Hearts in Gorgie on a Thursday Night

 

                                                Photo: Yahoo News

Football has changed immeasurably in the six decades since I attended my first match at a crumbling Brockville Park, Falkirk, now the site of a supermarket. Some of these changes are unquestionably for the best, other changes perhaps not so (don’t get me started on VAR…) But a relatively recent advent to the way we watch the game has made me think differently about this particular change. I refer to the emergence of young, cheerleading supporters, which many clubs have these days – the Ultras.

Sitting in the Wheatfield Stand at Tynecastle Park towards the Gorgie Road end, I have to admit to feeling somewhat dismayed when Hearts moved the Gorgie Ultras from the other end of the main stand to the front of the Gorgie Stand. My daughters and older grandchildren will tell you I’m something of a curmudgeonly old git, never happy and always pessimistic when it comes to all things Hearts. I believe I have a form of PTDS – Post Traumatic Dens Syndrome – which is a result of watching Hearts throwing away the chance to become league champions with just eight minutes left of season 1985/86. The silver-shirted Jambos needed just a point from their final game at Dens Park, Dundee to win the league for the first time since 1960. The devil incarnate that is Dundee substitute Albert Kidd scored twice towards the end of the game to inflict Hearts first defeat in any competition since the end of September. That defeat enabled Celtic to win the league on goal difference.

Ever since that day in May 1986, my glass has always been less than half empty as far as Hearts are concerned. I refuse to let optimism enter my mind, fearful the metaphorical roof will fall in as it did at Dens Park. So, when the club moved the always cheerful, sometimes annoyingly so, Gorgie Ultras to my part to Tynecastle my heart sank. What does some youngster banging a drum incessantly know about the pain and suffering fans of my generation experienced nearly 40 years ago?

And what’s this ‘tra la la la la la la’ stuff anyway? When I was their age I stood on the old crumbling Tynecastle terracing in the Shed chanting to the opposition fans, usually when Hearts conceded a goal, that ‘you’re gonna get your f***ing head kicked in’ or ‘you’re going home in a f***ing ambulance.’ It’s magic you know – there’s gonna be Gorgie aggro.

 Of course, I’m not advocating violence as being reflective of happier times. These chants were of their time and some elements of the Hearts support at that time weren’t slow in displaying sectarian chanting. Thankfully, most Hearts supporters have moved away from this unacceptable behaviour. That said, when I first heard the Gorgie Ultras my first thought was ‘jeez, gonnae gie it a rest?’  But now, whisper it, I actually enjoy them…(looks up the word ‘enjoy’ in a thesaurus)

The support from these young Gorgie Ultras is tremendous. While old curmudgeons like me sit arms crossed with faces like thunder, the young brigade are chanting their undying support for our team. What has particularly impressed me is the Ultras’ recent penchant for turning songs from my youth into meaningful football chants.

 The obvious example is Glad All Over, made famous by the Dave Clark Five back in the 1960s, into a display of obvious affection for Lawrence Shankland. Recently, there’s been an addition to the Shankland song book by an adaptation of She’s Electric by 1990s wonder group Oasis, although the line  ‘he scores against Hibees and Celtic’ kind of omits the rest of the teams Shanks regularly scores against. And the 1970s purveyors of cheesy music, Boney M, have had their hit Daddy Cool turned into a deep appreciation of Zander Clark.

As Hearts sit well clear in third place at the time of writing (see, there’s my nearly empty glass syndrome kicking in again) with the prospect of another shot at European football next season, the old classic by the Four Seasons – December ’63 (Oh What a Night) has been cleverly adapted by the Gorgie Ultras to ‘Oh What a Night, Hearts in Gorgie on a Thursday night, Hibs at home because they’re’….well, you get the picture.

Perhaps it’s their clever adaptation of songs from my youth that has made me change my mind about the Gorgie Ultras. Or their unwavering support for our team that puts older fans like me to shame. Whatever it is, I now look forward to hearing these fine young Hearts fans belting out their support from the Gorgie Stand. Yes, even the fan banging the drum.

To paraphrase that old Dave Clark Five song, ‘you make me happy’.

I’m off now to lie down in a darkened room.

  

Mike Smith

Twitter @Mike1874

www.thefitbason.com

 

 

Have You Ever Been Blue (Carded?)

 

                                                                     Image: EPLIndex

In the ever-changing world of football, the latest proposal to improve ‘the beautiful game’ is a suggestion to trial sending players to a ‘sin bin’ for a period of ten minutes during a game for certain misdemeanours.

The IFAB – the International Football Association Board (people of a certain age may think this has Thunderbirds connotations) - are scheduled to discuss the proposal at its annual meeting in March in the unlikely but nevertheless stunning location of Loch Lomond. The idea is that, in addition to the red and yellow cards all-too frequently issued by referees, there will be a blue card, likely to be issued for less serious offences such as dissent, not retreating ten yards at a free-kick or time wasting.

Rugby union operates a similar system and while clearly the dynamics of the oval ball game are different to that of association football this seems to work well enough as illustrated during the current six nations competition.

It isn’t clear yet, even if the blue card proposal is given the green light (I’m getting a headache with all these colour references) when and where the trials will start. England’s Premier League has already stated they won’t be implementing it and even FIFA have suggested it’s unlikely to happen at elite levels of football although who defines what levels of football are elite is anyone’s guess.

In fairness, I can see why the footballing lawmakers have suggested this as a proposal. There seems to be an increasing number of instances of players seeking to gain an unfair advantage by falling over as if having been shot by a sniper at the nearest brush of contact from an opponent. It really irritates me when I hear pundits and summarisers on television and radio saying, ‘there was contact, so the player was entitled to go down.’ This, in my view, is utter tosh. Some players fall over when there has been no foul committed, particularly when they’re anticipating a tackle that doesn’t arrive. Despatching such players to the ‘sin bin’ for ten minutes may not eradicate such behaviour but I suspect IFAB believe it will make players think twice before falling down like a pack of cards when an opponent tickles their arm.

I grew up watching football in the 1970s and there were hard men back then in what was a much more physical game than it is now. But there was a different attitude back then. Players such as John Greig at Rangers, Bobby Murdoch at Celtic, Drew Busby at Hearts, and John Blackley at Hibernian were tough competitors who, to use a phrase in popular use at the time, ‘took no prisoners.’  But their opponents wouldn’t collapse to the ground when they could feel their breath on the back of their neck. Rather, they wanted to show these no-nonsense players that they weren’t afraid of them.

I suspect those aforementioned players and others such as Willie Miller at Aberdeen and, down south, the legendary Dave Mackay at Tottenham Hotspur and Derby County would have viewed the sin bin as nothing more than a gimmick. Indeed, such players would probably find themselves spending ten minutes on the field of play and 80 minutes in the sin bin…

When you add in VAR – have I mentioned how much I dislike it? – I can see a game kicking off at 3.00pm and not finishing until 5.30pm. Which would be a serious issue for me as the present Mrs Smith already suspects the reason I’m late home from the football is that I partake of a pint of foaming ale from any number of hostelries on the way home. Then it’s not so much a blue card but turning the air blue and issuing me a straight red…

I agree that something needs to be done to end the blatant cheating of some players, particularly in the top-flight divisions in both Scotland and England. But refereeing officials have a tough enough job as it is without having to check when the ten minute sin bin time is up to allow a player back on the field. And one can envisage a team temporarily going down to ten men packing their defence for ten minutes – and surely the game is about scoring goals?

With the vast amounts of money in the game in England perhaps financial penalties would have minimal impact but a retrospective points deduction may drive home the message to players and managers that cheating is not acceptable. Never has been and never will be.

And from a Scottish football perspective, the flashing of a blue card to a Celtic player during an Old Firm game at Ibrox may prove a tad inflammatory.

 What is needed is a common sense approach. Add your own punchline here, dear reader, before a sin bin is installed at a stadium near you... 

 

Mike Smith

Twitter @Mike1874

www.thefitbason.com

 

 

 

20 Years Ago Today - A Brilliant Night in Bordeaux

 

Photo: Eric McCowat

UEFA Cup, 2^nd Rd, 1^st Leg, 6 November 2003, Stade-Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux 

A significant feature of Craig Levein’s time as manager of Hearts, was achieving some decent results in European competition – particularly away from Edinburgh.  Season 2003/04 would see Hearts maintain their steady progress under the former Scotland centre half even though money, as always, was tight at Tynecastle. Chairman Chris Robinson had to tell Levein – like the majority of Hearts managers before him – that he would need to wheel and deal in the transfer market, as there would be no money for new players. However, Levein was proving more than adept at spotting attributes in players others couldn’t see.

Levein recruited two attack-minded players in the summer of 2003. Dennis Wyness had a decent scoring record at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hearts faced a fight with Wyness’ former team Aberdeen – who wanted him back at Pittodrie – for the Aberdonian’s signature. The fact that Hearts were about to play in the UEFA Cup seemed to swing it for Wyness, who ventured south to Scotland’s capital city and signed for Hearts. Paul Hartley was a player who once played for Edinburgh’s other team but saw the error of his ways. He had performed well for St. Johnstone and Levein saw the Glaswegian as an integral part of the Hearts team – something Hartley would prove to be for some time after Levein’s departure from Tynecastle. Both players, to the delight of Chairman Chris Robinson, cost nothing as they were at the end of their respective contracts.

Hearts had enjoyed a productive campaign in season 2002/03 and a third place finish in the SPL meant participation in the UEFA Cup. Hearts awaited the draw for the first round knowing they would be sure to face tough opposition. They were paired with the Bosnian side Zeljeznicar Sarajevo and while the draw could have been tougher, Hearts were grateful they had avoided the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool, Valencia and Borussia Dortmund. The Bosnians, though, were no mugs and on their substitute’s bench was a 17-year-old striker who would go on to become a huge star in years to come. In January 2011, Edin Dzeko would move from German football to money-laden Manchester City for the not inconsiderable sum of £27m.

Hearts won the first leg 2-0 at Tynecastle, thanks to goals from Mark de Vries and Andy Webster. Crucially, they had avoided conceding an away goal, but those of us who recalled Hearts UEFA Cup trip to neighbouring Velez Mostar in 1988, knew the return leg would be a tough affair. The Bosnians weren’t happy with their defeat in Edinburgh and sacked coach Amar Osmin afterwards. New coach Milomir Odovic told his players they not only still had a chance to progress, but they had to prove to him that they were good enough. It took a backs to the wall performance from Hearts to secure a goalless draw and progression to the second round on a 2-0 aggregate.

When the draw for the second round was made, Hearts fans clapped their hands with eager anticipation. No trip to the relative unknown this time. For Hearts were paired with one of the leading clubs in French football – FC Girondins de Bordeaux. The first leg was to be played in the south of France and the chance of heading to warmer climes seven weeks before Christmas to see their team take on one of Europe’s top sides was not to be missed for Hearts supporters. 3,000 Jambos headed to the wine producing region of France. Hearts arranged a special charter plane to take fans there and back on the same day. With hindsight, the events of Thursday 6 November 2003 meant that, perhaps, we should have stayed over to fully celebrate one of the most famous results in the history of Heart of Midlothian Football Club….

There were just over 15,000 fans at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux – a fifth of whom had made the journey from Scotland. Those of us who boarded Hearts charter flight at 7.00am that day, had been in the French city since 11.00am – and had spent much of the day sampling the delights of the city and French hospitality. It may have been early November but the temperature in the south of France was 72 degrees fahrenheit and while some Hearts fans headed for open-air cafes, most congregated at an Irish Bar (as you do when in France…) called The Connemara. It was a day when a copious amount of alcohol was consumed, and it built up a magnificent atmosphere ahead of the match.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, McKenna, Webster, Pressley, Kisnorbo, Maybury, Stamp, Wyness, Valois, De Vries

As for the game itself, the majority of Hearts supporters present may have been under various influences of alcohol, but I suspect many of them were wondering if they had imbibed too much when they heard the team Craig Levein had selected for the game. Granted, several beers had been consumed during the course of the day but as I stood behind the goal with 3,000 other Jambos but it seemed to me Levein had gone for a 4-3-3 option – as Dennis Wyness, Mark de Vries and Jean-Louis Valois were all named in Hearts starting line-up. However, when the game kicked off, it soon became apparent that de Vries would plough a lone furrow up front. Wyness and Valois were part of a six-man midfield – with Kevin McKenna, Steven Pressley and Andy Webster forming a trio of centre halves in front of young goalkeeper Craig Gordon, making his debut in European football at the age of 20 years. Robbie Neilson, normally a full back, was given one of the six midfield positions and the intent was clearly to stop the home side from producing anything approaching French flair. What’s more – it worked.

Bordeaux struggled to produce a threat of any kind in the first 15 minutes. Hearts six man midfield snapped at the heels of any home player threatening to venture forward, with Bordeaux striker Jean-Claude Darcheville – who would later go on to play for Rangers in the SPL – hardly getting a touch of the ball. The old adage in football in games like these is if the underdogs can survive the first 20 minutes, then anything is possible. After 20 minutes, came the first real chance of the game – but not at the end of the ground most expected. Robbie Neilson, of all people, had been fouled on the edge of the Bordeaux penalty box and while there were hopeful appeals from the less than sober visiting support, the resultant free kick taken by Valois, back in the country of his birth, went wide. Nevertheless, it added to the belief in the Hearts camp that a positive result was possible.

It did, however, alert the home team that they had a game on their hands. Jemmali fired in a ferocious shot that Craig Gordon did well to save, before an effort from Feindouno went just over the crossbar. Moments later, a moment of carelessness from Valois presented another chance for Feindouno but again his effort was not on target. The game was now taking on the pattern we all thought it would, with the French continuing to press, although Hearts threatened again just before half-time when Neilson – revelling in his midfield role – delivered a cross that caused consternation in the home defence. With both Kevin McKenna and Mark de Vries lurking in the Bordeaux penalty area, the aforementioned Feindouno headed the ball towards his goalkeeper Rame – who had Dennis Wyness bearing down on him. The Bordeaux number one managed to avert the danger but it was another encouraging sign for Hearts, roared on by their vociferous support who were showing their French counterparts just how to get behind your team. Those Jambos were happy to get the chance to ease their voices at half time with the game still goalless – Craig Levein’s master plan was, so far, working well.

Five minutes after the re-start, Darcheville produced a chance out of nothing but fired his shot over the bar. Minutes later, the same player had a goal bound shot hooked off the goal line by Andy Webster, before Gordon produced another fine save from Costa. It didn’t help the now sobering Hearts support that Bordeaux were attacking the end behind which they stood anxiously, and we constantly looked at our watches in the belief that time had stood still in the south of France.

Craig Levein brought on fresh legs when Paul Hartley replaced Valois, but Hearts suffered a blow when the magnificent Robbie Neilson had to go off injured, to be replaced by Austin McCann. Inevitably, it was Bordeaux who continued to make all the running, and, at times, Craig Gordon must have felt it was he against the French as the home team did everything but score. The young goalkeeper came of age that evening and one could see the frustration on the faces of the home players as the Hearts supporting goalie kept them at bay, one save in particular from Pochettino damn near taking the breath away.

Still the game remained goalless. Hearts supporters would have been delighted with a goalless draw and the chance to complete the job at Tynecastle three weeks later. With just 12 minutes left, the deadlock was broken. On a rare foray into the Bordeaux half, Hearts were awarded a free kick for a foul on Phil Stamp that Hartley elected to take. He was too far out to have a shot on goal, but he expertly floated a long ball towards the far post, which the tall figure of McKenna met with his head. ‘Moose’ as the big Canadian defender was known, headed the ball across the penalty box where Rame palmed his effort away – but only into the path of de Vries who slotted the ball into the net for an incredible goal. Cue absolute bedlam in the Hearts end as 3,000 disbelieving maroon and white clad supporters leapt for joy.

The home support was stunned. It has to be said the same feeling was prevalent among a nonetheless, ecstatic travelling support. The game ended with an historic 1-0 win for Hearts, their first and, to date, only victory on French soil. Bordeaux were one of the leading clubs in France and for a young, inexperienced Hearts team – and manager – to come away with a victory was nothing short of sensational. At the end of the game, the Hearts players celebrated with those who had travelled to support them.

It was to Craig Levein’s credit that he said, immediately after the game had ended, that the tie had still to be won. Bordeaux wasn’t a top team in Europe for nothing and they would fancy their chances of overturning the deficit at Tynecastle in the return leg. Which, inevitably, as far as Hearts are concerned, they did. In front of a full house of close to 18,000 fans in Gorgie, the French team displayed their undoubted class with a performance of maturity and authority and won 2-0 on the night to progress 2-1 on aggregate. Domestically, Hearts secured another third place finish in the SPL but lost to Dundee in the League Cup and Celtic in the Scottish Cup.

Nonetheless, the disappointment of that cold November evening in Gorgie will never take away the jubilation felt by those of us who travelled to the south of France three weeks earlier. Such trips take a fair degree of planning but it’s doubtful if any of us could have made a better job if we had planned it in detail ourselves. The weather, the hospitality, the magnificence of Bordeaux, the alcohol – and, of course, the result, meant it was just the perfect day to be a Hearts supporter. In fact, I would say it was the best day I have had as a Hearts supporter outside of seeing the Jambos win three Scottish Cups. A day none of us who were there will ever forget.

 Twitter @Mike1874

We Support the Boys in Blue

 

During the international fixtures for October, there was much celebration over the fact that Scotland had qualified for the final stages of next summer’s European Championships in Germany. Scotland’s mightily impressive start to their qualifying campaign – winning their first five games in Group A, an unprecedented achievement – meant a draw in their sixth game against Spain in Seville would secure their passage to the finals.

After having what looked like a perfectly good goal disallowed early in the second half (don’t get me started on VAR…), the Scots lost 2-0 to their hosts. As a nation we don’t see success as comfortable bedfellows and few of the Tartan Army expected much else, particularly as Spain were intent on revenge for their 2-0 defeat at Hampden earlier this year.

We knew that, despite the defeat in Seville, Scotland would qualify if Norway failed to defeat the Spaniards in Oslo the following Sunday. Whilst a draw in that fixture would have been the idea result – Scotland would have qualified for the finals and still be top of the group – Spain’s narrow victory was enough for Scots across the globe to celebrate. And celebrate we did!

It’s a phenomenal achievement by Steve Clarke’s team and the reaction took me back half a century to when Scotland qualified for the 1974 Word Cup finals in what was then West Germany. The world was a different place back then and the Scots were drawn in a qualifying group that included just two other countries – Denmark and what was then called Czechoslovakia. Denmark weren’t the force in world football they are today and Scotland brushed them aside 4-1 in Copenhagen and 2-0 at Hampden.

That just left the small matter of a Czechoslovakian team who were less than three years away from winning the European Championship. Most pundits believed that qualification for West Germany would come down to the head-to-head games between the Scots and the Czechs. However, when Denmark held the Czechs to a draw in Copenhagen the door was suddenly left ajar for Scotland to progress. All they had to do was win their game against the Czechs at Hampden and it would be job done.

On an unforgettable evening at Hampden on 26 September 1973, Scotland fought back from conceding the first goal when Nehoda scored for the visitors – absolute disaster for Scotland as legendary football commentator Arthur Montford put it – to secure a dramatic win with goals from (6 feet four, eyes of blue) Jim Holton and a diving header from a young Joe Jordan.

The scenes at Hampden at the end of the game were memorable. Scotland had qualified for the final stages of a World Cup for the first time in 16 years. Not since 1958 had the Scots graced the world stage. Manager Willie Ormond, a member of Hibernian’s Famous Five forward line of the 1950s, was carried shoulder high from the field as the Scots celebrated a momentous achievement.

Scotland had had some great players since they last played in a World Cup finals. Dave Mackay, Willie Henderson, John Greig, Jim Baxter, and Tommy Gemmell were all players of note yet none of them would play in the final stages of a World Cup. Now, the class of 1974 had the opportunity to make history, particularly as they were the only home nation to qualify. England were put to the sword by Poland (who would go on to get third place in West Germany) and the football headline writers down south were in crisis mode. Manager Sir Alf Ramsay had helped make England world champions in 1966 (you may have heard about this) but eight years later he was persona non grata.

Scotland, being Scotland, we went out of the 1974 World Cup in the first round on goal difference. The fact we only put two goals past African minnows Zaire while Yugoslavia put nine past them didn’t help. In later years, allegations surfaced about bribery but that’s another story.

Of course, Scotland would go on to qualify for another four World Cup finals in succession. The sheer joy of our nation qualifying to play on the biggest football stage of all was all consuming – never mind the sometimes catastrophic events when we got there (if there is anyone from Peru, Iran or Costa Rica reading this – just don’t, okay?)

The present-day Scotland team have exceeded expectations, particularly with the victories over Spain and Norway. The more ‘glass half-empty’ fans among us will say this is dangerous and will lead to an inevitable downfall. Bur, for now, lets enjoy the moment, savour the remarkable fact that Scotland haven’t qualified for a major tournament through the back door of a play-off but were one of the first countries to qualify on merit.

As the Scotland squad of fifty years ago sang so memorably in their World Cup song ‘Yabba dabba do, we support the boys in blue…’

 

 Mike Smith

Twitter @Mike1874

www.theftibason.com

 

 

 

 

Want to Bet?

 

Photo: Getty Images

There is something of a paradox in Scottish football these days. In fact, not just Scottish football but football in general.

There are numerous clubs in the UK whose shirts are emblazoned by the name of a betting company of some kind of another. In the cinch Premiership, Celtic and Rangers currently promote betting companies on their shirts and, in Scotland, there are seemingly no plans to stop this despite the Premier League in England banning the names of gambling companies on the front of team shirts from season 2026/27.

There are some wellbeing organisations and charities who have been concerned for some time by the affects of gambling addiction on the young (and not so young) and the fact that it is now easier than ever before to place a bet on just about anything you can think on.

The internet has seen a huge increase in online betting through various apps. Most of the betting companies who run these apps not only make it far easier than it should be to gamble on your smart phone but actively encourage you to do so by bombarding you with email messages on a daily basis. It makes for a reasonable argument to suggest that promoting these companies on football shirts encourages impressionable young adults to gamble.

Some football clubs have started to move away from taking the ‘gold’ on offer from said betting companies. This is to their credit, and it seems any form of gambling is now persona non grata at an increasing number of football clubs around the country. It doesn’t seem that long ago that you could use betting facilities at Tynecastle and Easter Road, for example. The hut in the Wheatfield Stand at Tynecastle which was a mini betting shop has been closed for some time now, but it used to be a hive of activity on match days.

And it’s not just the betting shop which has disappeared from Tynie. For years, I was accustomed to parting with my hard-earned cash to the auld fella at the turnstile (sound familiar, Citizens?) before having my ears subjected to ‘get yer half-time draw tickets!’ being bellowed from a person or persons armed with a fifty-fifty draw ticket. For a mere pound you had the chance of winning an untold fortune (well, enough to get a few rounds in at The Diggers pub after the game)

I recall visiting Firs Park, home of East Stirlingshire a few years ago, at a time when the Shire were still in the Scottish Football League albeit perennial strugglers in the bottom division. I was so impressed by a fella doing his fifty-fifty half-time draw ticket sales pitch – ‘this could change your life forever’ – that I parted with a pound and stuffed my part of the ticket in my pocket. It was only upon leaving the ground at the end of the game that I saw the winning number nailed to a hut by the exit gate. It was my number. I duly collected £125 and felt a tad guilty that I was taking money from a club for which every penny was precious. Although not guilty enough to give them it back…

Along the road from Firs Park, was Brockville Park, former home of Falkirk FC. I remember my father taking me there in the late 1960s/early 1970s and buying a ‘goalden goal’ ticket (do you see what they did there?) For the price of a shilling (for those under the age of 50 look it up on Google) you got a perforated piece of paper which, upon opening, contained any time between 0 minutes and 90 minutes. The idea was if your ticket had the time of the first goal of the game you won a cash prize. I still recall my father throwing away one of his tickets in disgust after it revealed ‘0 mins, 14 seconds’…In fact, the terracing at Brockville Park always seemed to be festooned with discarded ‘goalden’ goal tickets.

Nowadays, with the internet meaning instant access to the world on one’s smartphone – and the world of online gambling – there isn’t quite the same anticipation with buying a half-time draw ticket or the much missed ‘goalden’ goal ticket.

I like a bet as much as the next person but I do appreciate the dangers of addiction which can lead to serious consequences. But I do ponder if the fact that Celtic and Rangers have a gambling company as their shirt sponsors will really influence wee Johnny sitting at either Celtic Park or Ibrox to bet his life away at an online bookmaker.

In life, people really have to take responsibility for their own actions. But do they? Don’t bet on it…

 

 Mike Smith

Twitter @Mike1874

Hearts and the Texaco Cup

 

Much has been made of the financial rewards for clubs participating in UEFA competitions. From the Champions League to the Europa League and the Europa Conference, there is a veritable pot of gold for those clubs who qualify and do well. Commercial sponsors are, of course, quick to the fore to attach their names to these competitions, their names plastered all over the stadia and ensuing television coverage.

It hasn’t always been the case but a little more than half a century ago the seeds of commercialism were being sown in football – and Hearts were among the prominent participants.

 In 1970 a new competition was devised – the International League Board Competition. As its name implies this was a cross-border tournament for clubs that had just missed out on gaining a place in European club competitions. Oil giants Texaco sponsored the tournament, and their name became synonymous with a competition which initially include six clubs from Scotland and England and four from Ireland. Hearts had finished fourth in the league at the end of season 1969/70 – not quite enough for what was then the European Fairs Cities Cup (now the Europa League) but sufficient for the Maroons to take part in the inaugural Texaco Cup.

Some people were sceptical about this new-fangled competition believing it was little more than an advertising gimmick for the benefit of Texaco. But for Hearts supporters, the opening tie against English First Division Burnley was something different and quite exciting for the time. Only a decade before, Burnley had been league champions of England although as the 1970s began, the Lancashire club were struggling in the top flight of English football.

 On Tuesday 15^th September 1970, Hearts took to the field at Turf Moor and after just 63 seconds were rather wishing they hadn’t bothered as Michael Docherty – son of future Scotland manager Tommy Docherty - gave Burnley the lead. Dave Merrington doubled the home side’s lead in the 17^th minute and it’s fair to say Hearts struggled. When Steve Kindon made it 3-0 to Burnley just before the hour mark there looked to be no way back for Hearts. However, George Fleming scored with just eight minutes remaining to give the Maroons a lifeline for the return leg at Tynecastle a fortnight later – a lifeline they grabbed with some relish.

 It was a different Hearts performance from the one which meekly surrendered the first leg in Lancashire. Backed by a vociferous support of nearly 16,000 fans, Hearts set about retrieving the two-goal deficit from the first leg with gusto. Inspired by Jim Townsend, Hearts went ahead in the 14^th minute with a tremendous 20-yard drive from Jim Brown following fine play from Townsend and Donald Ford.

 The Maroons sensed blood and while Burnley spurned two great chances to equalise on the night, the home side drew parity on aggregate on the stroke of half-time when a Townsend corner was turned across goal by Alan Anderson for Kevin Hegarty to head home from close range. 2-0 to Hearts and 3-3 on aggregate as the Gorgie fans celebrated at half-time. They were cheering again three minutes into the second half when an own goal from Waldron gave Hearts the lead on aggregate before Andy Lynch made it 4-0 with a brilliant goal, again set up by that man Townsend. Although Burnley pulled a goal back from Casper with 25 minutes left to set up a grandstand finish, Hearts secured a brilliant 4-1 win on the night to progress 5-4 on aggregate.

 Hearts were paired with fellow Scots Airdrieonians in the quarter finals and a majestic performance in the first leg at Broomfield saw John Harvey’s men thrash the Diamonds 5-0 with Donald Ford scoring four goals. It was typical of the Hearts team of the time that they lost the return leg at Tynecastle 3-2 but progressed to the semi-finals 7-3 on aggregate.

Hearts were drawn with Airdrie’s Lanarkshire rivals Motherwell in the semi-finals and were held to 1-1 draw in a tense first leg at Tynecastle, just before Christmas 1970, Donald Ford scoring for the home side. The winter weather resulted in the return leg at Fir Park being postponed in the New Year and it wasn’t until early March that the tie was concluded. In front of a crowd of more than 25,000, Hearts looked to heading out of the tournament when Heron gave the home side the lead. However, in the 90^th minute, Hearts won a corner which was hotly disputed by the home players. George Fleming didn’t argue and scored an equaliser to take the game to extra-time where, inevitably, Donald Ford scored the winning goal to take Hearts through to the final.

 On 14^th April 1971, Hearts took on English giants Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Texaco Cup Final first leg in front of over 25,000 expectant fans at Tynecastle. Donald Ford – who else? – had the home fans in a frenzy as he gave the maroon and white striped Hearts the lead in the seventh minute. But the frenzy cooled as Mike Bailey and Scottish internationalist Hugh Curran had the visitors 2-1 ahead after half an hour. Curran added a third goal two minutes from the end and Hearts faced a monumental task of heading to Molineux for the second leg with a 3-1 deficit.

 However, Hearts restored a lot of pride by producing a superb performance in that second leg with George Fleming scoring midway through the first half to reduce the arrears but, try as they might, they couldn’t score the second goal which would have resulted in extra-time. A very good Wolves team lifted the trophy wining the final 3-2 on aggregate.

Hearts again entered Texaco Cup for season 1971-72 and the visit of Newcastle United to Tynecastle on 15^th September 1971 excited the Maroon Army once more. The Geordies had striker Malcolm MacDonald in their side, labelled ‘SuperMac,’ and who cost Newcastle £180,000, a significant sum half a century ago. MacDonald, however, was kept quiet by a resolute Hearts defence and the Maroons stunned their illustrious visitors when Andy Lynch scored the only goal of the game in the 56^th minute.

 Hearts headed to St James Park a fortnight later and, backed by a huge travelling support, put on another magnificent display. With just five minutes to go, the game remained goalless, and Hearts looked set for a famous result. But the aforementioned ‘SuperMac’ struck to level the aggregate score and send the tie into extra-time. MacDonald scored again early in extra-time, and it looked like Hearts brave efforts would be for nothing. However, with just three minutes remaining, Alan Anderson headed home a Neil Murray cross to level the tie at 2-2. A penalty shoot-out was required but Hearts luck ran out when Jim Townsend and Donald Ford missed their spot kicks which enabled Newcastle United to progress 4-3 on penalties.

 Season 1972-73 saw Hearts in more Texaco Cup action with a memorable first round victory over Crystal Palace. A late Tommy Murray goal secured a 1-0 win in the first leg at Tynecastle before Andy Lynch scored another late goal in the return leg at Selhurst Park to secure a 2-0 aggregate victory over a big-spending Crystal Palace side. However, in the second round, Motherwell exacted revenge by knocking Hearts out of the competition, a 4-2 second leg victory at Fir Park following a goalless first leg at Tynecastle.

 Hearts last memorable Texaco Cup occasion came in season 1973-74 when they visited English giants Everton for their first round first leg clash. The legend that was Drew Busby scored the only goal of the game at a rain lashed Goodison to secure a famous victory and Bobby Seith’s men duly completed the job at Tynecastle with a goalless draw to progress 1-0 on aggregate. However, revenge was once more on the cards in the second round when old adversaries Burnley defeated Hearts 3-0 in the first leg at Tynecastle before thrashing the Maroons 5-0 in the return at Turf Moor.

Hearts love affair with the Texaco Cup ended the following season when they lost 2-1 on aggregate to Oldham Athletic in the first round. Texaco withdrew their sponsorship after this season and the competition was renamed the Anglo-Scottish Cup. Hearts lost to Fulham in 1975, Partick Thistle in 1978 and Airdrieonians in 1980 but the Anglo-Scottish Cup didn’t have the allure of its predecessor.

 The Texaco Cup Final of 1971 and the memorable victories over Burnley, Everton and Crystal Palace remain etched on the memories of my generation of Hearts supporters.

 

Mike Smith

Twitter @Mike1874

 

 

Thanks For the Memories, Big Man

 

                                                Image: The Scottish Football Museum

On a recent visit to my daughter’s house in darkest Dalkeith recently, I was heartened to see my 16-year-old granddaughter Hannah enjoying the sun in the back garden. She wasn’t lying incommunicado with a set of headphones stuck in her lugholes – rather she was engrossed in a good book. And not on one of these technically fangled Kindle things – it was an actual hardback book, leather bound with actual pages that required turning.

I was delighted to see Hannah has her ageing grandfather’s aptitude for reading. I had rather wished I had taken the book I’m presently engaged in – Alex Brown’s excellent Niddrie Boys, an autobiographical tale of a lad of similar age to me growing up in Edinburgh’s Niddrie/Craigmillar area and the trials and tribulations he went through.

It was whilst reading Niddrie Boys that I heard the recent sad news of the passing of one of Scotland’s finest defenders – Gordon McQueen.

There’s a chapter in Niddrie Boys where Alex Brown detailed his adventure to Wembley in 1977 to watch Scotland play England in the bi-annual pilgrimage to old London town. In what were less technically operated times, Brown sneaked on a London bound train without paying at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station and joined the thronging masses for the journey south. Brown regales us with the story that the train was so ‘rammed’ as he puts it that there was next to no chance of any ticket inspector even attempting to check tickets of passengers, the number of whom far exceeded the capacity of the train. The Niddrie Boy then fell off the train at London King’s Cross and staggered his way to Wembley Stadium where he – and doubtless countless others – managed to climb into the stadium without paying.

Brown said he had a great view of Gordon McQueen heading home Scotland’s first goal. It was one of those goals you never forget and never tire of seeing. The towering figure of a Scots warrior, leaping above a hapless English defender, his mop of blonde hair straddled over his head which bulleted the ball past England goalkeeper Ray Clemence. McQueen then ran to soak up the acclaim of an adoring Scottish support, given another shot of adrenalin just as the effects of copious amounts of alcohol was beginning to wear off.

That Scotland team of 1977 had the fans daring to believe. McQueen was a tower of strength at the back while the genius that was Kenny Dalglish, wing wizardry of Willie Johnston and the power of striker Joe Jordan were huge contributions to a team that was genuinely considered by some to be among the best nations in Europe. After all, hadn’t Scotland eliminated reigning European Champions Czechoslovakia from the qualifying group for the World Cup finals in Argentina the following year?

Dalglish scored a second Scotland goal in the second half before England pulled back a late goal. The Scots won 2-1 and thousands of them – including Alex Brown – poured on to the hallowed Wembley turf before demolishing the old stadium. Bits of Wembley turf and goalposts are still to be found all over Scotland to this day.

My favourite tale from that afternoon was from manager Ally MacLeod. Before Wembley, the ebullient Ally wasn’t quite as well known down south as he was in his homeland. MacLeod struggled to get back to the dressing rooms after the game and with panic setting in amongst what little security there was – the 1970s were different times, dear reader – MacLeod had difficulty persuading one of the security staff that he was indeed the Scotland manager. As MacLeod himself put it – “eventually I made it to the sanctuary of the dressing room and found goalkeeper Alan Rough in the bath – with two Scotland supporters…”

The tragic passing of McQueen brought memories of that day flooding back for me and, unquestionably, thousands of others. In later years, the great man became a summariser for Sky Sports and his reaction in the studio whilst watching James McFadden score an absolute screamer for Scotland against France in Paris in 2007 became iconic. McQueen did well not to lapse into a sweary rejoice when he shouted ‘Goaaaaaaallll!’ although the presenter’s subsequent question of ‘who for, Gordon?’ was the definition of the term pointless.

There was sadly something symmetrical about reading author Alex Brown’s account of that day whilst hearing about McQueen’s death, attributed to the effects of dementia, aged just 70. The footage of McQueen during his spells at Leeds United, Manchester United and, of course, Scotland mean the big fella will never be forgotten.

Thanks for the memories, big man.

 

Mike Smith

Twitter @Mike1874