39 YEARS OF HEARTBURN
Jimmy: Airdrie must believe they can beat jinxed Jambos after incredible run in cups
DIAMONDS have trumped Hearts in cup games for the last 39 years and Airdrie legend Jimmy Sandison insists that will give the class of 2020 hope of a Tynecastle win on Saturday.
A home draw against League One opposition would suit most top-flight clubs but this match has sent a shiver down the spine of Jambos fans.
Hearts have crashed in their last SIX cup ties against the Diamonds and haven’t beaten them in a knockout clash since Chris Robertson sealed a 1-0 League Cup triumph at Broomfield way back in August 1981.
Sandison was part of the team that twice knocked the Jambos out of the Scottish Cup at the semi-final stage in the 1990s.
A 4-2 penalty shoot-out win in April 1992 sent Airdrie through to face Rangers in the final, while a 1-0 victory at Hampden three years later saw them progress to play Celtic.
There is a bigger gulf between the sides this time around, although Ian Murray’s men are flying high in League One while the Tynecastle outfit sit bottom of the Premiership after a horrendous run of form.
Sandison admits Hearts will be favourites but has no doubt that Murray, a former Hibs player, will be giving his players a history lesson about this fixture.
The former defender, who started his career with the Jambos before joining Airdrie, said: “There’s a bit of history there and I’ve no doubt Ian will be mentioning that in the dressing room.
“Airdrie have a great history in the Scottish Cup and they’ve done really well over a period of years.
“Maybe not so much of late but it’s something that can inspire his team on Saturday. Hopefully they can get a good performance.”
Sandison was one of four players cut loose by Hearts who came back to haunt them in the 1990s.
Walter Kidd, Kenny Black and Davie Kirkwood were also part of the Diamonds team who savoured that shoot-out win in 1992.
Sandison was still around three years later when Airdrie repeated the trick and has since come to realise that a move to Lanarkshire wasn’t necessarily the backwards step many saw it as.
He said: “We knew after leaving that we weren’t poor players. We’d left Hearts for whatever reasons and went to Airdrie.
“I know a lot of people thought, ‘You leave Hearts and go to Airdie then you career’s on a downward spiral’ but when I look back on the 10 years I was with the Diamonds, my career actually went on a high.
“I went to two Scottish Cup Finals, I won the Challenge Cup, picked up medals, played more regularly and I was club captain. Most of the guys who came with me from Hearts went along on that journey too.
“There was a great bit of success. We took the club into Europe.
“I speak to Wattie Kidd quite regularly and he talks about that really highly. He was near enough at the end of his career then had a couple of years at Airdrie when he was playing in these big games and in Europe. He couldn’t believe the high his career ended on.
“So it wasn’t necessarily us on the way down leaving Hearts for Airdrie. Certainly for me, it was on the way up. “You look at the two sides now. Hearts aren’t playing the best football at the
moment and Airdrie will come into this game maybe inspired by these types of stories that on any given day, any team can win.
“If they can catch Hearts off it and get the crowd to go against them then you just never know what could happen.”
Sandison has been a regular at Tynecastle for years, providing co-commentary for matches on Hearts TV.
He saw enough during their last game against Aberdeen, a 1-1 draw, to suggest that Daniel Stendel’s ideas are starting to take root.
But the 54-year-old believes the German needs a performance as well as a win this weekend.
He said: “You’re needing a good performance now. Does he play a team that’s going to get over the line and win the game? I would expect him to play his strongest 11.
“I wouldn’t think he’s going to look at the Scottish Cup and think, ‘I’m not really interested in that. The bigger fish to fry is to get out of the relegation battle.’ That’s the main aim, no question. But I’m not too sure he can change the team for Saturday’s match.
“He has to put out his strongest 11 to get a confidence boost then take that into the league games.
“It’s going to be tough. There will be a nice wee Airdrie support coming through and they’ll make it has hard as they can.”
Some former Jambos will be in the Airdrie ranks at Tynecastle, just like those ties in the 1990s.
But Sandison is expecting the Jambos to end the jinx. He said: “There’s a wee connection there with Dale Carrick coming back while Mickey Cameron will be in the dugout alongside Ian Murray. But Hearts should win.
“Since Daniel’s taken over I’ve seen an intensity, a higher work rate and players look a wee bit fitter.
“I’ve also noticed more of a connection between the fans and players. If they can get it right up front then he’s got a wee chance.”