done which is the frustrating thing. I think that's where the leeway should have been given, but we'll just need to own it."