CUP FINAL SUNDAY MEMORIES

I am sure you've probably got enough material from the weekend of 16th May, however on the day after it was officially confirmed what we all knew but didn't want to think about - the King is leaving Gorgie - I felt I must write to you to share my experience of the weekends to end all weekends.

As I'm sure was the case with all Jambos it wasn't untill reading the Monday papers and being sober (speak for yourself, it was Tuesday for me - ed) enough to contemplate the last few days that the full enormity of what we'd achieved sank in. Even today (3rd June) it still seems to unbelievable. Anyway, looking back on that weekend there are two or three decisions me and my mates made that we regretted but this was more than compensated for my the best Sunday evening session of our lives.

In the days leading up to the final we were saying how we must go through to Gorgie after the game win or lose. Unfortunately after the game I was totally knacked and felt awful, whether it was a combination of sunstroke, dodgy food, drinking form 8:30am onwards or even the tension of the whole thing. Whatever it was I hardly had a drink on Saturday night. So we decided to stay in Broxburn!

One of my best mates is a hibby and he promised that if we ever won anything he would wear a Hearts scarf all night. Colin - you are a man of great honour! My second bad decision was on Sunday when we decided to queue up to get into Tynecastle, hence missing the team driving through Gorgie with the cup.

Anyway, feeling a bit flat we trooped out of Tynecastle and went to Robbo's pub for a pint or twelve. Outside on the street things were quite quiet, inside the pub was rocking. Nearly everyone was under 35 and was going berserk. If the world cup song was sung once it was sung a thousand times. Cheap champagne was being sprayed everywhere and at the time we were there (4:40 to 9pm) the WHOLE GAME was on it's 4th showing, with each hearts goal being celebrated as if it was happening for the first time. As we started to get into the swing of things my mate commented that he thought it was unlikely that Robbo ever set foot in the bar

- O ye of little faith!

At about 5:30pm I was at the bar when the place erupted - had Adam scored? No, through the crowd the man himself appeared - quickly lifted shoulder high. The pub fell silent to hear the great man utter the immortal words "I've waited 18 years for this moment, the club has waited 36 years. I brought this beer out (Robertson's) for the final, and now I'm going to rename it - (pause in anticipation) Fucking WINNERS" Pandemonium. Robbo then leads us into "We shall not be moved". Just as the buzz is settling down the place goes mental again - Gary Locke joins Robbo - I turn to my mate and tell him this is un-be-fucking-leivable! Gary is too overcome to speak to the crowd, but he does give us a blast of the European Song. Lockie then tells us he has to go shortly so Robbo asks everyone to be quiet and starts singing "They've gone down but we've won the cup" - the place is bouncing. Lockie leaves but Robbo's still there at half past eight signing autographs. This says it all about Robbo - spending time with real fans. We love him, he loves us. Not pretentious or big-headed. He can get pissed with the boys, some of whom have grown up from boys to men watching Robbo season after season.

The final chapter in this story ends with the act of reclaiming the streets. It started with half a dozen people sitting in the road outside the Tynecastle Arms singing "sit down if you've won the cup". They were removed by one or two good humoured coppers only for about 300 Jambos taking to the middle of Gorgie Road bringing the traffic to a standstill for three quarters of an hour. When the police reinforcements finally arrived they were treated to a good natured rendition of "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough" (to our majesty's finest we didn't really mean it, anyway they took it in good part).

So there you have it - I missed Saturday night and Sunday afternoon but I was there when Robbo walked into the bar and not many people can say that. Finally I'd like to thank everyone who was in Robbo's bar that Sunday afternoon and to those who reclaimed the streets.

Can't wait till the next time!

PS - 10 out of 10 to the person who made up the song "96 years in a row" (the vermin last won it in 1902)

PPS - To all Hearts fans, let's turn up the volume at Tynie next season and keep that tune going (the world cup tune). Many fans will chant it but it was us first!

PPPS - I remember a few years ago after yet another semi final defeat in weedgie land when Robbo was asked for his thoughts. he said "we'll just have to keep going back again and again until we bring that cup home".

We always knew John that someday you would!

Craig Malcolm