Murrayfield packs ’em in for biggest turnout in 29 years
Grainger: Team-mates couldn’t risk missing the final
MURRAYFIELD is on course to stage Scottish football’s biggest attendance in 29 years when Hearts and Celtic battle it out in Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final.
Hoops supporters have snapped up their 30,000 tickets and the Jambos are also close to shifting their allocation following a 50-50 split of briefs.
And with the rest taken up by sponsors and corporate hospitality it means Scotland’s 67,000-capacity home of rugby is set to be a
IT was the goal that defined and cemented Craig Beattie’s Jambos legacy.
He memorably slammed home a last-minute penalty winner for Hearts against Celtic in the 2012 Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.
What followed was sheer comedy gold.
The former Celtic star then embarked on his infamous wild goal celebration as he hurdled the advertising boards and ran bare-chested, swirling his shirt above his head while taking the acclaim of the Gorgie faithful.
Beattie’s strike set up the first all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup Final since 1896 and Paulo Sergio’s Hearts would go on to destroy Pat Fenlon’s Hibs 5-1.
Now, over six years on, Danny Grainger has lifted the lid on why nobody joined Beattie during his celebration.
Grainger revealed five Hearts players were on yellows and had they left the field of play they would have copped a second booking which would have ruled them out of the Final.
But Grainger admits Beattie’s goal celebration was just typical of a player who always brought fun and light-heartedness to every situation.
He said: “Craig’s celebration summed him up perfectly. That is the sort of lad he is. What Beatts did still makes me laugh out loud when I see it to this day.
“We had just created history and defeated Celtic to set up a cup final against Hibs and all everybody wanted to talk about, and still wants to talk about, is that goal celebration.
“It was hysterical. The bare-chested run behind the goal in front of the Hearts fans is just ingrained in everybody’s mind.
“The irony is none of the players follow Beatts to join in the celebrations.
“If you look at the footage at least five of us slam on the brakes and let him go away on his own because we were all on a booking – only Ryan McGowan chased after him, eventually. Darren Barr, Ian Black and myself all came to a halt and managed to stay on the park. “We knew if we left the pitch and joined Beatts we would miss the Final. “It is amazing that common sense kicked in with the players amid the mayhem. “Beatts was a very infectious person in the dressing room and an important character for the team. He only played nine games for Hearts in total but he is a club legend because of the penalty and of course the goal celebration.”
Grainger, 32, who is now with Carlisle, believes the Jambos class of 2018-19 will have to do what Sergio’s men did in 2012 – and win TWO cup finals.
The defender also recalled how the pressure was heaped on Hearts after Hibs had booked their final slot 24 hours earlier by seeing off Aberdeen.
Grainger said: “Hearts played two cup finals on the spin that season. Not only did we have to beat Celtic but we had to peak again to beat Hibs.
“If Craig Levein’s players manage to beat Celtic they will have to do it all again like we did on cup final day.
“We also had to contend with the fact Hibs beat Aberdeen to claim a cup final spot on the Saturday. All the neutrals were willing an all-Edinburgh final and that cranked up the heat even more on us.
“I remember watching Hibs’ semi-final in the Hearts kitman’s room. I was buzzing at the prospect of playing Hibs in the Final but a few lads were chalk white. Ian Black was a nervous wreck that day.
“Gary Locke told us before we played Celtic the supporters would never forgive us or let us inside Tynecastle ever again – no pressure then!
“To beat Celtic in the semi then your rivals in the Final is beyond your wildest dreams. It is a most treasured memory.”