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Heart of Midlothian Football Club (Hearts, Jamtarts, Jambos) was formed in 1874.
They play at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh. For more information on the history of the club, go to the Official Hearts Web Site
In this section I will start to keep a journal of the games I attend and what my pals and I get up to (i.e., it's about how Hearts affects our social lives as well as the football itself and it's not too serious !!).
Year to Date 2000 Oct/Nov/Dec 1999 September 1999 August 1999 July 1999 May/June 1999
My Jambo History Pubs Near Tynecastle
January 4th 2001
Shock - Horror - I have been able to update my website ! The host servers have been down or so they told me so I haven't been able to update during this turbulent time for the JTs. Quick summary of events since I last updated - Craig Levein, like a lot of people not my first choice, he talks a good game but I am still not sure he will be able to be successful with no cash (would love to be proved wrong); Hibs game - didnae get beat so am very grateful for that! (Had a v. good p*ss up before/after, hibbies and Jambos in good form so sometimes a draw is the best result); didn't go to Perth but was up in aberdeen on the 2nd and we were woeful, really, really bad. I don't know if I even want to finish in top 6 as I can see us getting hammered from everyone... Thank god for the winter break, give us a rest from having to wtch hearts for a while!
November 19th 2000
I was at the Federation meeting at Tynecastle this afternoon (it was freezing!!) and the one of the outcomes was that they would support a sit-in after the Dunee game on Saturday, primarily aimed at demonstrating for the removal of CR (but I think we are looking at the whole board now really). I will take part in this protest, don't agree with any of the demo's outside the main stand, or in any boycotts (after my own wee mini boycott). I'd advise anyone to take a blanket as it could get bl**dy cold.
I am going to be working in Aberdeen this week, there is a mad Dundee fan in there who has Cannigia wall paper on his pc and I wouldnae be surprised to see him with a blonde wig, wish we had something to get excited about. I wasnae too bothered about getting hammered 6-1 at parkhead yesterday, says a lot doesn't it.
Watching the Jefferies/Bradford thing, it has made me feel strange - like when I was about 14 and my boyfriend dumped me then went out with someone else straight away (we've all been through that, err, I hope, was it just me ??). Oh well, I wish him all the best and no doubt there will be a game when loads of Hearts fans travel down a bus to a Bradford game and have a wee sesssion down there, and I'd like to be a part of that.
November 10th 2000
Well, I have had more time to think and get used to the idea, I still feel sad but I think it is more to do with losing Jefferies the man, rather than the manager. My fear now is the replacement. All the usual suspects in Scottish football have been mentioned, your Alex Tottens etc, and then there is the Craig Levein/Robbo/Gary Mackay angle which is really a fan pacifier. I would not be happy with any of these type of choices. Hearts are having to find players from within their youth set up so we need to look to France or a country where they have a similar set youth set up and get someone who is experienced in bringing players through from the youth ranks. I am not bothered if it is an unknown name. I would be happif one of the aforementioned ex-players where to take up an assistant position to a foreign coach.
If you read the chairmans statement on the official web page, he states that Jefferies indicated in an informal chat at the start of the week that he would be willing to leave. IF (??) that is to be believed then it would suggest that Jefferies has had an approach from elsewhere and has decided to cut his losses. What really worries me now is that Hearts are looking for a coach and the contracts negotiations etc will be handled elsewhere in the club, does that mean Chris Robinson ?? Who on earth would want to deal with him ? Everyone who has had a disagreement with him seems to leave (Clark, McLean, no JJ & BB). CR is not accepting ANY of the blame for the situation at Hearts and that is not acceptable. I applaud the little things that Hearts have been doing lately - singing section, cheaper prices, fans forum - but it is not enough, a CE should be able to admit his mistakes and admit the club has been badly run in a business sense. Get him out and lets start completely from the start!
November 9th 2000 ... JJ RESIGNS !!
I am still a little bit in shock, JJ has gone. It is not REALLY that much of a surprise but the reality of it has made me feel quite sad and angry acually. I don't know enough of the facts yet, I came home from a pub quiz with my work (hadn't heard a thing) and was told the news. I saw a brief story on the 11pm news and my immediate reaction was anger at smug Robinson sitting there waffling - but this is all initial reaction, I'll say more when I know more facts and have calmed down a bit.
I do feel very sad though, and would like to thank JJ & BB for the good years and of course the Scottish Cup. I wish them every success wherever they end up, and hopefully they will go somewhere where there will be money to spend and they can prove their ability. Who in their right minds would come to Tynecastle, we are going to end up with someone inexperienced (or mad). It really is doom and gloom, guess I'll be screening my calls for a while as the h*bbies have their fun.
October 31st 2000
Well, here I sit in my house on Hallo'een waiting for guisers. Maybe the Hearts players will come disguised as footballers!
I stuck to my guns and didn't go to the game on Saturday, and I sent in my voucher (voucher 7 right ?) with a letter. I don't expect a response or anything, it was just a gesture of protest by me. I am really glad I didn't go as I think it would've broken my heart (ha ha) to be part of that atmosphere. What will happen next ? I think Jefferies may walk eventually. I just don't know anymore.
I am looking forward to the Celtic game tomorrow - NOT. I am in Aberdeen for the day so I have to leave early and rush back down to Tynecastle, still, remember the last time we played them at this stage and we thought we were for it then but we pulled it off. I remember Chris Robinson saying of Jefferies '..rabbits out of hats..' the way he signed Andy Thorn for the game and got us a victory. Bet he's not so complimentary about him now.
Anyway, it is now full time in tonights' league cup games and I have just heard that h*bs have been beaten, thank god!! An interesting statistic - I normally receive 20-30 different hits a day on this site, the day after the hibs game it was over 90! do you think it was H*bs fans offering their condolences ........
October 24th 2000
I am still in shock ... getting thumped of anyone 6-2 would be hard enough, but by the vermin, well, it is almost too much to bear. I was really humiliated by Hearts on Sunday night. Even when the hibbies inevitably started phoning and texting me and Murray they were almost (not quite, but almost) apologetic in their slagging of us. So now, something has to give. I can't put ALL the blame on Jim Jefferies but he has to shoulder a fair chunk of it, it is him who continually plays players out of position and who waits too long to change things, it is him who has brought a lot of the current players to Tynie, and it is him who can't seem to motivate them anymore. The behind the scenes stuff is bad too, and the club is obviously being run badly to be losing £250,000 per month. What is the answer ??
One of the worst things about Sunday was the amount of arguing amongst fans that was going on, it is all down to frustration at the team but it is a sad thing to see. It is only going to be worse at the St Johnstone game on Saturday so I have made the decision not to go, I will send in my voucher to Tynecastle with a letter explaining exactly why I am not going to bother giving my support on Saturday. I don't go to football matches to witness hostile atmospheres and indifferent performances by over-paid players. It is no longer fun nor entertaining to go to watch Hearts. There will be lots of different demonstrations on Saturday and this is my way of doing it, I am not hurting the club financially. When it comes to season ticket renewal next year I think a lot of people have already decided not to bother, I can't see me NOT renewing mine though.
My stookie is off now but I am still in a lot of pain walking, I put in more effort getting to the game on Sunday than any of the players did during the game. If my leg wasn't so sore I'd have joined the hundred or so fans who turned up at Tynie to demonstrate when the team bus arrived back. The club we love is hurting and I am fed up. There is a Dundee fan I know who is in 7th heaven just now with all the excitement that is happening there, the Dundee chairmain took a big risk by getting the new management and players in - and apart from the obvious disiplinary problems the gamble has paid off and the fans are now excited about going to games again. Maybe big, big shake ups are in order at Hearts now.
October 17th 2000
Bring on the Hibees !! Well, to be completely honest I am more than little nervous for Sunday's game - but if there was ever a time for Durie and Jackson to score in the same game against h*bs then it's Sunday. I have tickets for the match (£21 - what a rip off). I always do the ticket applications for our crowd and normally I am applying for 20-24 tickets, this time it was 6 so that says it all really. There are only a few of us who are too scared to take the risk of missing Hearts pull off a victory against the vermin.
I was meant to meet my hibbie pals 'on their patch' for this game but as there are such depleted numbers amongst them attending the match as well then that might not happen.
I get my stookie off on Thursday so I'll have to be very careful at the game when I am jumping up and down to celebrate the Hearts goals as my leg will still be weak.....
Now, a rant. I am soooooo p*ssed off about Gary Naysmith leaving, so fed up. I am glad we got a better offer than the crap from Coventry but it is just so sad that we can't make any effort to hold onto our players. If Cameron goes within the next year then I am not going to renew my season ticket - well, that's crap, I KNOW I will renew it no matter - but - the fact I can even think about it is saying something!
I would consider myself a diehard, I've went on my honeymoon to Majorca instead of some exotic place, just so I can see Hearts, when I was a teenager ALL my money went on Hearts, I've spent most of my adult life in torment over Hearts, taken a lot of abuse over the years about Hearts (but gave it back just as good) and recently I've been hobbling about in my cast and crutches to see my beloved Hearts and even after all that, all the crap I have seena dn went through over the years being a Jambo I am still more fed up NOW than ever before. I wish I didn't care about them as it would be so easy to walk away just now. I know I won't, but I can't stand the thought of watching them buy and rear young stars to be sold on to get us out of financial difficulties. I wouldn't swap our cup win for the world but we've paid very dearly the cost of success. I want to see a big, big effort at Hearts to keep Mickey, or a lot of fans really will go.
I don't know what the answer is for Hearts but they have to get rid of more dead wood so that when it comes to keeping their better players they have some sort of bargaining power.
October 4th 2000
What a week it has been. I had a great night for the Stuttgart game and it was desparately sad that we didn't manage to get that goal at the end that would have taken us through but it was a great atmosphere and the excitement reminded me why I put myself through the emotional rollercoaster that is being a Jambo! We had a great laugh in the pub with the Stuttgart fans, it was REALLY funny to hear them singing 'We f*ckin' hate hibees'. Worra laugh. A lot of them seemed to have problems coping with the strong Scottish beers.
So, gallant losers again and no holiday for me, oh well, life goes on.
The Motherwell game on Sunday was quite good also, I was really scared we would go back to being crap but they seemed to want to do well, and what can I say about Durie ? It's early days yet but it looks like he'll do a job for us and just showed that we really need that poacher presence up front, his experience was telling for him to get himself in scoring positions so the young Hearts forwards will learn a lot from him whilst he is at Tynecastle.
Hibs are charging us £21 for the game at Easter Road which is ridiculous and I wasn't sure how my boys would respond but there are 6 of us with our applications in so hopefully we'll get them. I'll be out of my plaster by then (yeehaa) ... and I am 30 the day before so I'll probably be quite depressed and a victory over the vermin will cheer me up - imagine if Durie and Jackson were both to score for us, wouldn't that be bizarre.
September 27th 2000
Well, I went to the St Mirren game in in my stookie and crutches, what a load of hassle. I had to wait until everyone left at the end so I could get downthe steps carefully. It was so much hassle that I didn't go the Killie game on Sunday and boy, am I glad, what a disaster, that was a truly shocking Hearts performance and I had to cover my eyes at times as it was hurting me to witness how crap we were.
So, I WAS looking forward to Thursday's UEFA game but now I am slightly dreading it as if we play like that ... I was really praying Hearts got through, as I will have my cast off for the next round and would have gone no matter where it was - but I think hibs have more chance of winning the league than us progressing (I am up for being proved wrong though). We are going to have to party like mad then tomorrow night as European nights are what it is all about. The 9pm kick-off will improve the atmosphere I suspect as everyone will have that extra 1.5 hours in the pub. I will need to be very careful of course and I am having problems walking as it is never mind full of beer, so I'll just be on the mineral water (aye right ......).
September 12th 2000
I haven't been to the last couple of games as I have broken my ankle and I had to go into hospital to have some tendon damage/bone dislocation repaired, what a silly moo. It wasn't an alcohol related accident although I have had trouble convincing people of this. I spent my hospital time in a rooom with some old women who talked about their husbands deaths a lot and who weren't Hearts supporters.
I have had to cancel my summer holiday to tunisia (supposed to leave tomorrow) and I can't go to Stuttgart in it's place as I can't even get on and off buses never mind an aeroplane, so I will have to listen to it on the radio, how annoying.
Not much else for me to say, I will try to hobble along to the next home games (a few weeks yet), that should be a laugh getting up to row 21 !!
August 22nd 2000
Hello (said with Rev I M Jolly type enthusiasm).
It's getting worse. I had to drag myself to the game on Saturday against sellic. I didn't even go to the pub before it ! Shock, horror. I truly didn't want to go and if I wasn't a season ticket holder then I can tell you honestly that I wouldn't have bothered going.
I found it very hard at the game to be interested, even when Hearts started fairly brightly I knew that the inevitable would happen, and oh boy did it ever. So when we were 3-0 down at half time and defending like school boys, several of the boys left the match and went to the pub ! They were saying it looked like it could be 7 or 8. I stayed, god knows why as I did not want to be there. I went downstairs at half time and the mood of the fans was quite frightening, despair and hopelessness would sum it up. Oh, and anger as well. We are all frightened at the pace Hearts have went into decline. It's not really just the results as it is still early days in the season yet (after all, hibs are still top of the league, there can't have been many games played at all ;-) ). It's just the whole negativity that comes out of Tynecastle, we've no money, then manager & Chris Robinson are very obviously not communicating properly, the guy who is currently chairman doesn't seem to even exist ! I don't have the answer as to who should take over but we need these guys out of there - it's not working and I haven't felt this miserable being a Jambo since the end of the Mercer era. Something has to give - we are about to go into free-fall.
Anyway, I am glad I stayed at the match as the 2nd half performance was a bit more spirited. I was trying to make like I didn't care anymore (using the philosophy if you don't care it doesn't hurt) and when Hearts socred their first I didn't even clap. I was caught unawares for Hearts 2nd goal and jumped up and cheered. And I tried to ignore my increased heartbeat when they got near to the goal mouth again. But it wasn't too be. Sadly, I think that scarves on the pitch and continual booing are not too far away.
I am working at home just now and I thank god for that as I can imagine the fun the hibbies at work would be having if I was there. I'll be back in the office in 2 weeks but they will no longer be top of the league by then I confidently predict.
August 8th 2000
I've not had the enthusiam to wrote for a while ... what is happening at Tynecastle ??? I am so fed up and depressed every time another bit of bad news comes out. The season has started (although I havenae been to a game on a Saturday yet and won't for a while cos there aren't f'n any, grrr...). Hearts, the football team (as opposed to the boardroom battle) look pretty crap too. After teh 0-0 draw wi h*bs, I felt quite depressed that I had to go through a whole season. Now, if I hear today that Colin cameron is being allowed to go to Notts Forrest then I will be so pissed off. I am already in a bad mood as the st Mirren game has been moved to September and I'll miss it as I'll be away on holiday (not that I am gagging to see Hearts-St Mirren). Lets hope Hearts do well on Thursday in Iceland, I wish I was going.
On a lighter note, I have now passed on the Hearts song for nokia mobile phones onto several people now and it seems that half of Edinburgh will have that tune now. Who needs a band at Tynecastle. If you have a nokia phone then send me an email and I'll pass the tune onto you (if you live in the UK - otherwise I can tell you how to programme it in).
July 29th 2000
OK ... so here we go .... predictions for the forth-coming season - :
Oh well, I can but dream.
I am mega excited(read: nervous) about Sunday, I have spoke to several of my hibbie pals and they say the reason they have sold all their tickets (for the first time in 12 years) is that they are wanting to see the new players .....however .. most of them concede that O'Neil is the only decent signing.
I think that Hearts have the ability and that they are so wanting to prove the meed-ya wrong ..... 4-1 seems reasonable. C'mon the JT's.
July 20th 2000
July 20th 2000
Only a few days now ... getting awfie excited. The vermi (plural of Vermin) seem strangely over-confident, which is always a good sign for us. They are thinking (possibly) that we have signed no players and they have, so, therefore they will beat us - but we signed all our players earlier in the year and signed quality players who have had time to gel and hibs have signed a load of numpties. I am quietly confident. Needless to say we'll be putting our usual bets 4-0 and 4-1 on for this one. The plans have all been made and we are meeting at midday, which is remarkably late for us - but we are planning to stay out until the wee hours celebrating.
I have been working at home recently and I went into the office yesterday to find that the hibbie who sits opposite me had changed my screen saver to say 'I Love Hibees' and apparently it had been like that for days so I took my revenge by printing out a photo of Steve Fulton and signing it 'Thanks for last night Big man xxxxx, Steve' and also faking a letter sent from Hearts thanking him for applying to be a mascot but he was too old but that they would pass messages of love and support onto JJ and Steve Fulton. Hopefully, even for a few minutes he might think I have actaully written a letter to HMFC on his behalf, ha, that'll teach him.
July 20th 2000
Not long to go now ..... cannae wait. I was at the Livingston game (yawn...) just what I expected from a pre-season friendly - crap. However it was nice and sunny and good to be back. As I suspected there were quite a few people who'd bought a new top in a size too small for their beer bellies.
All the negativity surrounding Hearts in the media this pre-season has finally got to me and I don't have many hopes for this season, I think we may struggle to finish third again and our best hopes (as always) is to get a good run in the cups. Hopefully I'll change my mind after hammering the vermin in the first game and I'll be on here slavering about how I think Hearts might have a chance to win the league ... hmmmm, mibbe no.
One of the boys I have been going to the games with for many years has got himself on-line and I've asked him to do some stories about the euro trips I didn't go to (like the trip to Vienna when two of them shared a train carriage with a transvestite .. should be a laugh). Hopefully I'll have lots of entertaining stories to add about the coming season. If anyone else has any Euro trips etc they want to share then email me and I'll print them, I get lots of emails from people who say how all my stories are similar to the gang that they go to the games with so please let me know all your stories, they can even be anonymous if you like. This web site is all about the lighter side of being a Jambo, so god knows we need a laugh these days.
July 6th 2000
Omigod, how can it be July already ??? Oh well, I suppose that is
good as the season starts in a few weeks, yippee. It is all doom & gloom down Tynecastle way if you listen to the meed-ya, we've nae money, canny sign any players ... doom & gloom, doom & gloom. I am now resigned that no other team is ever going to catch up with the cream buns and the sooner they p*ss off to another league the better, I mean what use are they to us really ?? Playing them twice a season at Tynecastle isn't the big money earner they like to make out. Hardly any Jambos go to Ibronx now because you get spat on, treated like crap by the glesga polis. Just what would we miss about rangers ??? Certainly not listening to their bigot fans singing all their 'party' songs. And while they are p*ssing off they can take sellic with them as they are just as bad. I truly believe the league would be better without them as all the other teams would feel they would be in with a chance of winning the league and there would be more competitive football. Ok, we would mibbe struggle with the tv money we'd be bound to lose but once Hearts conquer Europe ... oh-oh, time for my medication !
Doesnae look like I am going to Iceland or France for pre-season friendly (boooo) - none of the guys are up for it so are hoping to get a good draw should we qualify for round 1. I will miss round 1 as I'll be in Tunisia so I have to pray for round 2 !! Hmmm..... maybe there won't be any additions to my Euro stories section after all.
And a final thing, my husband got the new strip and we both think it is a vast improvement on anything there has been for a few years. The sizes are quite small though so there will be some scary sights around Tynecastle next season I reckon - with all the beer bellies straining to get out.
June 15th 2000
Important news ... I am going to move this site off these bl**dy
June 15th 2000
Important news ... I am going to move this site off these bl**dy fortune City servers, hopefully in the next week. Weird things have been happening and I've had enough, I want to get it done before the fixture lists come out next season so I will work hard next week to do this. If anything strange is happening keep refreshing. I will make all links go to the new site so I shouldn't lose any visitors.
I have just been reading some cup final stories - looking at cup final photos from this site and other internet sites and have to admit I've been getting a wee bit nostalgic (again). Ooo it were great, weren't it.
June 9th 2000
Who else watched the Scottish Masters on Sky last night and got carried away on a wee nostalgia trip ?? (Sky Masters is a 6-a-side tournament for older players - I think they had to be born no later than 1965). It was just great to see Henry Smith, Zico, Gary McKay, Wayne Foster & Robbo all playing in a Hearts team again, *sigh* - these were the days eh ....
Good to see Robbo hanging about the penalty area and claiming all the goals. The saddest thing is that I am now old enough to reminise, oh dear. I think everyone has their 'golden' time for supporting their team and for me and people my age, it will be the period in the mid-to-late-80's :- for the gutsy team, the no-expectations (until '86...), long unbeaten runs against the vermin (and may THESE days return with haste) and the last few years of standing at games, the better atmospheres etc (oh my god I sound like my dad !!). I understand that the change had to come and in general I am fine with the all seating - family thing and don't look back too often but seeing all these players together again brought my early Hearts supporting days all back. I bet it was some p*ss-up last night with all the players of the various teams, I'd have loved to have been there and heard all the stories. Oh well, never mind, look to the future for the UEFA draw etc !
June 1st 2000
So bored ... close season, nothing to look forward to on Saturdays. Oh well, it's a short one. I am looking forward to the preliminary UEFA draw, hope it's somewhere good and also am speaking to a few of the boys etc about going to France for a couple of the pre-season friendlies, could be a good laugh.
I've renewed my season ticket so I am all set for next season. Good to see Naysmith getting a starting place for Scotland .. how long will me manage to hold on to him ?
May 22nd 2000
Still celebrating - what a day yesterday. Great atmosphere at Tynecastle (not the greatest of games but who cares). Juanjo's goal was amazing, the celebrations were as wild as you can get in an all seater stadium, excellent. I loved the young players parading their trophies, the players on the pitch at the end. Love the new strip. What a great day. Great night as well, singing Hearts songs all night.
My drunken rant on here wasnae even as bad as it is sometimes, not too many spelling mistakes etc. I often wonder how sometimes I can get so drunk I struggle to get in my house yet I can always boot up my pc and log on to edit a web page ?? Strange eh.
So, another season ends. It has been a strange one with all the fixture re-arrangements, not all that many saturday games etc. Next season will be weird too with the splitting of the leagues (what a load of nonsense). All that remains for me to do this season is to count up the Man of the match votes for the No Idle Talk...Online.. site. If you want to take part in this vote next season then email me pamela.forbes@ukonline.co.uk with the title 'MoM subscribe'. I am going to try and get a presentation arranged for the winner (Darren Jackson) at the start of next season.
May 21st 2000
SO MAKE A NOISE - THE GORGIE BOYS .......ARE GOING TO EUROPE .........my oh my - how nervous was I before the game ?? It was like the good old days when games meant something ! I was meant to met my pal, Dode, at 10am but I was late and didn't turn up until 10:25am !!! Excellent stuff, 4-5 hours solid drinking and talking sh*te before the game. I just can't believe it had to go to the last game, it is so easy for me now to say how good it was (oh and it was) but I had butterflies in my tummy all week, I was shiting it. But, when crunch comes to crunch ..... we beat the Vermin when it means something.
Now, those of you who read the hearts chat page, Kickback, will have seen that people have said that they won't call the hibbies Vermin anymore, well, I always WILL - feel free to complain - I willnae listen...... I am so excited - another Euro tripp beckons - lets hope it is tenerife !!!!!!
May 12th 2000
I'm back - for a while .... I have 2 more weeks left working in Sheepland then I am back in Edinburgh for a while ... just as the season ends. I sense a little bit of build up in Aberdeen towards the cup final but nothing like the hysterical heights I reached in the build up to the '98 final. I get a good laugh listening to the guys at work who don't know I am a Jambo moaning on and on. there is one guy there who is a mad, fanatical Dundee fan, he was telling me he went to school with Albert K*dd (can't write the whole name( and that him and his whole family are big, big Celtic fans, nae wonder the b*st*rd was celebrating his goals so vigourously.
Anyway ..... I missed the U21 game against the scumbees midweek, wish I'd been - I need to take more interest in the youth games and see the stars of tomorrow.
So, a wee bitty nervous end to the season yet, oh god forbid it goes to the last game, it could be so good and it could be so very, very bad. I would have to fancy our chances against hibs, we are due one but I'll need vallium if it comes to that. We MUST get to Europe, Hearts aren't bottlers any more and they must prove it. The Motherwell boys I know have been sending me cheeky emails, they are too bloody cocky about this. I can't go to Ibrox tomorrow as I am going to a wedding up North, not that I would've went to that place again...
Anyway, just a quick update so the next time I write we WILL have qualified for Europe, and I'll be looking forward to writing another story about a drunken trip abroad. And finally (not sure if this is a good idea to mention this here) but I have finally gone and got myself onto ICQ so my number is 72108742.
April 24th 2000
No updates for a while - I am still up in Sheepland. Awfie
April 24th 2000
No updates for a while - I am still up in Sheepland. Awfie disappointed about the Falkirk thing, Aberdeen saved yet again eh ! However, they did knock the vermin oot of the cup (phew).
I really hope we get Europe all sorted out before the next hibs game so we can just go out and enjoy ourselves and hopefully get some revenge.
I have removed a couple of entries in the guestbook - dinnae like doing that but they both contained a lot of sectarian rubbish so they had to go. I cannot abide sectarianism in football, it is so old fashioned and just plain ridiculous in the 21st century so I won't have it on this site.
March 31st 2000
Pre-Dundee match thoughts from me - I hate that place but we NEED the points for Europe, so if you are able to go you must get yirsel up there and support the team!
I am going to be up in Sheep-land again for a while so updates will be sporadic again for a while. Never mind. Come on the Hearts ... 2nd place is not out of the question !
March 27th 2000
What a disappointment on Saturday, I thought Hearts were on top but couldnae stick it away. And with sellic getting stuffed yesterday we could've moved nearer to 2nd spot ! But Hearts don't like doing things the easy way so we'll probably go into a nail-biter on the last game of the season ... against the hibbies. I have been getting some half-hearted abuse from hibbies about the game last week, but seeing as they were stuffed by Dundee AND Killie since their eforts have been in vain. If we didnae give them 7 points this season they would be right down in the relegation area where they belong (and we would be right up where we belong).
I was hearing from my boys the funny stories on things they are starting to remember about after the hibs game, two of them went into a gospel singing night somewhere up the high street shouting 'ah'm a sinner .. ' etc. Needless to say they didn't last very long, but I can just picture it, 2 drunken Jambos singing along to the Gospel choir. Oh dear.
A few of the boys went into the singing section on Saturday (I was meant to be with them but we lost each other in Gorgie Road - dinnae ask how). They came back to their normal seats at half time, I don't think they were impressed. Seems more fans have got to make the effort to get it to work properly, plus the band wasn't there and I think that they do make a difference.
March 24th 2000
Oh to be a Jambo ! After the ultimate low on Saturday, to go on to have such a magnificent display against Aberdeen midweek. OK the sheep were very TERRIBLE, but we were genuinely very good, and what a performance from Makel, it's been quite a while since I've seen such a brilliant individual performance.
It's a six-pointer tomorrow against the 'Well as far as the Euro 3rd spot is concerned. We're all getting excited at the prospect of a wee trip (somewhere like Italy/France would be great). To make this a successful season Hearts MUST qualify (and it would be nice to stuff the vermin on the last game to cap it all off). I think that Euro qualification and at least one trophy is the minimum we should strive for ANY season now.
Anyway, we are meeting the Motherwell boys at about 11am tomorrow, the plans are a bit pear shaped as I left it up to the boys to organise, and as usual it's all a bit vague to say the least. I think we are going to Pepe's taverna for some food and lots of wine before the game. I still get slagged about how drunk I was at the hibs game in December so I'm always a bit careful now about how much I drink before a game.
The boys I go to the football with would never survive without me to organise the all ticket games etc. A classic example of things is at half time on Wednesday we all met up and one of the boys asked me to tell them what pubs we were in on saturday night after the derby as no one could remember, so you can imagine the state they must have been in - as I wasn't with them at all on Saturday night ! I'm the only one who always remembers things. What a bunch ....anyway, come on the Jambos. We'll be drunk tomorrow so no doubt we'll have some ridiculous bet on of 6-1 to Hearts or something like that.
March 22nd 2000
So - since I last wrote we are oot the cup and got beat again by the vermin. Oh joy. On Saturday I was really disgusted with Hearts, they had no fight in them, not enough players in the team who understand what these games mean I think (that's only ONE of the problems ...). Me and Murray jumped on a bus in easter Road straight after the game and came back to Gorgie and went out and got really drunk, tried to pretend we were just a 'normal' couple, not Hearts supporters.
Must admit, it was a good laugh slagging the hibs about this 'gay' rumour that's going about. So obviously a wind up but so much of the media has fallen for it. The worst thing about the derby was Gary Naysmith getting hit by a coin thrown from the hibs end, then John Hughes (who is just a thug basically) picking the coin up and kissing it then tossing it away. I know that a lot of Hearts fans saw it but no officials seem to have seen it as nothing has been said or done. Disgrace, he is such an arse.
Anway, it's the Sheep at home tonight so we must win and keep third place. I am gagging on another Euro trip. We have the 'Well at home on Saturday and I think a lot of the Motherwell fans we know are coming through and we're having a big day of it. We've not moved our seats to the singing section, so we'll be having our own wee singing bit in section E, as we should be 'well oiled' before the game!
March 11th 2000
Well, back in Edinburgh for the weekend. I am knackered, the jet set life isnae as glamorous as it sounds !
I am delighted to say that I know I have got tickets for the Hibs game (and tomorrow's game at Ibrox). We have been pretty lucky in ballots, I can only think of one game when we didn't get tickets (Parkhead in season 97/98). So, I'll be a right nervous wreck next week - we need to get revenge on the vermin after all the abuse I took after the defeat at Xmas.
But I cannae really think about that just now because I am so worried about tomorrow, I hope the players don't go to Ibrox with a defeatist attitude. We CAN beat the Huns, we beat Sellic at Parkhied so we can got to Ibronx and get a result. And show me a Jambo that isnae a teeny-weeny bit worried that the vermin have made it to the semi's. Hearts-Hibs semi/or final looming ? It could be sooo good and also it could be soo bad. My nerves will be tested if that happens.
I am back to London on the 0740 (full of all the t*sser business men who think they are so important ... oops got off on a bit of a tangent there...) flight to Heathrow on Monday morning so WHEN we win tomorrow at Ibronx I cannae celebrate TOO hard or I'll never make that flight.
Febuary 26th 2000
Come on the bankies !! I hope the hibees get stuffed tonight. I am having to go to London tomorrow for up to 2 weeks so I'll miss the game tomorrow and on Saturday at Tannadice, I was looking forward to tomorrow as well. So come on the Hearts (and the bankies tonight ... how I would laugh).
Febuary 26th 2000
Hearts - 0, Kille - 0
Oh the hibees are sh*te, oh the hibees are sh*te .... etc.
If you think I am being shallow that's coz Hearts were sh*te too, but we didnae get beat 4-0 ... even tho' helmet heid Ian Durrant was trying his best to cheat his way thru the game. Probably one of the better 0-0 draws I have seen but still we were pretty bad. I am impressed with Thomaschek, he will prove to be on of of JJs best signings I think. Very classy player. I thought that the band Hearts had in the crowd was good, it wasn't annoying at all, and there was a better atmosphere today than there has been for a while (pity there wasn't much to sing about). Maybe the band has a wee special something up their sleeves for when we score a goal, they will have along wait to find out, we don't have a home game for a while.
I had a great time today, getting 'quite' pissed before the game and VERY pissed afterwards. I had to dump all the scarves in my hoose after the game so there is big maroon & white pile beside me. I've got about 40 scarves all over my house mostly from when the boys have gone up town after a game and dump all their scarves here before they go. Last time we played at Easter Road I had to put all the scarves in my handbag and there wasn't even room for my purse, then I was in club somewhere later on at night and the bag burst open and all these Hearts scarves fell out, oops time for a sharp exit.
I had to get all the vouchers and cheques for the Rangers (cup) game and the Hibs game (at Fester Road) - why oh why do I get landed with this hassle all the time ?? Coz I am the only 'bird' in our crowd ? (I am always left with organizing all ticket games.).
Got a horrible feeling about the Motherwell game on wednesday.... they are doing really crap and it seems to be Hearts forte to give other teams their first win iin a bad spell. I am going through early to have a wee drink with some of my 'Well pals. We're talking about staying the night in Aberdeen the next time we play at Pittodrie (we've been saying that for YEARS) so hopefully the game won't be moved to mid week.
February 23rd 2000
(Last game Clyde - 0, Hearts - 2)
Well, had a wee bit of annoyance the last few days with the hosts having 'lost' all my files. It's not the first time that this has happened so I'll be moving all these pages shortly.
So, what has happened recently ? Well, scarily the vermin are STILL in the cup, not for much longer I hope. All the hibbies I know seriously believe they are going to win the cup this year, b*llocks. Jambos will still be celebrating the 100 year anniversary in a few years time (see the London Hearts web page for the exact number of days !). Mind you, I dunno what our chances are .... the Cream Buns at Ibronx - I might even break my Ibronx self inflicted ban and go to the game. It is a ghastly experience to go to Ibronx but I think I should be there. Don't want to be accused of being a glory hunter when I am applying my semi final ticket (I hope, I hope, I hope).
So, the singing section on Saturday then. I haven't changed my ticket yet i must admit, but I am thinking about it. I am also thinking I will need to go to the pub quite early and get in the singing mood (what a great excuse). I think the singing section will consist of a lot of drunks and wee kids - but heh, if it makes some noise and gets others singing then that's all that matters.
Febraury 6th 2000
Sellic - 2, Hearts - 3
Yeehaa - what a great result ! Trust me to miss it, but never mind, I am delighted at the result, and pray that we have re-found the winning way. I think I have only seen 2 victories over Sellic at Parkhead in all my years supporting Hearts, and certainly never seen them come back from 2-0 down ! So I can imagine how amazing it was for the fans that did go through, well they deserve it. Amazing how one result can put the smile back on your face and the optimism back in your support. I am now confident that we will 'have a go' the rest of the season. We are 1 point behind the vermin with a game in hand so it is looking quite exciting for the remaining derby games.
I hope the Darren Jackson bashers will finally give it a rest, it really riles me that people are STILL giving him a hard time. The abuse he took at the Stenhousemuir game was terrible, he certainly wasnae the worst culprit that game.
Anyway, looking forward to slagging all the weedgies tomorow, heh heh. Lucky for them I'll be working in Aberdeen most of the week.
It was ace listening to all the sellic fans booing the team - the greatest fans in the world - I think not ! (PS>> I see the last entry in my guestbook was 'John Barnes' saying that HEARS (not Hearts) are sh*t, how prophetic ......).
Febraury 3rd 2000
Killie - 1, Hearts - 0 (League Cup)
So.... we're oot the League Cup. That in itself isnae too bad (it's a Mickey Mouse trophy and ye dinnae get into Europe) - but by all accounts it was the worst we have played for a long time. I didn't manage it to the game as I was working in Aberdeen yesterday and didn't get home until later (thank Heaven for that I think). What I did see though was Paul Ritchie being interviewed on Sky Sports, greeting about how Hearts had robbed him of his chance to go to the Huns last year and basically saying he would love to play for Rangers, that's ambition for you Paul, play against the same teams every week that you did with Hearts (cos I think it will be a LONG time until a Scottish club wins anything in Europe.
Oh well, Parheid on Saturday, that'll be good (not). I'm not going to that either, after our 4-0 gubbing earlier this season I made a decision not to go back to Parkhead or Ibrox (unless it's semi finals against other teams), I'm not giving these soap dodgers my hard earned cash just so I can get abuse and gobbed on, pies chucked at me etc. (Also Parkhead isnae safe, guttering, tiles etc could cause serious injury!).
January 31st 2000
Hearts - 3, Stenhousemuir - 2 (Scottish cup 3rd Round)
We're sh*te and we know we are .... how bad was that on Saturday ? Hearts are awful, after my optimism last week I am right back down there as the harse reality hits that the team I love so much are rotten. Although at no point on saturday (yes even when we were down 2-0) did I think we'd get knocked out, it was still an awful performance.
So good to see McSwegan back in the team and doing what he is paid to do - get the goals. I have not had time to get an opinion on Thomascheck yet - I thought he was too willing to pass the ball on Saturday but it is early days. Petric and Pressley seemed to spend the whole game arguing with each other.
I feel so sorry for Simpson - he gave up the chance to captain his country in the Gold cup - to sit on the bench in freezing cold Scotland and watch Gary Locke etc get a game before him. I really hate to slag off players but Lockie just isnae good enough just now. and what does Juanjo have to do to get on from the start - what is the harm in having him on from the start - if he's not good enough then he gets subbed, it certainly would have been a better choice against 2nd division opposition than having Jacko play up front (I still rate Jackson - just not in that position).
I think Mr Jeffries needs to go on a tactics course or something. I think JJ's real skill comes in scouring the transfer market and picking up bargains, he doesn't seem to be aware of changing your team to suit the opposition (apart from when we play sellic of rangers and we shut up shop ...worked like a dream on 16th May 1998). Anyway, rant over. We are through to the next round, not exactly a mouth-watering trip - Clyde away, but it is the road to Hampden all the same so it must treated as such and given a big day with an early start in the pub !
January 23rd 2000
I'm going to start a new section where I put all the stuff I scan in from my old scrap books - starting with some of the 'Gilzean' cartoons. I have almost all of them from 1983-86. To start I have loaded the cartoon after the first derby after Hearts won promotion to the Premier League. (Click here - I'll be adding a main menu button for this soon).
January 22nd 2000
Hearts - 2, Dundee - 0
Yesssss !! We won, 3 points, AND we played on a Saturday, yeehaaa.
What a strange game, 2nd goal was most bizarre, failed clearance from Douglas and hit off Jacko's heid and he banged it into the net. Rare mistake from Douglas but sometimes goalies are remembered by just one mistake ......
Positive things from todays game :
I am strangely optimistic again, today's performance was by no means a classic but these are the types of games which we were previously falling away in and losing stupid goals. The only sour note was Juanjo's booking at the end, the ref had really lost the plot.
So, it was good to be back at Tynecastle. I took a slight bit of slagging about my drunkeness at the hibs game but nothing severe, I was being all 'girly' by being so paranoid ! I got my photos back from the day of the hearts-hibs game (press here to see them) I got a bit of a fright when there were about 7 taken at the game, as I didn't know I had taken any !! Oh well, Scottish cup next week. Lets hope it is the start of the road to Hampden for us.
January 20th 2000 Nothing much to say again, so click here to cheer you up !!! I've been rumaging about in my old scrap books so I'll have some amazing nostalgia to put on here in the next few eeks. (I used to keep a scarp book of EVERYTHING about Hearts or Hearts players that was in the papers from 1983 right up until the cup final in '86, I lost heart after that week ....). But anyway, I have some right good stuff so I'll try and look out the best photos and stories and put them on here.
January 17th 2000 Belated happy new year to everyone,
haven't felt like writing as there is nothing much to report, being the winter shut down
and all. So, the season restarts on
Saturday. I have sort of got over my cringing about the state I was in at the Hibs game
and realise that I will probably have to say sorry for any rude remarks I made to the
people sitting beside me, and that my boys that I haven't seen yet will be taking the p*ss
out of me (and also making things up I done when I was v. drunk). Didn't end up with too many Hearts
items for Xmas, I got a ladies Hearts jumper (how things have changed eh) and I got Murray
one of the latest Hearts ties (quite trendy actually). At Hogmany a lot of the hibbies
were there and there was the usual banter but nothing nasty, although the proclaimers were
played a lot (the DJ must have been a hibbie as well). I am now looking for revenge on
March 18th (unless we are in the league cup final in which case the vermin game will
be moved). Hopefully the Paul Ritchie saga
will be over soon, and the fans that are spending a lot of time getting angry about him
can concentrate on supporting the players who are there and who are committed to HMFC.
We've got some vital cup games coming up, and as I still envisage silverware at Tynie this
season then we had better do well. I started following Hearts in January 1983, when they were still in the first division.
I used to go with my dad and I spent many hours before each game standing outside the
Tynecastle Arms fending off drunk old men trying to chat me up (I was only 12 years old
for heavens sake). Some other good Hearts pubs are: Tynecastle Arms, Diggers, Robertson's,
Stratfords, Ardmillan Hotel, Gilsland Hotel, Orwell Lodge, Golden Rule, Mr Q's, Caley
Sample Room, Shandon Snooker Centre. These pubs are not always filled with Jambos of
course but on match days they will be busy with Hearts fans. In Grays Mill there are generally a lot of Hearts fans before and after the
game, and it dwindles down to our lot about 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Then we usually end up
somewhere else either by choice or by the bar staff telling us to move one (in a friendly
manner of course................). It all depends on the score. Mail Me Your Jambo Stories
Rangers
Hearts ( I HAVE to say that ......)
.. Who gives a shit ..
..... boring, who cares
etc
(Last Place, ie. relegation (again)) hibs
Hearts - 0, Motherwell - 0
1) the crowd were TRYING to sing;
2) Wales looks like a really good prospect, maybe needs to toughen up a little bit but I was really impressed;
3) Mickey was everywhere on the park and getting back into everything, like his old self again;
4) I am really starting to warm to Petric, he wins every header, and although he does seem a bit slow he has good ball skills and Pressley is solid enough to cover behind him if he has to, Petric could be another great buy (see, I admit when I am wrong);
5) as I just mentioned, Pressley really is solid at the back and 6) Niemmi doesnae cause me as many heart failures as Rousset (god bless him) did at crosses etc.
After that season we were promoted to the Premier League and I started going to the
matches with friends (nothing personal dad).
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