'Proud day': Renfrewshire councillors pay tribute to Johnstone Burgh after Scottish Junior Cup win
Renfrewshire councillors have paid tribute to Johnstone Burgh after they lifted the Scottish Junior Cup for the first time in 57 years.
The club has been formally congratulated for its achievement following a penalty shoot-out victory over Lowland League side Tranent on Sunday, June 1.
Striker Kyle Lafferty converted the decisive spot-kick to ensure a 4-2 win – sparking euphoria among the players and supporters – after a 1-1 draw in normal time at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire.
It meant captain Derek Esplin became the first Burgh skipper to hoist the trophy aloft since 1968 when George Caughey did just that.
Recounting his experience of the day at Thursday's full meeting of Renfrewshire Council, Councillor Iain McMillan, a Labour representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, declared it would "live long" in his memory.
He added: "For those of us who were at the game, it was absolutely fantastic and I was very fortunate – I was there with my dad, I was there with my daughter and I was there with my granddaughter, so there were four generations of the family.
"Being a supporter of a rather large football club, the difference you get when you go and see a smaller community club like Johnstone Burgh is like chalk and cheese because you virtually know everybody in the crowd. It's that community feeling."
Ciaran Diver grabbed a second-half equaliser to take the final to penalties after opponents Tranent had taken a first-half lead through Harry Girdwood.
Murdo MacKinnon's Burgh then held their nerve during the shoot-out, netting all of their penalties to send their fans and coaching staff into a state of jubilation.
The West of Scotland League Premier Division outfit's pitch perfect cast of takers included Fraser Mullen, Diver, Ross Davidson and Lafferty.
Later that evening, hundreds of punters draped in red and white descended on Johnstone's Houstoun Square for Burgh's eagerly anticipated homecoming.
Councillor Andy Steel, an SNP representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, said at the meeting: "Similar to Councillor McMillan, I was there with my boy and, despite very kind invitations elsewhere, I really wanted to be there with my son to create a memory that hopefully lasts a few years for me and a lifetime for him because that's what it's all about really.
"We go to the Burgh on a Saturday afternoon and I like going to watch the Burgh because I get to spend two hours with my son, which I don't very often, so it meant an awful lot."
Provost Lorraine Cameron added: "It was a very proud day indeed for everyone in Johnstone.
"It just gave the community a whole buzz and you'll be pleased to know I'm in the process of organising an appropriate civic hospitality reception for the players and guests."
Two motions congratulating Burgh were unanimously agreed among elected members.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Linlithgow 5 Broxburn 0: Rose boss thrilled with derby display as Brox coach left 'embrassed'
It wasn't much of a contest in the first derby of this season's Lowland League Delighted Linlithgow Rose gaffer Gordon Herd insisted the clean sheet pleased him more than anything after battering Broxburn Athletic 5-0 in Saturday's derby clash. The Gallant dished out a humbling defeat to their Lowland League rivals and near neighbours at Prestonfield to take their scoring exploits to 21 goals in their last four games. Ciaran Greene, Lucas Stenhouse and Dylan Paterson all found the net in the first half to have the hosts cruising, before Alan Sneddon struck in 67 minutes and Stenhouse completed the rout with his second of the day just two minutes later. But that wasn't what delighted Herd most as they went second in the table, just a point behind leaders Clydebank. Herd said: 'I thought we were excellent. It took us a wee while to settle into the game, but I thought once we got the first goal we were completely dominant. 'To score five goals past that Broxburn team - who I think have signed really well - is excellent. 'The most pleasing aspect for me isn't the five goals we've scored, but that we've kept the ball out of the back of the net at the other end. 'I thought Greene and Greg Skinner were outstanding the way they handled big Errol [Douglas] and, when we got to the final third, we had boys like Stenhouse, Dylan Paterson, Oliver Hamilton and Calum Rae, so it was a joy to watch. 'We really put Broxburn to the sword and the boys were ruthless, we could have scored a lot more. 'We've got to be pleased, we've bounced back from an opening day defeat and rattled in 21 goals in four games. 'I'm really proud of the boys. They are playing with a smile on their face and that is what it's all about.' Despite sitting second, Herd says he is keeping his feet on the ground. He added: 'It is early doors, we aren't getting carried away. But if we keep churning out performances like that, we will be in for a good season. 'It is up to the guys in the changing room. We've demanded consistency off then and they have been outstanding in the last four games. 'We've just got to keep building on this and I think there is more to come from us.' For Broxburn coach Lewis Turner, he admitted the defeat was 'embarrassing'. He said: 'It was not a good result. We just weren't at the races and they wanted it more than us. 'They worked harder, which is unacceptable. 'I can accept players have bad games, but 95 per cent of the team had a bad game. 'At 1-0, there was five minutes to go until half-time and there's not much in the game, then we find ourselves 3-0 behind at the break. 'The boys never reacted after that and we fell apart. 'It was the exact same thing last year at Linlithgow away when it was 6-2, we just fell to pieces. 'The boys know it is not good enough and it is embarrassing for us. 'I have never been beaten like that before and never want to be beaten like that again. 'The manner of it was the big issue and there were no positives.' Broxburn will look to bounce back away to Cowdenbeath on Saturday, while Rose look to build on the result when they host Celtic B. Both are 3pm kick-offs.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Albion Rovers boss compares goal hero to Usain Bolt after comeback win at Gala Fairydean Rovers
Sandy Clark was full of praise for Devan McColl after his contribution in Saturday's success Albion Rovers boss Sandy Clark joked he thought Usain Bolt was involved in Saturday's comeback victory over Gala - after Devan McColl showed blistering pace on his way to bagging the winner. The Coatbridge club fell behind at Cliftonhill to a Lennon Connelly strike inside 18 minutes, but quick-fire goals in the space of two minutes early in the second half turned the game on its head. A Barry Duncan free-kick deflected into the net in 52 minutes to get Rovers on level terms, before McColl broke on the counter attack at speed and unleashed a venomous drive to grab all three points for the hosts. And Clark said McColl reminded him of a certain Olympic champion sprinter. He said: 'It was a great performance from our guys. It took us a bit of time in the first half to get into the game, but that happens to us a lot because we are such a young squad. 'We lost a goal in the first half, but we managed to hang in and had a couple of half decent chances to equalise, just never quite got there. 'In the second half we scored straight from a free-kick from Barry Duncan, which took a bit of a deflection that deceived the goalkeeper. 'After that we got the second goal really quickly. It was a brilliant goal on the counter attack from a corner, thanks to Devan McColl. 'I thought it was Usain Bolt going down the right-hand side when he broke away. 'He really should have squared it into the box from the position he was in, but he elected to shoot and, thankfully, it ended up in the back of the net. 'After that we were comfortable and I feel we should have picked them off for a third goal, but we'll take the win. I was really pleased with the performance.' It was Rovers' second win in four games and saw them bounce back from a tough 4-0 defeat at Tranent the previous week. Clark, whose side are up to seventh in the table, added: 'Tranent are a really good team and we did some good things against them last week. We eliminated a lot of the errors this week and managed to score a couple of goals, that's what football is about. 'There was a brilliant attitude from our young lads and we had great backing from our fans as well, so it was a happy place at full-time.' Rovers now have a double-header coming up over the next week, with a home clash against Thorniewood in the first round of the South Challenge Cup this Saturday, followed by the visit of Broxburn Athletic on league business on Tuesday night.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
Elgin City 0 East Kilbride 1: Kennedy not sentimental as Kilby claim first SPFL win
The League Two are up and running after a narrow success at Borough Briggs East Kilbride boss Mick Kennedy insists he's not sentimental about his side's first ever League Two win on Saturday, and is just happy to get three points at Elgin City. Nathan Flanagan scored directly from a corner 70 minutes into the clash at Borough Briggs to grab the only goal of the game, although Jack Leitch did have a fifth minute strike ruled out for a foul in the build-up. The win moves Kilby up to fifth in the table after a 3-1 defeat at home to 10-man Spartans in last week's opener. It's the first time that Kilby have registered a win in SPFL football, but Kennedy said: 'I don't really get caught up in nostalgic stuff like that, but I'm just delighted to get three points. 'After the result last week it was just good to get some points on the board, so we're delighted with that. 'It was a bit fortuitous, in that it's a great delivery, but the goalie maybe makes a bit of a bad judgement. 'But it was good for Nathan to get a goal and get his account up and running in the league as well. 'Elgin is a notoriously difficult place to go, with the travel and stuff, so I'm just delighted to leave with the three points.' He added: 'I thought we were really good in the first half and totally dominated the game. We should have created more. It was more scrappy in the second half and more competitive, we didn't have as much control. 'Elgin were very direct after the break but we defended our box very well. 'It was always going to be difficult after winning so comfortably here in the cup [a 4-1 win] last month.' Kennedy feels that East Kilbride haven't needed to make much of a step-up from the Lowland League to League Two, and reckons a few teams at that level could do well. He said: 'I don't think there's a significant difference between a lot of League Two and certain teams in the Lowland League. 'Maybe there's more quality across the whole board in League Two, but I wouldn't say it's significant. 'Maybe in League Two there's a wee bit more physicality and experience, because a lot of boys in the Lowland League are maybe dropping out of academies and trying to rebuild their careers and stuff like that, so there's quite a difference in that sense. 'But I'm just delighted to get three points.'
