Scottish FA restore club licence as Midlothian SPFL side fight to raise £120,000

The Scottish Football Association have restored Bonnyrigg Rose’s Bronze Licence following a six-month battle over the club’s playing surface. After downgrading Bonnyrigg’s licence to Entry Level last September due to an insufficient pitch gradient at New Dundas Park, the SFA have now reinstated the Bronze award.

The Midlothian-based League Two club were charged with breaching Scottish Professional Football League rules at the time and deducted six points because their pitch was deemed not to meet the Bronze Licence criteria due to the gradient. That sent them down to eighth place in the table and they are currently sitting ninth as they fight to avoid a relegation play-off come the end of the season.

The SFA now feel the pitch is of the required standard, and Bonnyrigg released a statement confirming the good news. It read: “The club are delighted to let everyone know that, after a SFA licencing meeting this morning, it has been confirmed that we have had our Bronze Licence reinstated. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in helping us to make this happen. C'Mon the Rose!”

However, Bonnyrigg are not finished there. They are aiming to raise £120,000 to install a new astroturf facility at their ground, which would be used by all of their community and age-group teams as well as the first team. So far, more than £80,000 has been generated by fans, local businessmen and other individuals from Midlothian and beyond.

Bonnyrigg seek to tap into history to continue rising through Scottish football’s league system

A website dedicated to the fundraising campaign was set up to allow online donations. It can be visited here: www.bonnyriggrosepitchfund.co.uk

The site details Bonnyrigg’s objectives to further develop the community club for the benefit of local children and adults. It reads: “Established in 1881, Bonnyrigg Rose had long been a side synonymous, and successful, in junior football. The Rosey Posey boasted a proud history, were a beacon of the community and brought joy to many locals.

“Then, the club was on the brink of going bust. Just over 15 years ago, 48 hours before the gates were due to be slammed shut, local lad and lifetime supporter, Charlie Kirkwood, stepped in, and stepped up, to save the day. Not without a struggle, though. It wasn’t a case of digging deep into the pockets and splashing the cash, successful stability was achieved through hard graft and grit.

“But, through time, the place Charlie used to kick about as a kit-boy back in the 60s started to look more familiar, and so he and his circle of saviours dared to dream. The big leagues were on the mind. The journey began in 2018 when the club cut ties with their comfort zone of junior football and applied for a place in the East of Scotland Football League.

“The success off the pitch was continued on it and the transition was seamless, with promotion to the Lowland League swiftly following. There though is where The Rose met their first hurdle of playing with the big boys.

“They were denied an entry level license primarily due to the absence of floodlights at their home of New Dundas Park. Plans were in place to fund and install said floodlights, but due to the team’s immediate success, there was no time to waste and so plans had to be accelerated.

“As a community-owned club, the club were fortunate to be able to call on the help of local business G. Fitzsimmons & Sons to get the job done in record time. License granted, hurdle hopped.

“The rapid rise of The Rose continued and in 2022, the team achieved the unthinkable and earned promotion to the Scottish Professional Football League. Pop the champagne. Once the partying plateaued and the renditions of ‘Dream Catch Me’ dwindled, the realisation that running a professional football club is yet another step up, set in.

“For long enough the club had steadily tried to improve the facilities at NDP, including the well-known slope. All without deep pockets, mind. Some might say an uphill battle…

“Ever ambitious, the idea at the heart of the ever-present pitch improvement discussion was the installation of an artificial pitch. A game-changer for a community club which would allow for usage seven days a week and greater access for local children. The Rose are more than a football team.

“But, the regulations don’t allow for sentiment and there’s now a timer on sorting the slope. And it’s ticking. As history shows, though, The Rose have a proven track record when under pressure, and so we believe – with your help – we can once more defy the odds. Advanced discussions with contractors are well underway and with a whack of community spirit, success can come once more.

“This beacon of the community – the first SPFL side from Midlothian – needs to keep beaming. Support the slope and let our dream keep catching us.”