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Hearts v Liverpool: a short piece


Scottish Steve
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As an Edinburgh boy, born and bred, and Heart of Midlothian season ticket holder, I felt compelled to put into words my feelings regarding the upcoming Europa League play-off tie between Hearts and Liverpool later this month. You see, despite supporting Hearts since my granddad took me along as a nipper in the late 70s, and like many Scots of my age, I also share a great affinity with Liverpool FC.

 

In 1977, a whole generation of Scots were suddenly confronted by the prospect of their talisman (Kenny Dalglish) replacing England’s equivalent (Kevin Keegan). More than a few disparaging murmurings from over the border imbued us all with an awareness of Liverpool and a keen desire for them to do well. This was only further enhanced with the subsequent arrival of messrs Hansen and Souness and long before Kenny’s glorious dink over Jensen hit the back of the Bruges’ net at Wembley, a generation had formed a lasting bond with the Redmen.

 

I was fortunate enough to be able to take this affinity for Liverpool a stage further when I moved to the city in order to study to be a vet. Thanks to a kindly newsagent owner on Smithdown Road I got to travel the length and breadth of the country following Liverpool. For the five seasons book-ended by the treble and Istanbul I got to live the dream: in the paddock for Gary Mac’s penalty against Barcelona and on the Kop both for Ged’s comeback versus AS Roma and the Chelsea semi final on May the 3rd 2005, to name but three.

 

Up until the night of the Chelsea semi final I’d always felt a cruel shiver when football and May the 3rd came together. Back in 1986 it was a magical time to be a Hearts and/or a Liverpool supporter. Both sides, having embarked on long unbeaten runs, had league and cup doubles well within their grasp. Momentum built, steadily, depositing us both on the brink of success. It came down to one match: May the 3rd 1986, the last game of the season. Hearts were faced with one task and one task alone: a point at Dens Park, Dundee and that would be the title. The same day Liverpool set off for Stamford Bridge to play another side in blue, the title also tantalizingly close. We all know that day that Kenny’s chest and seering volley sealed the title for the Redmen but, up in Scotland May the 3rd was to become the darkest of days for the maroons. Seven minutes from the title and a scraggy-haired journeyman called Albert Kidd scored the first of an improbable double and ‘Heart Break’ headlines were as ubiquitous as Kenny’s beaming smile. The following week when Liverpool were toying with their city neighbours, Hearts misery was complete, losing the cup final 3-0 to an Aberdeen side recently vacated by Fergie.

 

Fast forward to May the 13th 2006 and, once again, fate decreed that Hearts and Liverpool would once more settle their domestic cup finals on the same day. And the coincidences keep on coming: both sides were going for their seventh FA cup, both sides secured victory via penalties (Liverpool, of course, seeing off West Ham, Hearts beating Gretna) and both sides were captained by a player with the first name Steven (Gerrard and Presley), who both, incidentally, scored successful penalities in their respective shoot-outs.

 

And so we come back to the Europa League play-off. Many in Edinburgh will have a soft spot for the Reds and, irrespective which side prevails over the two legs (although I think I can guess), many at Tynecastle on August 23rd will have a team to follow resolutely through the group stages and hopefully beyond.

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As an Edinburgh boy, born and bred, and Heart of Midlothian season ticket holder, I felt compelled to put into words my feelings regarding the upcoming Europa League play-off tie between Hearts and Liverpool later this month. You see, despite supporting Hearts since my granddad took me along as a nipper in the late 70s, and like many Scots of my age, I also share a great affinity with Liverpool FC.

 

In 1977, a whole generation of Scots were suddenly confronted by the prospect of their talisman (Kenny Dalglish) replacing England’s equivalent (Kevin Keegan). More than a few disparaging murmurings from over the border imbued us all with an awareness of Liverpool and a keen desire for them to do well. This was only further enhanced with the subsequent arrival of messrs Hansen and Souness and long before Kenny’s glorious dink over Jensen hit the back of the Bruges’ net at Wembley, a generation had formed a lasting bond with the Redmen.

 

I was fortunate enough to be able to take this affinity for Liverpool a stage further when I moved to the city in order to study to be a vet. Thanks to a kindly newsagent owner on Smithdown Road I got to travel the length and breadth of the country following Liverpool. For the five seasons book-ended by the treble and Istanbul I got to live the dream: in the paddock for Gary Mac’s penalty against Barcelona and on the Kop both for Ged’s comeback versus AS Roma and the Chelsea semi final on May the 3rd 2005, to name but three.

 

Up until the night of the Chelsea semi final I’d always felt a cruel shiver when football and May the 3rd came together. Back in 1986 it was a magical time to be a Hearts and/or a Liverpool supporter. Both sides, having embarked on long unbeaten runs, had league and cup doubles well within their grasp. Momentum built, steadily, depositing us both on the brink of success. It came down to one match: May the 3rd 1986, the last game of the season. Hearts were faced with one task and one task alone: a point at Dens Park, Dundee and that would be the title. The same day Liverpool set off for Stamford Bridge to play another side in blue, the title also tantalizingly close. We all know that day that Kenny’s chest and seering volley sealed the title for the Redmen but, up in Scotland May the 3rd was to become the darkest of days for the maroons. Seven minutes from the title and a scraggy-haired journeyman called Albert Kidd scored the first of an improbable double and ‘Heart Break’ headlines were as ubiquitous as Kenny’s beaming smile. The following week when Liverpool were toying with their city neighbours, Hearts misery was complete, losing the cup final 3-0 to an Aberdeen side recently vacated by Fergie.

 

Fast forward to May the 13th 2006 and, once again, fate decreed that Hearts and Liverpool would once more settle their domestic cup finals on the same day. And the coincidences keep on coming: both sides were going for their seventh FA cup, both sides secured victory via penalties (Liverpool, of course, seeing off West Ham, Hearts beating Gretna) and both sides were captained by a player with the first name Steven (Gerrard and Presley), who both, incidentally, scored successful penalities in their respective shoot-outs.

 

And so we come back to the Europa League play-off. Many in Edinburgh will have a soft spot for the Reds and, irrespective which side prevails over the two legs (although I think I can guess), many at Tynecastle on August 23rd will have a team to follow resolutely through the group stages and hopefully beyond.

 

Nice post mate.

Be prepared to be ripped by some of the mongs on here though.

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Were you present when the minute's silence for the Pope's death was booed?

 

Yep, I was there. Just a few idiots, mate. Really doesn't take that many to mess the whole thing up, although d'you think they'd have had a minute's silence if Celtic had been playing Rangers that day instead. Obvious a few idiots would ruin it. I mean, when you play Celtic as a Hearts fan they ram their religion at you with a barrage of IRA chants and sectarian bile; add a minute's silence for the pope to that backdrop and see what happens.

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If asking a question makes me a mong, then I don't know what you would call some of the other quilts on here. Let me guess - mongs.

 

No, not a mong.

 

But were you asking that as a serious question, or just rhetorically trying to make the man feel uncomfortable with unfunny, unclever sarcasm?

 

Just a question, like.

 

 

 

By the way, Steve, nice post. Good man.

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good post, not wanting to remind you but also Celtic winning 5-0 that day couldn't have helped!

 

Do tell Steve, whats the parking like around Tynecastle, Im familiar with Gorgie Road, but I take it there is no parking there on matchdays?

 

Secondly, has the ticket office always been shockingly bad?

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The Pope thing is something which could sour down here lets not forget that or try to gloss it over

 

nice one steve, great post that

 

cant wait for these games, love playing scottish clubs, hardly a battle of britain but it is in my head!

 

Agree. I think there'll be something special about them. Don't know what. Just a feeling.

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You're right. Last season's semi notwithstanding we tend to get our arses handed to us through there. Decent record at home, tough. There's quite a few little side streets off Gorgie Road on the way towards town that might be worth a look for parking. And, bad though that ticket office is, you'd be amazed how much of an improvement we see today.

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As a vet (or a vet in training) could you say that if a monkey with a knife managed to stab a bear in a fight how long would the bear have to kill the monkey before bleeding out?

 

I've got a mate who's a Hearts fans, told him I'd watch the Scottish Cup Final which you won 5-1.

 

Bit of a dodgy sending off I thought and other than that I just remember the Swedish bar maid got my missuis hammered on lemon drop shooters which led to an entertaining night.

 

Oh, and apparently you can make haggis from caribou (Norwegians- this is reindeer but you lot fence them in and herd them, we let them roam free). I don't think you can call it haggis as it must come from a sheep.

 

As well, could you stick around after the WBA match. We may need to buy some horse tranquilizers to stifle the mongs if we don't win.

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