| Full name | Montrose Roselea Junior Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Lea | ||
| Founded | 13 September 1930; 95 years ago (13 September 1930) | ||
| Ground | Links Park Montrose | ||
| Capacity | 4,936[1] | ||
| Chairman | Roy Gill | ||
| Manager | Eric Watson | ||
| League | Midlands First Division | ||
| 2024–25 | SJFA Midlands League, 12th of 20 | ||
Montrose Roselea Junior Football Club is a ScottishJuniorfootball club based in the town ofMontrose,Angus. It is a member of theScottish Junior Football Association and currently plays in theNorth Region Junior Football League Premier Division in thesixth tier of football in Scotland. It will join theMidlands Football League starting from the 2023–24 season.
The club played its first match at the juvenile level on 18 October 1913 on the Links against Montrose Harp, which ended in a 3–3 draw thanks to ahat-trick by Roselea's captain, Dickson.[2] In 1921–22, Roselea continued playing at the juvenile (under-21) level in the Montrose Juvenile League in the 1920s. At this level the club was very successful, winning numerous local juvenile leagues and cups.
Club officials announced that they planned switch tojunior football on 13 September 1930 during a fundraising ceremony at the Drill Hall inArbroath presided over bySir Robert Hutchison. In 1936, the club finally began playing junior football in the Montrose & Kincardineshire Junior League, winning the league in their first two seasons.[3]Gordon Smith, futureScotland,Hibs,Hearts, andDundee star, played twice for the Lea in May 1939 when he was just aged 15, scoring ahat-trick in his trial match against Blairgowrie United.[4] In their early years, crowds of around 2,000 were typical atLinks Park for Roselea matches.
They were then members of the Angus League andTayside Region League, before competing in the newSJFA East Region which they, along with all otherTayside junior clubs became a part in 2002.
Playing second fiddle to the seniorMontrose, success has been sparse during their years of existence however in recent years the success has been beyond a club of its size.
Roselea's best performance in theScottish Junior Cup was in1998–99. In the fifth round the Lea beat fellowAngus side,Forfar West End, in a replay at Strathmore Park to secure a place in the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. They were then defeated 7–1 away to eventual runners-upKelty Hearts in the quarter-final tie. Their best cup-run since then was in2008–09, when the club reached the fifth round where they drew 0–0 withPetershill at home before losing the replay 2–1 at 'The Peasy'.[5]
Roselea traditionally played their home games at Broomfield Park, a relatively undeveloped facility in the north of the town which has room for around 1,800 spectators.
The club applied to move from the SJFA East Region to join theNorth Region, and this was accepted for the beginning of season2016–17. The Lea secured promotion to theNorth Superleague in their first season in the SJFA North Region after finishing asNorth Division One (West) runners-up and then winning their Superleague play-off tie against 5–0 againstBuckie Rovers atColony Park.[6]
For the2018–19 season, Roselea reached an agreement to share Montrose's Links Park stadium, with a view towards a longer-term arrangement.[7] Broomfield Park is still used on occasions where there are schedule conflicts at Links Park.
Historically the club played in a green home strip but since the2019–20 season they have played in the royal blue colours of the senior Montrose side.[8] Green is now worn as the clubs away colours.
In November 2022, the Roselea committee announced a planned move back to the SJFA East Region due to an increase in travel expenses incurred since joining the North Region. The club hope to compete in the now predominantly Tayside-basedMidlands Football League (also in the Scottishsixth tier) from the 2023–24 season onwards.[9] On 20 February 2023, Roselea announced that their move to the Midlands League from the 2023–24 season onwards was confirmed.[10]
Tayside Region League Division 1[1]
Montrose & Kincardineshire Junior League
Angus Junior League
Biggest win: 16–0 vFochabers, 14 Jan 2017,ND1 West – (Reoch
8', 45'; Bailey 11', 22'; Hester 14', 29', 32', 59', 75', 81', 86'; McLeod 62', 70', 73', 87', 89')[11][12]
Biggest defeat: 11–1 vKirriemuir Thistle, 29 Sept 1956, Angus Junior League
Most goals: 304, Steve Aitken (1984–2004)
Most appearances: 700, Paul Whyte (1997–2016)
Largest home attendance:
Gordon SmithErnie Copland Willie Robertson
