Their home ground is New Dundas Park, and they have traditionally played in red and white hoops. They have won the Scottish Junior Cup twice, in 1966 and in 1978, as well as finishing runners-up in 1972. Their 6–1 defeat of Whitburn in 1966 is a joint record margin of victory in a Scottish Junior Cup final.[1] Bonnyrigg won the East Region Super League championship four times during their membership, making them the league's most successful side.
At a special general meeting held in March 2018, the club's members voted in favour of applying to join the senior East of Scotland Football League.[2] Bonnyrigg were part of a larger movement of eastern junior clubs to the East of Scotland League that year.[3] In 2019, they won promotion to the Lowland League and successfully applied for Scottish Football Association membership. In 2022, they won promotion to Scottish League Two, thus entering the Scottish Professional Football League for the first time, and after doing so, changed their name from Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic to the more streamlined Bonnyrigg Rose.
The third Scottish Cup adventure in 2016–17 was their most fruitful. Rose easily saw off Glasgow University and then defeated Burntisland Shipyard 14–0, the biggest win in the competition since 1984.[4] This was followed by wins over Highland sides Turriff United and Cove Rangers. In a big shock, Bonnyrigg then eliminated Dumbarton of the Scottish Championship after a replay to progress to the Fourth Round. They were drawn at home against the cup holders Hibernian, with the match moved to Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh to accommodate the expected number of spectators and the basic facilities at New Dundas Park.[5] The result, an 8–1 defeat, was a disappointing end to the run for the team and the 5,000 fans who had travelled from Midlothian to give their support.[6]
The club qualified again for the Scottish Cup in 2018–19, having won the East Superleague for a record fourth time. Now playing in the senior pyramid, this campaign ultimately ended in disappointment, losing 2–1 to Deveronvale in the first round. 2018 also saw the club take part in the inaugural Shaun Woodburn Memorial Cup, established in memory of former player Woodburn, who had been killed on the previous Hogmanay.[7]
In June 2019, the club announced it had been accepted as a member of the Scottish Football Association, which would allow them to automatically qualify for the Scottish Cup annually.[8] In their first Scottish Cup as a licensed team, Bonnyrigg would once again go on an impressive run, defeating Highland League sides Fraserburgh[9] and Buckie Thistle[10] before dispatching Scottish League One side Montrose 2–1 at New Dundas Park, despite being a man down.[11] In the Fourth round, Bonnyrigg would again valiantly fight against a League One team, but could not repeat their heroics and lost 0–1 late on to Clyde.[12]
Entering in the Second round in 2020–21, Bonnyrigg would defeat fellow Lowland Leaguers Bo'ness United 5–2, with Lee Currie scoring a hat-trick of penalties within 10 minutes of each other.[13] In the next round, the Rosey Posey would nearly have a cup upset for the ages, with another Currie penalty and a brilliant performance from keeper Mark Weir nearly knocking out Scottish Championship side Dundee before a late equaliser sent the game to extra time. Currie again put Bonnyrigg ahead from the spot, but two goals by Dundee in the second half of extra time ended the dream.[14][15]
Lowland League
Rose were promoted to the Lowland League in 2019 after winning the East of Scotland Football League and gaining SFA membership.[16][17] They took the place of relegated Whitehill Welfare, based only two miles from Bonnyrigg in the village of Rosewell, Midlothian. After finishing second and third in their first two seasons, both curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the following season they went on to win the league title in 2021–22.
The team was managed from June 2015 by former Berwick Rangers player and assistant manager, Robbie Horn.[19] Horn resigned in August 2017 to take over the vacant managerial position at Berwick.[20] He later returned as manager in November 2018.[21]
^McGlone, David; McLure, Bill (1987). The Juniors – 100 Years. It was after a 1-1 draw at Hampden Park on the Saturday that they went on to win 6-1 on the Wednesday evening replay. A Centenary History of Scottish Junior Football. Mainstream. p. 80. ISBN1-85158-060-3.
^Parkinson, Brendan (19 April 2018). "Club Update". www.bonnyriggrosefc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
