Edinburgh had received plaudits far and wide for its handling of the 1970 Commonwealth Games just 16 years earlier, but the city’s second attempt at playing host would sadly be swept up in controversy.
Firstly, the Scottish capital had practically received the 1986 games by default, as no other city had wanted them.
Then, in the run up to the summer event, a mass boycott was staged in response to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s refusal to impose sanctions on South Africa’s apartheid administration. From 59 potential participating nations, just 27 would make the trip to Edinburgh to compete in what would become unofficially known as the ‘Boycott Games’.
Moving over to professional football, Heart of Midlothian were in top form, with a league and cup double on the cards as the Gorgie side approached the final few games of the 1985/86 season.
Sadly for Jambos fans, the season would end in tears. The club surrendered their league title ambitions in improbably fashion within minutes of the final whistle of the last game of the season. A 2-0 loss away to Dundee, and Celtic’s 5-0 win at St Mirren consigned a broken Hearts to second place.
The icing on the dropped wedding cake arrived a week later, as the team’s 3-0 loss to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final turned fervent hope into utter despair.
In other news, the city’s iconic canine statue Greyfriars Bobby was being placed back on his pedestal following a restoration; former New Town junk shop owner Madame Doubtfire was the focus of a new book that would later transform into a Hollywood film; while stockbrokers Bell, Lawrie Ltd were among the city’s financial firms preparing for the ‘Big Bang’, when the world’s stock market became computerised in October 1986.
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5. Broken hearts
Dundee v Hearts. A Hearts fan holds his head in his hands as the league title slips away in 1986. Photo: UNKNOWN
6. Top dog
The statue of Greyfriars Bobby is carefully replaced on its pedestal at Candlemaker Row Edinburgh after being repaired in March 1986. Photo: Ian Brand
7. Iron Lady
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher speaks to Peter Heatly and Robert Maxwell when she visits the Games village during the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games 1986, held at Meadowbank stadium. Photo: Hamish Campbell
8. Fresh fruit!
Fresh fruit and vegetable seller Willie Blues serves a customer some nectarines from his stall in Infirmary Street in Edinburgh in August 1986. Photo: Stan Warburton