Lifelong Jambo misses victory after Hampden tumble

INJURY has cruelly robbed many a footballer of their big moment but it’s not often the fans are stretchered off.That’s what happened to lifelong Jambo Jimmy Glendinning, who was stuck in hospital as his beloved Hearts put rivals Hibs to the sword to lift the Scottish Cup.

Jimmy was left sprawled on the steps of Hampden after over-exuberant fans sent him flying as they celebrated their team’s fourth goal in Saturday’s final.

Onlookers rushed to help the 57-year-old, but he had to be carried away to a first-aid room before being treated in hospital for a broken hip and wrist.

The misery didn’t end there as Jimmy not only missed his side lifting the Cup, but was left on the sidelines during Sunday’s victory parade.

He said: “It all happened after Hearts got their fourth goal. I was shunted along as people around me were celebrating. I got knocked away into the aisle and on to the steps.

“When I hit the ground it felt like my leg was awfully twisted. I was trying to get up but I couldn’t. I could feel something was wrong.

“The Hearts fans helped me get into a seat and the St John’s boys arrived a bit later.” Jimmy, who lives in Rosyth but was brought up in Edinburgh and works as a plumber at Dreghorn Barracks, later had pins and plates inserted into his hip bone. But the pain didn’t stop there. Jimmy, who travelled to the game with the Dunfermline and District Hearts Supporters Club, said: “It meant I missed the fifth goal and I didn’t get to see the team hold up the Cup.

“And because I was taken to hospital, I didn’t get to see the parade on Sunday – I was completely gutted.

“My son, Craig, was there with me and he went down to the recovery room to ask if I was all right. He wanted to stay with me but I told him to go back up to watch what was happening.”

Craig, 27, a kitchen porter, shared his dad’s disappointment. He said: “When I saw what had happened, I felt shocked. I thought, ‘oh my God, what has happened to him?’.

“I’m really sad he missed the team lifting the Cup and the parade. I really wanted to share it with him. We’ve always been Hearts fans.”

Kenny Bow, secretary of the supporters club, said: “I think Jimmy would have been really disappointed not to be there for the celebrations. He would have been first in line for Sunday’s procession.”

All pain after the gain

SPORTING celebration isn’t always a happy occasion, as several professional stars have found out to their cost.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry needed treatment in May 2000 after hitting himself in the face with a corner flag after scoring.

But while Henry’s injuries were superficial, the same can’t be said for Paulo da Cruz Diogo, who in December 2004 while playing for Swiss side Servette jumped on a perimeter fence after a goal – only to get his wedding ring caught and tear his finger off. To add insult to injury, he was then booked for time wasting.

Another former Arsenal player, Steve Morrow, broke his collar bone after being dropped from a teammates’ shoulders after a cup victory in 1993.

American footballer Gus Frerotte suffered a neck injury after ramming his head against a goalpost celebrating a touchdown in 1997.

On the golf course, Frenchman Thomas Levet killed his Open Championship hopes when he hurt a shin jumping into a lake after success a week earlier.