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…

Line of Duty Extra: AC-12 Visits Tynecastle

The excellent BBC1 series Line of Duty ended its fifth series on Sunday evening. However, there is one additional programme which hasn’t aired. Yet…

Scene 1: A conference suite in the new main stand at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh. Superintendent Ted Hastings is seated, flanked by two senior members of his AC-12 team. Enter Hearts manager Craig Levein accompanied by his legal representative Ann Budge.

TH: Interview commenced 1600 hours. Chaired by Superintendent Hastings, assisted by DI Fleming and DS Arnott. For the tape can you please confirm your name and role.

CL: Craig Levein. Manager of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

TH: Thank you. This is to confirm, Mr Levein, that this interview is connection with your competency to manage one of Scotland’s leading football clubs. DI Fleming, can you commence proceedings please.

DI Fleming: Item 1 in your folders. This is Hearts record in the last six months which shows just six wins during this time. As someone in charge of one of the top football clubs in Scotland, can you explain this abysmal record?

AB: I must insist you withdraw the word ‘abysmal’. 

TH: Oh? And what word would you use to describe the team’s recent form?

AB: I prefer ‘consistent’. 

TH: Dear Mother of God. Continue DI Fleming.

DI Fleming: This period of ‘abysmal consistency’ includes home defeats to Dundee, Kilmarnock (twice); draws with Livingston and St Mirren and, most damaging, a loss to Hibernian. Can you explain this?

CL: Well, results aren’t everything. 

DI Fleming: What about the 5-0 hammering from Livingston just before Christmas?

CL: I actually believe we’ve played quite well in most of these games. We’ve just been unlucky. And we’ve had a helluva lot of injuries.

TH: I agree, you’ve had more than your fair share of injuries. But with the size of the squad you built during last summer these can’t be described as wholly mitigating circumstances. 

AB: You also need to remember Mr Levein’s own personal issues. He had a health scare back in September. 

TH: Granted. Although the evidence we’ve collated suggests Hearts supporters have a health scare every time they read Mr Levein’s team selection.

DS Arnott: Why did you let talented young players such as Anthony McDonald, Dario Zanatta and Bobby Burns go out on loan? 

CL: They are good young players. They were showing the rest of the team up.

TH: Hmm. Continue please, DS Arnott.

DS Arnott: Item 2 in your folders. You will see from the screen a range of numbers: 4-2-1-2-1; 5-3-1-1; 3-5-1-1; 6-3-1-0; Can you explain what these numbers mean?

CL: I, erm, I…

TH: Just be like Arnaud Djoum and take all the time in the world.

CL (after a pause to sip from a glass of water) It looks like they’re my tactics for some of the games we’ve played recently.

TH: Uh-huh. Is the 6-3-1-0 formation the one you use when visiting Celtic Park and Ibrox?

CL: Yes.

DS Arnott: As a Celtic fan I can confirm this is the case. Hearts barely cross the halfway line.

TH: DS Arnott, I would remind you that you are in character and not Martin Compston for the purpose of this interview.

DS Arnott: Sorry, sir.

TH: So, Mr Levein, how do you account for this lack of adventure when visiting Glasgow?

CL: Well, Celtic and Rangers are big boys and have more money and better players than I have.

TH: DI Fleming, continue please.

DI Fleming: Item 3 in your folders. A photograph of one Craig Wighton.

TH: Mr Levein, can you confirm you signed Mr Wighton from Dundee? 

CL: Yes, I did.

TH: And have you seen Mr Wighton recently?

CL: I saw him last Saturday.

TH: That’s an interesting comment, fella, because no one else has had sight nor sound of him. Particularly opposition defenders who have told this inquiry they’ve never seen him before. This is also borne out by our interviews with thousands of Hearts supporters.

CL: Well, he is on the field. I can assure you of that.

DS Arnott: Item 4 in your folders. A photograph of one Conor Shaughnessy.

TH: Mr Levein, can you confirm you also signed Mr Shaughnessy from Leeds United on loan?

CL: Yes, I did.

TH: Dear, Mother of God. There’s a line. It’s called right and wrong and I know which side my duty lies, so why don’t you write a nice letter of resignation to Mrs Budge or I swear to God I will join the thousands of Hearts supporters protesting vehemently about the performances from the team they love?!

CL (looks at his mobile phone under his desk) Types ‘urgent exit needed’

Gary Locke appears from nowhere and drags CL from the room. At the back of the room, John Robertson smiles and shakes his head knowingly.

To be continued….

A Test of Endurance

Chatting with my dear old mother last night she remarked that, on this day in 1959, she married my father. This would have been their diamond wedding anniversary were it not for the fact that a) they split up ten years later; b) they got divorced in 1970; c) father died suddenly in 1997 aged just 58.

Mother did recall that her new groom decided to read out the result of the Grand National during his wedding speech which was, perhaps, a sign of things to come (it was won by Oxo at 8/1  - mother felt she was made a laughing stock...) Legend has it he married again in 1973  - on the same date to another woman who had the same name. That marriage didn't last either...

My mother is of the opinion I have many of my father's traits which I don't think is meant as a compliment. The fact that when I re-married four years ago I read out the result of the Hearts game played that day is neither here or there.

The fate of my parents marriage impacted on the life I would have. My mother remarked as much last night.

'If we hadn't got divorced I wouldn't have left Cumbernauld and taken you north to Aberdeen' she said. True.

'Then you wouldn't have met Pat (my first wife)'. True again.

'You wouldn't have had your daughters Laura and Michaela'. Indeed.

'And you wouldn't have your five little horrors grandchildren' Hmm.

'And it's unlikely you would have ever met Marion and got married again'.

At this point I asked her a question.

'Why the hell couldn't you and my father have stayed together...?'

😜😜😜😜

A Jambo From Leith Writes...

There can be no disguising the fact that, for many Hearts fans, this has been a difficult weekend. The metaphorical stick we have used for decades to whack our city neighbours has been well and truly broken with Hibernian’s Scottish Cup triumph over Rangers at Hampden Park on Saturday.

As is its want, social media websites have been awash with what appears to be divided opinion among the Maroon Army. Some have said they are genuinely pleased Hibs have lifted the famous old trophy for the first time in over a century; others have said they are gutted as they never wanted to see this record broken and point out that some Hibs fans actively encouraged the demise of Heart of Midlothian FC when they entered administration two years ago.

As a Hearts supporter of nearly 40 years, I thought long and hard over the events of the weekend. As it happened, my youngest daughter got married on the afternoon of the cup final – to an avid Hibby. A man who gave me a Christmas present in 2013 which was a road map with the towns of Falkirk, Alloa, and Dumbarton amongst others circled with black ink – he saw this as being useful to me for season 2014/15 as Hearts would be visiting these towns in the Championship. Season 2013/14 was the season the Maroons finished bottom of the Premiership thanks to a 15 point deduction imposed as a result of going into administration. I took the ‘gift’ in the spirit it was intended  - but the smirking Hibby wasn’t laughing so much less than five months later when Hibs joined Hearts in the relegation places.

He wasn’t laughing either on Saturday when, as the speeches were about to be made, his team fell 2-1 behind to Rangers. But, of course, he was thumping the top table with delight when news reached him (via his mobile phone) that Hibs had come back and scored a late winner to realise his life-long dream. And, somewhat ironically, this was when my feelings on the matter began to change.

I have to admit I didn’t want Hibs to win the Scottish Cup. Like the vast majority of the Maroon Army, I had taken much delight over the years in goading our city rivals over their, frankly, embarrassing inability to lift the old trophy. Spectacular failure appeared annually, like a ritual, with Hibs quite often snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The all-Edinburgh final of 2012 arguably offered the Leith club their best chance of smashing the hoodoo but, typically, a rampant Hearts side put them to the sword and romped to a 5-1 win to lift the trophy for the eighth time – the mother of all Edinburgh derbies and totally eclipsing Hibs 7-0 win in a meaningless league fixture on New Years Day 1973.

‘You’ve Not Won The Big Cup Since 1902’ Hearts fans would taunt their rivals from across the capital and we held a feeling of superiority we felt would last forever. To many it will - regardless of Saturday’s result. But we wanted Hibs abysmal Scottish Cup record to continue so we could ridicule ad infinitum.

However, the flip side of that particular coin was the many Hibernian fans who I am friends with and the increasing number of Hibbies members of my family have become acquainted with. My other daughter’s partner is also an avid Hibby. He didn’t go to the wedding on Saturday and duly took his place at Hampden. I opined to said daughter that with Hibs finally winning the cup, not to expect him at the evening reception as he had promised. However, he surprised everyone by appearing at 9.00pm – and perfectly sober. He told me he thought so much of my daughter that he felt guilty about missing the wedding and didn’t want to let her down by skipping the reception as well.

The bride’s new husband was also aghast at missing something he had dreamt of since being a young boy. But when I suggested to him that Saturday must be the happiest day of his life – him getting married and Hibs winning the Scottish Cup at the same time – he replied it wasn’t. He told me, without hesitation, that the happiest day of his life was seeing his young son being born two years earlier.

When I remarried last year, my best man was also of the Hibernian persuasion. We regularly put the world to rights over a half pint lager shandy and he regales me incessantly with tales of the ‘brilliant’ Hibs team of the early 1970s who ‘destroyed’ Leeds United and Juventus in European competition – but still lost…

I thought about all three of those dyed-in-the-wool Hibbies on Saturday evening and other Hibs fans of my acquaintance and of my generation who have yearned for a Scottish Cup triumph. The fella who arrived at the reception late told me he had accompanied his father and young son to the final – a generation thing that supporters of both clubs can readily identify with. His father has failing health and it isn’t clear how much longer he has on this Earth. His wish to see his beloved Hibs win the Scottish Cup finally came true on Saturday and it was a story which brought a lump to my throat on an admittedly already emotional day for me.

I could see how much it meant to both lads at the wedding. And I thought about what my best man from last year was doing on Saturday night. We have tormented each other for decades and the 2012 final was, naturally, almost too much for him to take.

So, I eventually came to the conclusion it wasn’t a bad thing for Hibernian to win the Scottish Cup at long last. More than a century of pain and anguish for those who choose to follow the Hibees had finally ended. And, rightly or wrongly, I was pleased for those Hibbies I know personally.

Of course, Hearts supporters have seen this weekend’s scenes of celebrations before. Three times in recent years for many of us. Thrashing your city rivals 5-1 is the Holy Grail of Scottish Cup Finals and, unless the Leith team beat Hearts 6-1 in a cup final – a tad unlikely I would suggest – will never be beaten.

We will continue to tease those in green and white about recalling Saturday’s memories next season as they head to the likes of Dumbarton, Ayr and Kirkcaldy on miserable midweek evenings in the depths of winter, desperately hoping their side can return to the top flight of Scottish football at the third time of asking.

It’s the nature of the banter between Hearts and Hibs fans. Unlike the ‘rivalry’ between Celtic and Rangers, we don’t hate each other.

For this weekend, though, it’s about saying ‘well done’ to Hibernian and congratulate their supporters on seeing their life-long dream being realised. I realise there will be some Hearts supporters who wholly disagree with that statement but football is all about personal opinions. That’s what makes it the game it is.

Now, I’m heading back to my darkened room….

30 Years On, The Pain Still Hurts

Three years after emerging from the wilderness of First Division football, of enduring the inept tactics of manager Tony Ford, of losing to Queens Park and East Stirlingshire and of being threatened with part-time football, Hearts were on the verge of a climax of an astonishing recovery. Former Rangers player Alex MacDonald had replaced Ford as player manager in 1981 and sought the help of his good friend and former Rangers colleague Sandy Jardine to rebuild Edinburgh’s finest football club. MacDonald brought experienced players such as Willie Johnston and Jimmy Bone to the club and they were instrumental in the development of some promising Hearts kids such as John Robertson, Gary Mackay and Davie Bowman. By the time season 1985/86 commenced, ‘Bud’ Johnston and Bone had departed Tynecastle but they left a younger Hearts team that was now established in the cutthroat Premier Division.

MacDonald was still in charge and with money tight, his eye at spotting a bargain that would nonetheless improve the team was crucial to Hearts continued development throughout the 1980s. In the summer of 1985, MacDonald paid Celtic £60,000 for winger John Colquhoun and the Stirling born player would provide the service to strikers John Robertson and Sandy Clark. Midfielder Iain Jardine arrived a few weeks into the season and with Craig Levein a commanding presence in defence alongside the evergreen Sandy Jardine and the industrious Kenny Black in midfield, the Hearts team was slowly transforming from one that was looking to survive in the Premier Division to one that might actually think about challenging the dominance of the top two in Scotland. And younger readers may be surprised to learn that in the early 1980s Scotland’s top two clubs were not Celtic and Rangers - they were Aberdeen and Dundee United. The Dons, in particular, were one of the finest teams in Europe and under manager Alex Ferguson had won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1983 as well as several Scottish League championships and Scottish Cups that decade. Indeed, they were reigning league champions when season 1985/86 kicked off.

Hearts began the season with a 1-1 draw against Celtic at Tynecastle. New signing John Colquhoun scored the opening goal against the team he had just left and it took a last minute equaliser from Paul McStay to rob Hearts of a brilliant start to the league campaign. That goal from the Celtic midfielder would prove hugely significant on the very last game of the season…

Hearts were then affected by injuries and suspensions - Sandy Clark and full back Walter Kidd were sent off in a 3-1 defeat to Rangers dubbed ‘the battle of Ibrox’ and when the Maroons lost to Aberdeen, Motherwell and Clydebank they were sinking towards the bottom of the league - only pointless Hibernian sparing Hearts the indignity….

Slowly Hearts began to get their absent players back but when Iain Jardine scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw against Dundee at Tynecastle in October few of us envisaged this would be the beginning of one of the most astonishing sequence of games in Scottish football history. Seven days later Hearts travelled to Celtic Park and produced the shock result of the day, a rare 1-0 victory in the east end of Glasgow. They followed this up with a 3-0 victory over St. Mirren and a result that instilled bucketfuls of self-belief - a 1-0 win over champions Aberdeen on a rain-lashed Wednesday evening at Tynecastle thanks to a goal from Craig Levein. When Rangers were comprehensively beaten 3-0 in Gorgie a fortnight later heads began to turn Tynecastle way.

After an injury hit start to the season Hearts players were now fit and raring to go. Alex MacDonald had also instilled a discipline into his players so yellow and red cards were kept to a minimum. MacDonald was able to keep the same starting eleven for several weeks and the players had a system where they all knew what each other was doing. In November, Scotland were involved in a two-legged play-off to reach the World Cup finals in Mexico the following year. Difficult enough but their opponents were Australia - meaning those top flight league fixtures involving Scotland’s ‘top four’ were postponed to allow the national side to prepare. Hearts, however, carried on and continued to produce good football and rack up the results. Four days before Christmas, Hearts defeated St. Mirren in Paisley - and proudly sat top of the league. Yes, other teams had games in hand thanks to the Scotland situation but when Hearts defeated Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox three days after Christmas they had well and truly posted their intentions. Hearts had joined the big players at the table and were blowing their cigar smoke in the faces of the big four.

The question was could Hearts maintain their challenge? The acid test came in the last week in January when they travelled to Aberdeen. 5,000 Hearts fans headed to the Granite City to see their team, unbeaten since the end of September, take on the league champions in their own patch. MacDonald organised his troops accordingly and The Dons struggled to break through the silver-shirted Hearts defence. When MacDonald replaced John Robertson with the old warhorse that was Colin McAdam with just eight minutes left, Hearts appeared to have settled for a priceless away point. Then Walter Kidd played a long ball towards John Colquhoun. JC skipped his way past the trailing Aberdeen defenders Willie Miller and Alex McLeish and stroked the ball past a bemused Dons keeper Jim Leighton to secure a famous and crucial Hearts victory. The travelling support in the Beach End were ecstatic. Their chants of ‘We’re Gonna Win the League’ were now a serious prospect rather than a fanciful whim.

Hearts continued their unbeaten run as the end of the season hovered into view. Their nearest challengers for the title appeared to be Dundee United and when Hearts won 3-0 at Tannadice following an unforgettable April afternoon on Tayside it seemed the fantasy of Hearts becoming champions was about to become incredible reality. A week later though came the first signs of nerves. Aberdeen came to Tynecastle and the game was switched to a Sunday to accommodate live television coverage - the first league fixture to be covered live on television in Scotland. Hearts looked out of sorts and had to thank John Colquhoun for a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Celtic had now emerged as the main threat to Hearts title aspirations and Dundee would prove key players in the dramatic end to the season.

When Hearts entertained Clydebank on the last Saturday in April, they had just two games left - and were four points clear of Celtic. Back in the 1980s there were just two points awarded for a win and although Davie Hay’s side had a game in hand, Hearts fans knew if their team defeated Clydebank and Celtic lost at home to Dundee the league flag would be on its way to Tynecastle for the first time in 26 years. A nervous Hearts team won 1-0 thanks to a Gary Mackay goal - but, as they would do seven days later, Dundee proved party-poopers by losing in Glasgow. Inevitably, Celtic won their game in hand and so were just two points behind Hearts when the curtain came down on the league season on 3 May 1986.

Hearts needed just a single point for glory. In fact, they had a superior goal difference so they might even lose their first game in eight months and still become champions - providing Celtic didn’t score a barrow load of goals against St. Mirren in Paisley…

15,000 Hearts fans headed for Dundee ready to party like there wouldn’t be a 4^th of May. Hearts only needed a draw and were unbeaten in 31 league and cup games. Celtic needed to thrash St. Mirren. Surely, nothing could go wrong…?

The events of that day are ingrained on the memory of every Hearts fan who was there. My wife was expecting our first child just a week later so I was in ecstatic mood anyway. Then I read a copy of the Daily Record on the way to Dundee and read about the events of 1965 when Hearts needed to avoid a 2-0 defeat to Kilmarnock on the last game of the season to clinch the league championship - and duly lost 2-0 to hand the title to the Rugby Park side. In all the excitement, I hadn’t thought about that. Now the first seeds of doubt were planted in my head. I wondered if the same was happening to the Hearts players. Then rumours circulated about a sickness virus affecting the Hearts team. We watched the players warm up on the Dens Park pitch - they looked fine to us. Hang on, though - there was no sign of Craig Levein. Roddy MacDonald was drafted in. It later transpired that the bug had affected five Hearts players. As the game kicked off it certainly looked like it.

Hearts looked a pale shadow of the team that had swept all before them since October. Sandy Clark was bundled off the ball in the penalty box in the first half and 15,000 Hearts fans screamed for a penalty kick. Nothing doing said referee Bill Crombie - ironically from Edinburgh. My anecdotal tale about Mr Crombie is I interviewed him for a job several years later - he didn’t get it…

Hearts struggled all afternoon while Dundee believed if they won and Motherwell won at Ibrox they would be in the following season’s UEFA Cup - so the incentive for the Dark Blues was certainly there. As we stood nervously on the open terracing behind the goal, we wondered if St. Mirren might come to Hearts aid and take a point off Celtic or at least keep things tight. The fella in front of me had a radio to his ear and was nearly embroiled in a fight when he relayed the news to irritated Hearts fans that Celtic were four goals ahead at half time. The Hoops added a fifth in the second half and now had the better goal difference. However, we tried to calm our nerves with the belief that it didn’t matter if Celtic scored ten goals, as long as Hearts secured the single point needed for glory. Although the silver-shirted Hearts players were collectively having a poor game, we still believed they would get this point. I checked my watch for the hundredth time that afternoon. There were just eight minutes to go when Dundee won a corner at the end where the Hearts masses had congregated. As the ball came in it fell at the feet of substitute Albert Kidd. His effort on goal flew into the roof of the net and the Dundee fans leapt for joy. The massed ranks of Hearts fans stood motionless, as if time had stopped. Our world certainly had. As the disconsolate Hearts players made their way to the centre circle to re-start the game, I shouted ‘C’mon Hearts - we can still do this!’ I was a lone voice - in our heart of hearts, we knew the dream was over, a suspicion confirmed when the blasted Kidd added a second goal a minute from the end. It was all over. Hearts lost 2-0, their first defeat in 31 games and eight months. Celtic won 5-0 and therefore clinched the league championship on goal difference.

I lived in Aberdeen at the time and a relatively short journey home turned into the longest trip in the world. My mate and I sat on the bus back to the Granite City and said nothing to each other. On arrival in Aberdeen, we went for a quick pint but our sombre mood didn’t call for alcohol, particularly as more than one smart Alec in the pub noticed our crumpled Hearts scarves sticking out our pockets and made a less than sympathetic comment.

I made my way home and my wife at the time greeted me with the news she thought she felt our first baby might be on its way. Selfishly and to my eternal shame, I ignored her and headed for bed. It was 7.30pm on a Saturday night and I just wanted the world to end. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life, only surpassed by the sudden death of my father in 1997.

Thankfully, my wife didn’t go into labour that evening. Along with 40,000 other Hearts fans I tried recover some kind of composure and headed to the Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen at Hampden a week later. However, deep down Hearts fans knew the events at Dens Park had ripped the soul out of the Hearts players and Aberdeen won 3-0 to end any dreams of silverware.

A week later and my first child, Laura was born. Three successive Saturdays in May 1986 saw the three most emotional experiences of my life and, thankfully, ended with the joy and gift of a new life.

Of course, seeing Hearts lift the Scottish Cup in 1998, 2006 and 2012 exorcised some of the ghosts of 1986. But, try as I might, I can never forget that day at Dens Park…

Style, Bottle - Neilson's the Man

Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson with Jack - Oct. 2015

In adjoining countries there are, on the face of it, two similar scenarios.

In one country there is a team which is five points clear at the top of their league and enjoying the multitude of kudos deservedly going in their direction. They have been described as a breath of fresh air and history may well be in the making.

In the other country there is a team which is four points clear at the top of their league. However, they are enduring much criticism and are experiencing plenty of flak being thrown in their direction.

Leicester City of England and Celtic of Scotland may well be competing in next season’s Uefa Champions League but the circumstances of both clubs could hardly be more different. While City are enjoying being in the limelight and have lit up the top flight of English football, north of the border Celtic are perceived as toiling with a manager who has reportedly lost the respect of some of his players and who many are suggesting will be replaced in the summer. The difference can be put down to levels of expectation. No one in their wildest dreams – apart from the Foxes fan who stuck a fiver on his team winning the Barclaycards FA Premiership this season – expected Leicester City to be top of the league and heading to the Uefa Champions League at this stage of the season. Conversely, there were few in Scotland who thought Celtic would be just four points ahead at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership going into the spring and looking anything but convincing champions. However, the expectations of the Celtic support are that their team should be coasting to all the silverware, certainly domestically – and anything falling short of this is deemed as failure.

Expectations can be a heavy burden. A club as huge as Celtic has to contend with this every year. But even other clubs have a level of expectation which can be ridiculously high at times and leave realism a frustrated and bewildered on-looker. Tynecastle on Saturday was a graphic illustration of this.

Two years ago Hearts were not only facing relegation from the top flight of Scottish football but the horrific prospect of liquidation as the Vladimir Romanov era drew to a sorry close. Then Ann Budge and the Foundation of Hearts stepped in on a white charger and rescued a Scottish football institution from the abyss. Former Hearts players Craig Levein and Robbie Neilson were given the task of restructuring the football club and within a year had taken Hearts back to the Premiership in convincing fashion, leaving the arguably more fancied Rangers and Hibernian in their wake. Ah, said the cynics, the real test for Hearts would be how they fared in the cut-throat Premiership where every mistake would be punished and one-sided games such as the 10-0 romp against hapless Cowdenbeath would be a million miles away.

Less than a year since running away with the Championship, Hearts have already achieved what many supporters believed would be a realistic target – a top six finish in the Premiership with no fears of relegation. Not only that but the Maroons sit pretty in third place and are looking more than likely to qualify for next season’s Europa League, albeit the qualifying stages, a fate which greets every Scottish club given the performances of Scots in Europe in recent years.

There was, admittedly, disappointment in the domestic cup competitions. Defeat at home in the League Cup by league champions Celtic was hardly a shock, disappointing though it was. The one that sticks in the throat of many Hearts supporters, however, was the Scottish Cup defeat by Hibernian – particularly after throwing away a two goal lead in the first tie at Tynecastle which necessitated a replay at Easter Road. And we all know what happened there.

It was this defeat which proved too much for some supporters and, on Saturday just as the team kicked off against Partick Thistle, a light aircraft flew over Tynecastle with a banner declaring No Style, No Bottle, Neilson Out.

It was an incident that provoked much booing among thousands of disbelieving Hearts supporters as well it might. Head Coach Robbie Neilson has his critics – as most managers do – but to call for the hero of Hearts 2006 Scottish Cup winning team (who can forget that tackle against Gretna’s David Graham which prevented a certain goal) and the man who has transformed Hearts from also-rans to one of the best sides in the country is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

I’ve been a Hearts supporter for nearly 50 years. Jambos of my generation have experienced more highs and lows than a hyper-active lift operator. We’ve been angry – remember the journey from the Scottish Cup final of 1976 to relegation a year later? We’ve been very angry – try as we might, who could forget Hearts losing at home to East Stirlingshire and Forfar Athletic in season 1981/82? We have felt despair more than most – we’re approaching the 30^th anniversary of losing the league at Dens Park in the last eight minutes of season 1985/86 after going unbeaten for eight months. Yet these heartaches have made the good times all the sweeter. The three Scottish Cup triumphs of 1998, 2006 and the Edinburgh derby to top all Edinburgh derbies of 2012 are occasions Hearts supporters will never forget. I had waited three decades to see Hearts win anything of any note and when Stephane Adam score Hearts second goal in the 1998 Scottish Cup final which secured victory over Rangers, I was too numb with disbelief to let thirty years of hurt break down the emotional barriers.

European victories over Bayern Munich and Bordeaux (I’ll skip the bit which relates these teams turned around a first leg deficit) and countless victories over Hibernian in the last 33 years – some of which have turned the likes of Wayne Foster and Rudi Skacel into Gorgie folk heroes – are part of the story of following Hearts. You can’t go wrong, the song goes but we all know that’s far from the case.

Things certainly went wrong in the Scottish Cup replay at Easter Road three weeks ago. But even Hibernian have to win an Edinburgh derby now and again. Some cite Robbie Neilson’s record as a manager against Hibs as the reason Hearts ‘don’t have the bottle’. How soon they forget Hearts finished 21 points ahead of Hibs in the Championship last season.

We live in a democracy and for that we should be grateful. Everyone is entitled to their opinion provided it’s reasonable and isn’t offensive. Those behind the plane stunt at Tynecastle on Saturday were making their feelings known – even if these feelings are against what the majority of Hearts supporters feel about their club right now. From the depths of despair, the ridicule of the Vladimir Romanov era and the very real threat of the death of their club – to a return to the Premiership, sitting pretty in third place and the almost certain prospect of European football back at Tynecastle next season. Not only that but under the astute and excellent stewardship of Ann Budge, respectability and integrity has returned to Gorgie (plane stunts notwithstanding)

Back in season 1957/58, Hearts record-breaking league championship winning side lost only one league game all season and won the league by 13 points, scoring an astonishing 132 league goals, a record unlikely to be beaten. However, they were knocked out of the Scottish Cup at Tynecastle by Hibernian. I suspect no one was inclined then to fly over Tynecastle with a banner declaring ‘Walker Out’…

Hearts are beating strong again thanks to Mrs Budge, Craig Levein and, yes, Robbie Neilson. Hearts remain a work in progress and, therefore, of course mistakes will be made. But Hearts are also back because of the financial dedication and passion of their loyal supporters.

I hope Leicester City do go on to prove the doubters wrong and life the FA Premiership. The comparisons of their season to Hearts ultimately heart-breaking campaign of season 1985/86 are obvious. If the Foxes don’t win the league I’m pretty sure their vociferous supporters will still be grateful for what has been a marvellous season.

Great expectations bring their own burden. Something Robbie Neilson – a former Leicester City player – is beginning to find out. However, ‘The Tackle’ can rest assured the majority of the Hearts support are grateful for what he and his players have achieved in such a short space of time.

Jack of Hearts

I've interrupted my self-imposed exile from blogging as I simply couldn't let the occasion of grandson Jack being one of the mascots at the Hearts v Kilmarnock game on Saturday pass without comment.

Jack led the team out as they emerged from the tunnel for kick-off and I have to say there was a lump in the Ranter's throat as he did so. Pride seems such a small word to describe my feelings.

The whole experience from start to finish was absolutely brilliant. My thanks to everyone at Hearts, for whom nothing was too much trouble. Ann Budge, Hearts owner, was an absolute delight and many of the Hearts players and Head Coach Robbie Neilson made the young lads feel so welcome and part of the club. Even the Kilmarnock manager - former Hearts boss Gary Locke - was absolutely first class and posed for photographs with a class and dignity that ensures he will always be revered in Gorgie.

Jack told me it was the best day of his young life. Certainly, it was one he, his mother Laura who was also present and this auld Hearts fan will never forget.

 Jack with proud Mum and Papa

Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson. 'Right, Jack, you're going on, son'

Bu Kilmarnock boss Gary Locke has other ideas.

Hearts substitutes line up with two of the mascots.

Hearts owner Ann Budge - a classy lady at a classy club

Jack holds up his hero's shirt in the player's changing room.

 Jack joins some of Hearts promising youngsters.

Hearts and Kilmarnock captains line up with the referee and the mascots. Jack is next to Jock the Jambo (don't ask...)

One never needs an excuse to do the '5-1'....

 Jack warming up - not that he needed to in the warm Edinburgh sunshine.

Jack and another mascot with goalie Neil Alexander.

Like I say, you never need an excuse to do the '5-1'...

Heart of Midlothian 2 Motherwell 0

Ladbrokes SPFL Premiership, Wednesday 12 August 2015 – Tynecastle

Hearts impressive return to the top flight of Scottish football continued at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening as they defeated Motherwell in front of a near sell-out crowd – a result which takes the Maroons clear at the top of the table.

Head Coach Robbie Neilson had hinted at changes from the team which won at Dundee at the weekend and, indeed, three changes were made as Gavin Reilly, Sam Nicholson and Billy King came in with Blazej Augustyn injured and Juanma and Jamie Walker dropping to the substitute’s bench.

As is nearly always the case at Tynecastle, Hearts posted their intentions early on and Nicholson came close after just two minutes with a shot which had Well keeper Ripley beaten but whizzed past the post.

Nicholson and Billy King seemed to be taking it in turns to torment the Motherwell defence and it was from a King free-kick that Igor Rossi almost gave the home side the lead but the defender’s header was deflected away from goal.

Just after the half hour mark, Hearts pressure told when the ever-dangerous Nicholson danced his way past the visiting defence into the penalty box only to be fouled by McDonald. Penalty said referee Brian Colvin and Gavin Reilly confidently stroked home the spot kick to give the home side the lead.

Hearts should have doubled their lead five minutes later when Nicholson delivered a teasing cross which Prince Buaben met with his head but his effort on goal was inches wide.

Good work by King then presented Reilly with another chance but his shot on goal was straight at Ripley.

Half-time Hearts 1 Motherwell 0

After posing little threat in the opening forty-five minutes, Motherwell looked more determined at the start of the second half. That said, the hard-working Gavin Reilly came closest to scoring again with a shot which was saved by Ripley.

Billy King then tested the overworked Well keeper with a 25 yard low shot which the goalie pushed away. However, the impressive King was not to be denied and he doubled Hearts lead in the 65^th minute. Great build-up play by Buaben saw King collect the ball on the right and he cut in before firing a shot which Ripley could only parry into the net to put Hearts two goals ahead.

Hearts substitute Juanma came close when he almost connected with Callum Paterson’s dangerous cross but the scoring ended at 2-0 to the home side.

Hearts looked much more assured in defence and Robbie Neilson will be delighted not only with another three points but his side’s first clean sheet of the season.

Hearts are playing a lot more ‘direct’ football this season than last, when Neilson was quoted as saying his side would never play the long-ball game. However, when they play the passing game that has become their trademark, they can still do it to devastating effect. New signing Oshaniwa looks very comfortable on the ball and the Nigerian World Cup star’s pace and trickery will cause problems to many teams.

Another fine victory for Hearts who are now clear at the top of the Ladbroke’s Premiership following champions Celtic dropping a couple of points at Kilmarnock. Hoops assistant John Collins was quoted this week as saying that other teams in Scotland aren’t clever enough to test the Glasgow club.

Well, if Mr Collins would care to look at the league table tonight he will see Hearts are in a very clever position indeed…

Hearts: Alexander, Paterson, Ozturk, Rossi (McGhee, 84'), Oshaniwa, King (Oliver, 88'), Buaben, Gomis, Nicholson, Reilly, Sow (Juanma, 59').

Motherwell: Ripley, Hammell, Laing, McManus, Ainsworth, Johnson, Lasley (Leitch, 67'), Law, Moult (Thomas, 76'), Taylor, McDonald (Clarkson, 87').

Referee: Brian Colvin

Att: 16,645

Top man: Sam ‘The Man’ Nicholson

Heart of Midlothian 4 St. Johnstone 3

Ladbrokes SPFL Premiership, Sunday 2 August 2015 - Tynecastle

There were some football pundits who thought this particular fixture in the opening weekend of the Ladbrokes SPFL Championship may have brought a scarcity of goals. This was on the premise that Hearts new-look team may find things tough on their return to top-flight football while the Perth Saints have struggled to find goals of late. How wrong those pundits were as Hearts and St. Johnstone served up a seven goal thriller in front of a near full house at an overcast Tynecastle.

Hearts Head Coach Robbie Neilson gave Igor Rossi, Blazej Augustyn and Juanma their debuts and there was a welcome return for Prince Buaben who missed the final part of last season through injury.

Before kick-off Hearts owner Ann Budge unfurled the SPFL Championship flag, presented to the Gorgie club after their emphatic title win last season. The majority of the huge Tynecastle crowd lapped it up and they had barely settled into their seats when their favourites took the lead.

Just four minutes had been played when Saints defender Brad McKay – released by Hearts during the summer – stumbled inexplicably on the edge of his own penalty box allowing Hearts new striker Juanma to run in on goal the slip the ball beyond goalkeeper Mannus to give the home side an early lead.

The impressive Juanma was proving a real handful to the Saints defence and he came close again with an effort which went wide before another new Jambo – Igor Rossi – also had an effort on goal which was blocked.

However, it was far from one-way traffic. The Perth Saints were dangerous on the counter-attack with Lappin, Shaughnessy and another former Jambo John Sutton causing problems.

Just after the half-hour mark, Hearts Osman Sow did brilliantly to create space for himself but his effort on goal was blocked. However, it was Saints who nearly scored the next goal when Sutton’s header was scooped off the line by Sam Nicholson.

Half-time Hearts 1 St. Johnstone 0

St. Johnstone resumed after the break in determined fashion but it was Hearts who scored again with their first real attack of the second period. Brilliant play by Juanma saw the Spaniard racing through on goal with the visiting defenders trailing him. He slipped the ball to Sam Nicholson whose run into the penalty box was foiled illegally. Penalty said referee Steven McLean – one of the few decisions he got right all afternoon – and Osman Sow duly took the spot kick. His effort was saved by Mannus but Jamie Walker reacted to the rebound quicker than anyone to blast the ball home to put the home side 2-0 ahead.

Hearts two goal advantage didn’t last long. Shaughnessy’s long throw into the Hearts penalty box startled home keeper Neil Alexander who could only palm the ball to Lappin who fired home. 2-1 to Hearts now and there were accusing looks among the home defence.

After Jamie Walker almost scored his second goal, the young forward then played a delightful pass to Callum Paterson and the big utility player drove the ball past Mannus to put Hearts 3-1 ahead. Sam Nicholson then had a glorious chance to put the game to bed but he opted for power rather than precision with his shot on goal from six yards out and his effort sailed into the Gorgie Stand.

It looked like the youngster’s miss would prove costly for the home side. St. Johnstone pulled a goal back when Sutton glanced a header beyond the despairing Alexander before Shaughnessy’s effort spun off Cummings to equalise for the visitors.

Anguish emanated from the Tynecastle stands as Hearts appeared to have thrown away a two goal lead. But Sam Nicholson made up for his earlier miss when he got on the end of a superb cross from the hard-working Callum Paterson to give Hearts a sensational winner.

Gorgie gaffer Robbie Neilson was a relieved man after the game.

"It was a really nerve wracking game for us," he told BBC Radio Scotland. "We wanted to get three points, we managed to do it, but the manner in which we did it wasn't what we were looking for.

"We pride ourselves in being defensively strong, but fatigue played a big part in this because we had four or five boys who have hardly any pre-season.

"We patched them up to try to get them out for this game - Rossi, Augustyn, Juanma, Prince Buaben as well, but I thought they were all fantastic.

"They really worked hard and you could see in the last 30 minutes they were out on their feet, but they kept their character and kept going, winning their headers, winning their tackles, and got us the three points."

Hearts: Alexander, Paterson, Ozturk, Augustyn, Rossi, Nicholson, Buaben, Gomis, Walker (McGhee, 87'), Sow (Reilly, 90'), Juanma (McHattie, 77'). 

St Johnstone: Mannus, Scobbie, Lappin (Cummins, 68'), Millar (Brown, 20'), Wotherspoon (Kane, 85'), Sutton, Shaughnessy, McKay, Easton, Craig, OHalloran.

Referee: Steven McLean

Att: 16,334

Top man: Callum Paterson – what a power of work this laddie put in.

When the Roof Fell in at Tynecastle

                                Photo: www.killiefc.com

As the football season approaches its finale, the Auld Reekie Ranter recalls one last day of the season scenario which occurred fifty years ago today. It was one of the most notorious results inflicted on Heart of Midlothian – and at Tynecastle too.

On 24 April 1965 Kilmarnock visited Gorgie for the final league game of season 1964/65. Normally such a fixture would have been a routine end of season affair with little at stake. However, in this particular season, this was a game the television companies of today could only have dreamt about. For Hearts were top of the league - two points ahead of second-placed Killie in the days when just two points were awarded for a win. The Maroons required just a single point to clinch their third league title in seven years even though it was generally accepted Hearts best years, the all-conquering era of the 1950s, were behind them. Indeed, Hearts could even afford to lose the game as long as it was just by a single goal. At that time goal average rather than goal difference was used to decide the winner if teams were level on points.

More than 37,000 fans packed into Tynecastle to witness history. Hearts, managed by the legendary Tommy Walker, the man who brought so much success to Gorgie in the 1950s, began like they were the team who needed to win by two clear goals. For the opening half an hour they were camped inside the Killie half. They recorded seven corner kicks to the visitor’s one. After only six minutes, Roald Jensen burst through between two Killie defenders and shot for goal. To the agony of the Norwegian, his team mates and the home crowd, his shot smacked off the post.

Hearts were creating chances in a game they didn’t really need to but such was Walker’s philosophy, the need to entertain the paying customer was the raison d’etre for playing the game. It was this spirit of adventure which had brought trophy after trophy to Tynecastle in the preceding decade. But this was now the 1960s and the importance of not losing games was taking precedence over winning and entertaining. On the half hour mark a goal finally did arrive – for Kilmarnock. Davie Sneddon was left all on his own some to head home Tommy McLean’s cross  - the same Tommy McLean who, nearly 30 years later, would become Hearts manager.

Tynecastle was stunned. A feeling of disbelief enveloped the old ground. And while it did, just 60 seconds later, Killie, incredibly, scored the crucial second goal when Black beat Alan Anderson before passing to Brian McIlroy. His low shot flew past Hearts keeper Jim Cruickshank and into the net.

Disbelief had now turned into the stuff of nightmares for Hearts. But they knew that even one goal would still mean they would win the league even if it meant a 2-1 defeat. They laid siege to the Killie goal before half-time but couldn’t find the all-important breakthrough.

It was the same story in the second half. Kilmarnock repelled Hearts incessant attacks. With just seconds remaining and Killie looking like they would hang on for the title, Hearts Roy Barry burst through the defence and passed the ball to Alan Gordon. The striker hit a powerful effort which looked a goal – and, therefore, the league flag – all the way. However, Killie keeper Ferguson threw himself across his goal and tipped the ball wide for a corner. The Hearts players held their heads in their hands. Seconds later, it was all over. Hearts had lost 2-0 and thereby handed the league title to Kilmarnock by 0.42 of a goal – the tightest finish to a league title race in Scottish football history.

Many point to this game as being the one which signalled a decline in Hearts fortunes thereafter which would culminate in relegation in 1977. Tommy Walker remained as manager for 18 months before leaving Tynecastle. Many supporters, dismayed by the decline in their once great club, never returned.

Many of today’s generation of Hearts supporters still recoil in horror the events of another final day of the season calamity when Hearts lost the league title in the final eight minutes of the 1985/86 season at Dundee. The newspapers of that day looked back to 1965 and asked if history could repeat itself. Sadly, it did.

The pain of 1986 will never leave this Hearts supporter. For those Hearts fans who suffered both calamities, 24 April 1965 will never leave either.

That's What They Call Progress

The old black and white photograph on the main page of this blog is of Tynecastle Park, home of the glorious Heart of Midlothian, Edinburgh's finest football club, taken in the 1950s. For those of you who read Adullamite's excellent prose, he actually appears in this photo, third from the front with the flat cap and scarf...The photo in this post is of Hearts with the Scottish Cup in 1956. Anyone of the Hibernian persuasion who doesn't know what this is, drop me an e-mail and I'll try to explain...

Before the auld fella retaliates, those days were before my time, being a child of the 1960s. But one of the many interesting aspects of this photograph is the number of smiling faces. Times were hard in post war Britain (as Adullamite will no doubt concur) but there seemed to be more of a community spirit then and a sense of knowing life was tough but just getting on with it. Going to the football was a welcome release from the travails of everyday life and in those less complicated times if you wanted to go and watch the finest team in Scotland - as Hearts were in the 1950s - you just headed for Gorgie on the tram, handed over your pennies and you stood on the terracing to enjoy the skills of some of the finest football players this country has ever produced. Compare that to now.

Hearts will face Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League play-off round in a couple of weeks with the second leg due to be played at Tynecastle on 24 August. Tynecastle no longer has open terraces with the option of just turning up just before kick-off. Now you have to purchase a ticket for the all-seated 'stadium' (the name Tynecastle Park has been confined to the history books) with the top prices for the game against the Croatians being a whopping £32. I may be wrong here but I suspect £32 may have got you into several years worth of games at Tynecastle less than fifty years ago. And technology is such now that the old season ticket books - where you tore off your ticket for each game from a small booklet - have been replaced with something called a smartcard. I got my small piece of plastic the other week and shall attempt to use it for the first time today when I visit the old ground to watch Hearts pre-season friendly with Sunderland. Knowing Hearts history with such 'innovations' I fully expect it not to work...

Such technology is a sign of our times. Those not going to the game today can keep up with events minute by minute through the internet, mobile phone and Twitter updates - if you asked anyone in the aforementioned black and white photograph if they were on Twitter there would be a fair chance you would be carted away by men in white coats...

Such technology isn't always put to good use. The BBC News carried a story about the release of the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs the other day. As if to demonstrate to the younger and perhaps uninitiated people of today they ran a rather grainy old clip of the train involved on its journey back in 1963. Some young techno geek thought it might be a good idea to add a sound effect to the clip and added the shriek of a steam train for authenticity. Except the train involved was diesel. Well, it must have seemed like good idea to some ignorant BBC research assistant...

I wonder how many of the crowd at Tynecastle today will be smiling in the same way their contemporaries did five decades ago? I'll hazard a guess and say not a lot. Of course, those in the 1950s were watching the likes of Dave Mackay, Willie Bauld, Alfie Conn, Jimmy Wardhaugh and Alex Young - players who brought joy to even the sternest of fans.

Today, Hearts supporters will be watching the likes of Christian Nade attempt to hit a barn door....