Hearts, Hibs mascots keep it in the family for cup cracker

Hearts fan Lewis King and cousin Evan Allan get ready for last night's derby clash. Picture: Toby Williams

But when it comes to football, these cousins don’t always see eye to eye, as one supports Hibs and the other backs Hearts.

And last night, little Evan Allan and Lewis King made their families proud, when they both took on the role of mascot for their team during the Scottish Cup Edinburgh derby clash at Easter Road.

Evan, who was celebrating his fifth birthday, was overjoyed to be given the chance to walk out on to the pitch with his  favourite Hibs players in a brand new strip.

And he was pleased his cousin, also five, got to share the experience with him – despite supporting Hearts.

Danny Allan, 31, Evan’s father, said: “Evan and Lewis walked out on to the pitch holding each other’s hands as well as the captains’.

“It was a really nice way to start the game.”

He added: “The two of them are best buddies, and despite supporting different teams there is never any rivalry – it’s always just a bit of fun.

“I’m a diehard Hibs fan and Lewis’s dad is a diehard Hearts fan, so that’s how they ended up supporting different teams. The two of them are inseparable – they were buzzing.”

The boys, who are both from Portobello, spend the majority of their free time together. According to Danny, Evan enjoys going to Hibs training while Lewis heads to Hearts on a Sunday morning.

He said: “Sitting listening to the two of them when they are together is funny, they just have their own little conversations and banter among themselves.

“It’s like they are in their own little world.”

Evan goes to St John’s  Nursery while Lewis is in P1 at Duddingston Primary.

Aimee Allan, 29, Danny’s sister, said Lewis thoroughly enjoyed being a mascot but had hoped to get to hold goalkeeper Neil Alexander’s hand, instead of captain Callum Paterson’s.

She said: “Lewis is funny, he won’t listen to any other music apart from old Hearts songs.

“Before the game last night, he was so excited he just wanted me to drive around so he could listen to the football songs – I ended up having to put the Gruffalo on to distract him.

“He had really hoped to get to hold Neil Alexander’s hand as that’s his favourite player. He had an amazing time, it all went really well.”

But it was Evan who was left smiling at full-time, with Hibs winning 1-0 thanks to Jason Cummings’ early goal.

The Easter Road side will now prepare for a Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with holders Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

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