EDITORIAL

OPINION

Ever since we started this fanzine in 1989 I have always wondered if we were doing the right thing. We've criticised when necessary but by the very nature of fanzines we have never really felt "part of the media". However during the last couple of months it has all fallen into place. We met with Davie Weir and Gary Naysmith and they agreed to complete our "catch 22" questionnaire. What's more, they got Gary Locke and Paul Ritchie to fill them in as well (that's for issue 37) Thanks to the lads for giving their answers so willingly. Our internet pages continue to impress anyone who visits and thanks are due to Grant for maintaining such a quality output. We have a link to the official Hearts page and it is safe to assume that many non-fanzine minded people who visit the Hearts own pages, will visit ours out of curiosity. As most of you reading this will be like myself (ie not on the "net"), I should point out that about 10% of the fanzine you are reading originates from articles written on the net, and the other 90% is received by mail from as far away as Norway. All of it is scanned (even the cartoons) and put on the internet. I have heard that Chris Robinson has been non-complimentary about the internet. You don't have to wonder why. Apart from NIT, it is one of the few things that he doesn't have editorial control over. Think about it for a minute. If you had a strong opinion about something, where would you be likely to have your say unedited? The programme? The Jambo? Write to Hearts themselves? The Evening News perhaps (who have an interest in Hearts)? No, there are only two places where you can have your say (even if it is just an opinion) and be sure that the message gets across, and that is right here, or on our internet pages. This issue was filled weeks before the print date, which is unusual considering Hearts are doing so well at the moment. Keep it coming in!

FEDERATION

Roses. I think the Federation committee did an excellent job on the Craig Levein benefit match. Hearts did co-operate but it was the federation that was the driving force behind it. I'm sure all who attended enjoyed themselves despite the second string vermin stealing the result. It was good to be able to say a proper "goodbye" to Gary Mackay, John Colquhoun and Bruno, and the sight of Zico around Tynecastle is personally pleasing to me.

Rasps. Only a minor complaint. I wrote to the Secretary in September asking if the federation would like to do something within this fanzine. They have had a publication of their own in the past but it failed. I offered to give them a 4-page supplement and distribute it for a small fee, £30. Speaking from experience (our club has been a federation member for 20 years), the federation suffer from two main problems - not enough money and not enough people attending their functions. My idea could have helped alleviate some of that. My parting words to them in my letter requested an up to date list of all members secretaries and addresses. This has been a popular inclusion in NIT in the past. Unfortunately the Federation have chosen not to reply to my letter. The offer to the federation still stands. Please get in touch.

JAMBOS STILL UP THERE

This is written before the Aberdeen match at Pitoddrie and no matter what the result, we can look upon the first eleven games with satisfaction. Jim Jefferies has worked wonders with a limited amount of money and, while mistakes have been made and the word "inconsistent" still Springs to mind we have a lot to look forward to. We can laugh at Hibs again especially following their good start and expected slump. However, we won't get taken seriously until we can roger the Old Firm, which brings me nicely onto. ..SELLIK. The most annoying part about the whole sellik experience was the fact that nobody seemed surprised that they won the match. I can't say I was that surprised either. Someone actually said to me "get a cartoon of someone giving someone else a real good kick in the bollocks and put that on the front page". No guesses who the people getting the kick in the goolies were - the Hearts fans. Build us up, then let us down, then issue the customary apology for the performance in the Evening News next day. Pointon McManus, Salvatori, Fulton, Cameron, Hamilton and McCann all need to have good look at their attitude towards this game. In England, Everton (underdogs) went for it right from the kick off. Liverpool seemed surprised by the ferocity of their rivals and got beaten. Coming back to Hearts, why did it take us 45 minutes to compete? An apology is not good enough. All 11 Celtic players played well, only 4 Hearts players played well. We only lost 2-1! Imagine the score if seven Hearts players had played well. What I'm trying to say is that there is no point in thrashing Killie and Motherwell if this is what the players serve up when we play a "good" side. Celtic aren't that good, it only needs someone to give as good as they get, and we didn't do that. It pains me to say it, and I don't like criticising Jimbo, but did we have to get beaten by Celtic before McManus got found out?

INGERLAND.

I bet all you potential Scotland supporters out there just can't wait till the draw in December! We could be drawn against the bastard english! What an asset that particular draw would be to the devolution issue! It doesn't matter about ticket arrangements and blaming others the facts are that England fans just don't know how to party without spoiling it.

NEXT ISSUE

Get your stuff in for issue 37 and an expected print date of round about 15th January (we will try to get an issue out for the Cup on 24th Jan if we are at home.)

Take me back to the issue 36 contents page