Up To The Knees in Tynecastle Grass

There were several reasons why I decided to give this game a miss. Mainly, it was a meaningless friendly, but there was also a certain distaste for Hearts and Tynecastle, the crowd that I rate the worst in Scotland for being bitter and unhappy.

God knows, they have cause for depression. In the first place, they feel they should be the “establishment” team of Scotland. Situated in the capital, a stone’s throw away from the headquarters of Scottish Rugby, they really should be the “Arsenal” of Scotland, drawing support from the middle classes of Morningside and Barnton, winning Championships regularly and putting the “weegies” in their place.

As it is, they are hamstrung by chronically awful management, the Gorgie Road riff-raff and an insane desire to emulate and to sook in with Rangers – such is their hatred of Hibs and Celtic – and now, apparently, they won’t even cut their grass!

I watched the game later in the evening and several things struck me. We always knew that Lafferty and Naismith were nasty pieces of work, and how nice it was to see them put in their place! It is to be hoped that Mr Naismith has an interview with the Compliance Officer very soon and that he will get his desserts for his assault on the blessed Scott Brown, but the situation has hardly been helped by the comments made earlier this season by his manager.

Mind you, that was the man who once sent Scotland out to play a game without a centre forward – and then wondered why they didn’t win!

But the really disturbing thing about the – all right, let’s be euphemistic and call it a “challenge” on Scott Brown was the reaction of their supporters! Full hearted approval was the order of the day from the stands. Aye, aye, the wounds of 1986 and Albert Kidd will never be healed! It goes back further than that.

We beat them 3-0 in the Scottish Cup final of 1907. We got a penalty which they thought was soft, and they went on about it for the next 50 years! No kidding! And we have to recall the night in 2011 when Neil Lennon was assaulted. While BBC Radio Scotland used words like “brutal”, “shameful” and “disgusting”, most of Tynecastle roared its delight.

Sad, but true! And that is the main reason why I will not be upset if I never see the inside of Tynecastle the rest of my life.

But to the football. Three good, well taken goals and an encouraging performance from our team coming back from behind to beat a team that was undeniably committed. Committed, however, was all that they were.

Talented, they were not. Some of our players will have done themselves a certain amount of good for their chances of playing in the only game left now that really matters – the Scottish Cup final. It will be sad if Odsonne Edouard has to miss this game, for the boy has come on leaps and bounds in the last few games and deserves a chance to win another medal.

How nice to see Kieran Tierney in the crowd! He is one of our own, right enough, but he will need to have a very thick skin indeed and a very strong temperament to resist everyone in the media telling him to go to Manchester United or someone else. On that subject, did I read somewhere that someone was trying to get Tom Rogic to go to Southampton? I think that modern text speak for that is “lol” – laughing out loud, or loads of laughs or something, is it not?

But a good win on a good day. And now to do what Hearts groundsman should have done – cut my grass!

David Potter

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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