Away up in Gorgie...

 

Waiting patiently on Gorgie Road awaiting the arrival of grandson Jack off the bus from Dalkeith.

Heading along a thronging Gorgie Road, breathing in the air of expectancy, nodding glances to familiar faces of those bedecked in maroon.

Queuing to get into Tynecastle, squeezing past the yellow vested steward checking someone’s bag.

Offering your smart card season ticket to the turnstile operator who may – or may not – offer a cheery ‘enjoy the game’ Which may – or may not – invoke a retort of ‘You’re kidding aren’t you? It’s Herts we’re seeing. (Memories here of Rab C Nesbitt’s pal Jamsie Cotter’s remark at Italia ’90 World Cup finals – ‘we’re no’ here tae enjoy wursel – we’re here tae see Scotland!)

Climbing up the steel steps to the Wheatfield Stand – I’m sure these are getting steeper every week…

‘Dae ye want a pie, son?’ ‘Aye, okay, a mince one.’

Always needing to ‘pay a visit’ before taking your seat; I’ll not last until half-time and I’m not going then…(it’s an age thing)

Surveying the players warming up on the hallowed Tynecastle turf. Hearing the team news – where’s Naismith, is he injured again?

Seeing the referee and his assistants doing their warm up. Bloody hell, it’s no’ him is it? We’ve got no chance the day.

Hearing the distinctive tones of the maestro that is Scott Wilson over the speaker system.

The teams disappearing up the tunnel then remerging moments before kick-off. 

‘Whoever you’ve come to support, get right behind your team’ bellows the great man.

When Hearts score, hugging people nearby – even though you don’t know their name.

When Hearts win - admittedly, not often last season – applauding the players off the field at the game’s end and joining the queue to shuffle out the stadium to the sound of What a Beautiful Day by The Levellers.

See you next time, then? All is right with the world.

How I miss these days…