Livid Linlithgow Rose boss David McGlynn last night vowed to root out the yobs who shamed their Scottish Cup dream last night.
Fans pretending to be followers of the crack Junior outfit caused scenes of mayhem at Station Park by letting off four flares as their fourth-round replay was abandoned because of flood-light failure after just six minutes.
McGlynn insisted afterwards that those responsible for throwing smoke-bombs onto the pitch to damage the 3-G surface were not official supporters of the East Super League side.
Two flares were let off just before kick-off before a further two exploded after the lights had failed, forcing police to make two arrests on the night in the wake of both Celtic and Dundee United fans doing similar things in recent weeks.
And the raging Rose gaffer pledged not to stand for the unruly minority who were believed to have been drinking in the Angus town since early lunchtime.
McGlynn said: “We're a football club. We're not going to be associated with idiots who just come stupid things with drink.
“It is a family game.
“We're a community club and there are kids who support us.
“So we can't have people behaving like that.
“Of course, we are disappointed.
“The Linlithgow fans are very loyal to the club.
“They're people who're probably not been involved with the club before."
“They've just come up under the pretence of being supporters and because it's a big game.
“It's young boys who don't actually come and watch us on a Saturday.
“It's annoying but the club will obviously get names and they know the bus company they've travelled with.
“So we'll see who booked it and we'll be able to do something about it.
“The committee were over at them and have found out which coach they came with.
“They've found out some of the names so we can go and rectify it.
“We can't have that, people being associated with the club like that.
“I couldn't comment on that (whether the pitch has been damaged)
“If it has, then obviously it is a shambles.”
McGlyyn's sentiments were echoed by Forfar Club Secrertary, Dave McGregor, who revealed there was substantial damage to their pitch after the club tried for fully 25 minutes to get the lights back on.
McGregor said: “It's a major concern.
“I believe there's been a few arrests and the pitch is fairly badly damaged.
“That's what you get with a 3-G Pitch.|"
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