Hearts v Hibs: Monty talks derbies, recalling Leeds v Man Utd & Sheff Wed v Sheff Utd ‘hatred’

Exclusive: From Elland Road to Bramall Lane and beyond, Montgomery has a history of loving local rivalries as he shares his thoughts ahead of Hearts v Hibs

Football without rivalry? A schedule denuded of derby days and nights? It’s like fish and chips without salt ‘n’ sauce. Bland. Tasteless. Lacking the spice of life.

From the moment a 10-year-old Nick Montgomery was immersed in the “hatred” of a Leeds-Manchester United fixture that transcends geography, he understood the vital role played by a desire to not merely win, but to make sure the “other lot” lose.

Thrown into the Sheffield derby as a young Blade just a few games into his professional career, Montgomery fell instantly in love with everything – the glory, the aggression, even the agony of defeat – about the sort of local scrap that means everything to the fans.

And, at Central Coast Mariners, he delighted in lifting one of the most bizarre trophies in football as reward for a clean sweep of derby wins in a single season. The Hibs boss gets it, then. Didn’t need anyone at Easter Road or East Mains to take him aside for a little pre-Tynecastle explainer on the importance of Saturday’s game in Gorgie.

Reflecting on an upbringing that gave him a keen understanding of how this sort of fixture has shaped the beautiful game, especially but not exclusively in the UK, Montgomery said: “I grew up in Leeds, used to play for Leeds United as a kid, so there were plenty of Yorkshire derbies, playing against Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley.

“But back in the day, Leeds-Man United was hatred, massive hatred between the clubs. I think I started going to those games when I was 10 years old, probably, going with friends. Because I was playing in the youth system, you would get tickets. I really, really enjoyed that as a kid – and it’s probably what made me really want to be a footballer.”

Granted his wish by Sheffield United, Montgomery – who went on to play for Scotland Under-21s – was given an early introduction into a fixture that would split the Steel City right down the middle. The 41-year-old, thrown into a League Cup tie at Hillsborough in November of 200, proudly pointed out: “I think I played in more Sheffield derbies than anyone in the last century.

“The whole week would be built around that one game, a massive one for the fans. We know these games only get you three points, but the reality is that it’s massive for the fans. It’s the one game they’re desperate to win.

“I’ve got some great memories of playing in Sheffield derbies. The atmosphere would be electric from the moment you got on the bus to arriving at the stadium, when you could really feel the energy of the fans.

“I won plenty of Sheffield derbies. But my first memory was playing against Wednesday just four games into my professional career. I’d come on at Norwich away and, three games later, it was the first competitive game between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday for a long, long time.

“Wednesday had been in the Premier League, they’d just got relegated – but this was actually a cup game, away at Hillsborough. So, yeah, my fourth game in was the first competitive Sheffield derby for seven years. You can imagine the anticipation around it.

“I remember sitting in the dressing room at Hillsborough, with the concrete stands above us, and you could hear all the footsteps of fans coming in, the noise they were generating. We went out to do our warmup and the stadium was packed. Which is not normal!

Nick Montgomery as a Sheffield United player - proud of his derby record.

“I remember it was a really good game. We went one-nil down, then I assisted Michael Brown for the equaliser. We should have won the game, had so many chances; I think Marcus Bent hit the bar in injury time.

“Then they scored in extra time, a free-kick that avoided everyone, bounced and went in at the back post. But look, the memory of the game and the atmosphere was unbelievable.

“Coming from Leeds and coming from a working-class background, I loved seeing how much it meant to the fans. I lost the first one but had the joy of winning plenty of derbies after that. Good experiences.”

When his career took him to Australia, Monty quickly came to realise that games against Newcastle Jets could be every bit as heated as anything he’d witnessed in Sheffield.

As a player, he loved the games. As a head coach who won the A-League title, he thrilled in completing a clean sweep of derby games – the Aussie clubs play each other three times in a campaign – to lift the F3 Trophy.

If you haven’t seen one of the oddest prizes in football, it’s basically a lump of concrete extracted from the motorway that separates the rival clubs. Given the average Aussie’s devotion to sport, it probably qualifies as a religious relic.

Heavy, man. Mariners captain Danny Vukovic gets in some weights work by lifting the F3 trophy.

“We were the only team in history to win all three derbies in one season – two away and one at home,” said Montgomery. “That’s gone down in history.

“I won the majority of those derbies as a player and a coach, really enjoyed them. Yeah, we got the concrete trophy from the F3, which was nice. Quite heavy! I think it’s still the trophy cabinet.

“I think some players just love derby games from the off. It’s always quite hectic, frantic even, at the start. Once the game settles down, that’s when the players have a chance to make history.”