I harbour a strong suspicion I won’t be
alone in wanting to see the back of season 2013/14. As Gary Locke said on the
eve of the recent game with Partick Thistle, a game that finally consigned the
once mighty Heart of Midlothian to relegation, it’s been a long, hard season
both physically and mentally for players and supporters. Now, those who know me
will all too readily tell you the chances of me running around for an hour and
a half are akin to Leigh Griffiths signing for Hearts next season so, physically,
I’ve not found it hard at all. However, mentally, this has been one long hard
slog.
Hope rose on Monday that Hearts would exit administration
this week. Creditors of major shareholder UBIG
agreed to transfer their 50% holding to BIDCO, the Anne Budge-backed vehicle
for future fan control through the Foundation of Hearts. However, no deal has
yet been reached regarding the 29% shares held by Ukio Bankas, who hold a
charge on Tynecastle Stadium. Talks will continue between lawyers representing
the failed Lithuanian bank and Hearts' administrators (BDO). The major concern
is that Hearts will run out of money by the end of April, so a decision from
Ukio's creditors is a matter of urgency. The Foundation of Hearts spokesman,
Ian Murray MP, said that a formal meeting is expected by the end of next week.
The long hard slog just keeps getting longer and longer.
Of course, the 15 point deduction imposed
on Hearts by the SPFL at the start of the season for the club going into
administration meant Hearts were always going to fight, forlornly as it
transpires, against relegation. Arguably, the embargo on signing players has
had an even stronger impact. When injuries affected key players such as Ryan
Stevenson, Jason Holt and Jamie Walker, it affected the team badly.
The Hearts support accepted this but it
didn’t stop them turning out in huge numbers, week in, week out. Their
magnificent support and unquestioning loyalty has been one of the few
highlights of the season. Hindsight, they say, is a wonderful thing and I
wonder if going into administration at the tail end of last season might have
been an option with the drop into what is now known as the Championship for
this campaign. My thinking behind this is that at least this would have made
this season a wee bit more competitive than it has been. A brief spell at the
beginning of the campaign apart, Hearts have spent the season cut adrift from
the rest of the league. And this has robbed us of the cut-throat intensity
normally associated with following this beloved team of ours.
When Hearts last played outside the top
flight of Scottish football, I lived afar – 140 miles away in Aberdeen. I did
go to a few games but I felt somewhat isolated. I missed the weekly passion of
heading along Gorgie Road, shuffling into Tynecastle’s wide-open terracings and
cheering on the boys in maroon. When I did make the trip south, the
anticipation and excitement of watching Hearts take on Ayr United with around
4,000 other Jambos at Tynecastle marked me out to my friends in the Granite
City as being somewhat ‘different’. The point I’m rather labouring somewhat is
that there was a real purpose to going to the game, even if it was a First
Division clash.
The present day Hearts team contains some
of the most promising youngsters in Scotland and watching them progress and
learn from experience this season has been gratifying. Nonetheless, the
aforementioned 15 point deduction has meant the laddies’ task of staying in the
top flight of Scottish football has been akin to climbing up Ben Nevis in the
middle of winter wearing a pair of carpet slippers. The end of this season
can’t come soon enough for me and, I suspect, Gary Locke and his young team.
Some of my associates, particularly those
of the Hibernian persuasion, snigger when I tell them I’m really looking
forward to next season. This isn’t a display of bravado, I’m being sincere.
Assuming Hearts are playing in the SPFL Championship next season (and disaster
hasn’t struck in Lithuania and we end up starting again in League Two a la Rangers) I’m of the view that the
second flight of Scottish football next season will actually have more
entertainment value than the top one.
Rangers and Hearts will likely assume the
mantle of pre-season favourites for the automatic promotion place. The games
against Ally McCoist’s side will likely mean full-house signs at Tynecastle
with the kick-off likely to be switched to accommodate live television
coverage. And this young Hearts team will have nothing to fear heading to Ibrox
for what will be one of the highlights of the season.
Next season, the Championship may also
include Dunfermline Athletic. I hope the Pars win their promotion play-off
games as a trip across the River Forth to East End Park is always a pleasure
while their manager Jim Jefferies will always be welcome to Tynecastle.
Depending on who wins promotion this season, there’s also the possibility of
games against Falkirk and Dundee and another short trip to Livingston. At the
time of writing, one can’t even rule out the possibility of there still being
Edinburgh derbies (anyone else keen to know the Hibs score this afternoon?) All
of these games will prove tricky but, crucially, all will be meaningful.
Meanwhile, in the SPFL Premiership, few would bet against Celtic being so far
ahead of the rest come Christmas the others will require snookers just to stay
in touch…
Hearts supporters have been truly
magnificent this season and they can be forever proud of the support they have
given their team during trying and truly exceptional circumstances. I have a
feeling that, as they did back in 1977 when Hearts suffered relegation for the
first time in their history, the Maroon Army will back their team in huge
numbers again, despite demotion. It’s worth recalling that nearly 20,000 fans
watched Hearts play fellow promotion hopefuls Dundee at Tynecastle in January
1978. Back then the fans stuck by their team. I have absolutely no doubt that
they will again next season – a season that will have a sense of purpose and
intensity once more.
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