1998 Scottish Cup win changed perceptions of failure, says former Hearts defender Davie Weir

Hearts are in William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final action with Hibs tomorrow and David Weir knows all about what a trophy at can do to transform Tynecastle fortunes.

David Weir, (second left) celebrates with Stefano Salvatori, Steve Fulton, Jim Hamilton and Neil McCann.

The defender was part of the Jambos’ historic Scottish Cup winning side in 1998 before heading off to the World Cup with Scotland and then signing for Everton.

And the 50-year-old, now loans manager at Brighton and Hove Albion says the Celtic Park triumph altered perceptions of Hearts from a team “associated with failure” to cup legends.

Weir had followed his manager Jim Jefferies from Falkirk to Hearts and it all fell into place for a successful spell in Gorgie for the defender.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies and assistant Billy Brown celebrate with the Scottish Cup. (Picture: SNS)

“I’d probably stayed at Falkirk too long. I knew I needed a new challenge,” he told the MyAlbion podcast. “Hearts were re-inventing themselves and Jim was bringing in younger players to put life into the club. It was the perfect opportunity and the timing was right.”

Weir played 76 games over three years at Tynecastle, including the crowning achievement 22 years ago when Colin Cameron and Stephane Adam scored to get the better of Walter Smith’s side.

He said: “When we won the Cup against Rangers - we’d lost 4-3 to Rangers in another and Hearts had lost 5-1 to Rangers in a final just before I’d gone there and it just seemed to be so near and so far.

"Winning the Scottish Cup with Hearts was massive. Hearts hadn’t won a trophy for years. When we went in Hearts were associated with failure - they had lost the league in 1986, cup finals and just couldn’t seem to win a trophy.

“When we won that cup it seemed the natural end for me. We’d done well in the league, nip and tuck in the whole season, and I’d got into Scotland squad so everything was progressing and I felt at 27 or 28 it was the time to go to the next stage.”

Weir moved on to Everton, returning back to Scotland as a player for five years at Rangers before turning attentions to the dug-out with Sheffield United and then as assistant to Mark Warburton at Brentford, Rangers and Nottingham Forest.