GREAT FANS MAKE SURE WEIR ON WAY
MARK WEIR’S season started with him walking past his own name in the Tynecastle tunnel – while his latest run-out saw him serenaded by a fan with a guitar in hand.
And the Bonnyrigg keeper says the sea of red and white greeting them on matchday is a constant they’re starting to depend upon.
That much is certain after Weir’s own brother Bryan helped launch a supporters’ club to ensure Rose are heard on trips like today’s to Elgin.
Life in the SPFL began with a friendly in Gorgie that saw Weir – a Foundation of Hearts pledger – take in the club’s Legends in the Stand display before facing idol Craig Gordon.
The New Dundas goalie said: “It was tiny writing, I had to concentrate to see where it was.
“My name is on there, my brother’s name is there and my grandad has a plaque in the memorial garden.
“He’s still there in spirit, watching over that game, so it was nice that touch.
“The gaffer sent us a message (about the friendly happening) and we thought he was on holiday steaming, taking the p***.”
Rose’s start to the season has been anything but a source of humour, having lost just one of their opening five matches while attracting more than 1000 through the gate for each home game.
Weir said: “My brother and a few other fans have started a supporters’ club. They have a bus for every away game.
“He gave up his season ticket at Tynecastle a few years ago to come to New Dundas and up to Elgin.
“This year he’s made it to every home and away game, which is great.
“You look at all three home games – there have been more than 1000, which is massive. We’ve got roughly 520 season tickets, which is huge for the club. It’s got bigger and bigger every year.
“The community are brilliant, they are right behind us. We have a full bus going up to Elgin and as players it’s huge to know there are going to be 40, 50 minimum people up there.
“When we played East Fife away, there were maybe 100 fans there just singing the whole game.
“That spurs you on as a player to know you have that backing and they’re going to support you through thick and thin.
“To come out for kick-off and see the amount of red and white in the crowd, it’s great and it shows the community have belief in us. It gives us more belief.”
Three league clean sheets is promising mood music but Weir even had the real thing last weekend.
He added: “There was a boy in the Stirling fans just playing the guitar in the first half, singing songs. That was quite funny.
“In the first half he was behind my goal and then in the second half I don’t know where he ended up but I think he was still strumming away.
“That’s the weirdest I’ve seen at a football ground.
“You see people with the drums and bagpipes but never anyone with a guitar.
“He should have just gone up to the Fringe after it and made some money.”
Elgin prop up the table without a win but Russell Dingwall insists they’re not in any panic.
The midfielder said: “We’ve had three draws in which we were ahead in every one, so it sort of shows we’re not far off it.
“It’s just when things aren’t going your way, it all seems to come at once.
“It feels like we need a break and then hopefully we kick on from there.”