Hearts peacemaker has say on Edinburgh derby fracas

Players, coaches and club officials all got involved at the conclusion of the 1-1 draw at Tynecastle, which sparked after an altercation between Hearts interim boss Steven Naismith and Hibs manager Lee Johnson.

Johnson and substitute Rocky Bushiri were sent off along with Hearts’ substitute goalkeeper Ross Stewart and goalkeeping coach Paul Gallacher. SFA compliance officer Martin Black will study the footage further to see if any other action is to be taken.

In replays of the incident, Gordon can be seen trying to pull those getting heated away from each other. But while there have been reports of punches being thrown, Gordon insists all he saw was pushing and shoving without anyone intent on committing an act of violence.

“I think everybody was trying to hold everybody else back. I don’t think there was actually anything happening. I didn’t see anything,” he said.

“There were so many people in the one place but nothing actually happened. It got blown up a little more than what it was. Everything was fine. There were no real problems and the players were fine coming off the pitch and going up the tunnel.

“It was a case of high tension in a very important game but nothing really going on.”

Hearts were able to secure a 1-1 draw despite conceding a first-half equaliser in the immediate aftermath of Alex Cochrane’s red card for a last-man challenge on Hibs midfielder Chris Cadden.

Players and officials from both sides became involved in a flashpoint at the end of Saturday's Edinburgh derby. Picture: SNS

The result was enough to secure fourth place and European football next season, while Hibs have to wait on the winner of Saturday’s cup final between Celtic and Inverness CT to find if they’ll be playing on the continent next term.

"It was a crazy match,” said Gordon. “Not a great deal of football was played and it was 100mph in a game with a lot at stake. It was the difference between fourth and fifth, and it wasn’t just the bragging rights, but in terms of Europe and players’ bonuses in relation to the finishing position. So, yeah, there was a lot on the game.

“It was always going to be a feisty one, with everyone giving 100 per cent.”

• Craig Gordon was speaking at Camstradden Primary, in Drumchapel, as part of the Scottish FA’s Week of Football. Pupils took part in a creative writing competition called When I Played For Scotland, as part of Learning Through Football - a Scottish FA programme designed to support teaching and learning through the context of the national game. It is used by pupils and school across Scotland.

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