Heartbreak at Hearts turns to pride and optimism for next season - Steve Cardownie

As I left the house that day my wife asked me when I would be back and I said that if Hearts won the league, probably about Thursday - needless to say she was none too impressed.

Hearts fans gather inside the Tynecastle Arms pub before the cr3-0 victory against Falkirk at Tynecastle Park last Wednesday to set up Saturday’s Celtic showdown

A few of us agreed to meet up in The Alexander Graham Bell on George Street that morning, where our number swelled to a dozen as we made our way round to Scotts in Rose Street where we were going to watch the game.

As the doors opened at half past eleven the crowd that had assembled outside made a mad rush to get in and grab a seat.

I had quickly hurried in the side door and managed to secure my usual berth before the pub filled up within a couple of minutes.

It got that busy, sardines enjoyed spacious surroundings in comparison. Three or four deep at the bar and staff rushed off their feet, there was no chance anyone was going to be able to overindulge.

Then the juke box started up and Hector Nicol was belting out The Hearts Song, for what was to be the first of many renditions.

Interspersed with Queen’s Radio Ga Ga and We Shall Not Be Moved, the mood was one of anticipation with some apprehension added for good measure.

I was going to write “after the final whistle” but I still believe that there wasn’t one so, “after the game ended” amid the chaos caused by some Celtic supporters invading the pitch, we took stock of what was, after all, a momentous season for Hearts.

If, at the start of the season, anyone had said that we would be within ten minutes of winning the league they would have been scoffed at.

Yet we were that close.

The mood in Scotts changed from gloom to one of optimism and pride in a heartbeat. Good old Hector was back on the jukebox, and I am sure that the song could be heard from one end of Rose Street to the other as the assembled throng joined in and almost drowned Hector out.

Some of the pubgoers then left to make their way to Gorgie to cheer on the team as they made their way back to the stadium, with one or two of the players being reduced to tears as they acknowledged the supporters who had lined McLeod Street to welcome them back.

Then it was on to Sunday, and another meet up in “AGB’s” where the game was obviously referred to, but the conversation was more centred around our prospects for next season and our participation in the early stages of The European Champions League.

We did not dwell on the past but looked to the future and speculated on our chances of lifting some silverware next season.

We also discussed what players had probably played their last game for Hearts and our chances of recruiting players of similar and, in some cases, better, quality.

So here’s to next season.