Hearts have been to hell and back since 2012 but Cup glory is in sight again
ONE giant leap away from a Scottish Cup day out at Hampden. Hearts fans must be pinching themselves.
This is what they’ve been waiting for. The impossible dream that kept them going during the dark era of administration, transfer embargoes and rampant uncertainty.
The promise of better days to come. With a distinctly retro feel. Echoes of the biggest day in club history, even.
Hearts haven’t been to Hampden in any competition since the 2013 League Cup final, when they lost to St Mirren.
The last time they played at the national stadium in the Scottish Cup? The 2012 Salt ’n’ Sauce Final that ended with an historic 5-1 triumph over Hibs.
All of the above happened, of course, Before The Fall. Before the bust that had to follow the boom for a club living on borrowed time — and unsustainable levels of lending.
It was an era when, to use terms familiar to most Hearts fans, they did pretty well in the Cup. Particularly important at a time when their city rivals could only compete in the wee Cup.
Pulled back from the brink of collapse by those supporters and Ann Budge, the first team given a more solid feel under Craig Levein than Ian Cathro ever managed, why shouldn’t Hearts restore some of what the head coach might call ‘the natural order’ by getting past Motherwell this weekend? Former Jambo Alan Preston told
Sportsmail: ‘It’s not that surprising that Hearts haven’t been back to Hampden in the Scottish Cup since that great day.
‘They had administration, they then had to play young boys because of the transfer embargo.
‘And there was a bigger picture than getting to Scottish Cup semi-finals and finals.
‘The most important things were keeping the club alive, making sure it still had a history and a future.
‘Now they’re back on an even keel, they’ve got a new stand built — and Hearts fans will now expect them to compete in the latter stages of the Scottish Cup.
‘To get back to semi-finals and finals, that’s where Hearts will feel they should be.
‘The Scottish Cup hasn’t been kind to Hearts since 2012. Here’s hoping this season is when they can go on and at least get to the semis, although it will be a tough, tough game against Motherwell.
‘Hearts should have won at home to Motherwell last time; I was there that day. But going away there is a real challenge.
‘They’re in the quarter-finals, so they’ve got a chance of winning the trophy.
‘Celtic are still favourites to do the Treble. They’ve only lost two games in 80 — I can’t see them losing three in 12, or whatever it is, to miss out on this.
‘A double Treble would be unbelievable. Rangers are the highest scoring team in Scotland. Aberdeen have been brilliant under Derek McInnes.
‘So you would say these three teams should be considered ahead of Hearts.
‘It would be brilliant for the Hearts fans just to get back to Hampden in the Scottish Cup.
‘The last time they did that, it was the greatest day in the club’s history, beating Hibs 5-1. Or 1-5, as Hibs fans keep telling me, because they were in the home changing room!
‘They’ve not been back in the Scottish Cup, only the League Cup. So it would be fantastic for them even to reach a semi-final.
‘It shows you the progression of the club under Ann, who has taken the club from administration, from possibly having to leave Tynecastle, to building a new stand and charging forward on the field.
‘The fans also take a massive, massive pat on the back, the 8,000 who pay money in every month via the Foundation of Hearts. It would be a reward for them, a day out at Hampden.’
Nobody doubts that Hearts have a task on their hands to get past a Motherwell side who have won three of their last four matches.
Even if they got past the Fir Park side in Lanarkshire, meanwhile, they would more than likely face one of Celtic, Rangers or Aberdeen in the semis.
Whoever wins the trophy this year, they’ll have to do it the hard way. Which might just appeal to Levein — a man still without a Scottish Cup on his CV.
‘Craig has steadied the ship, done a good job,’ added Preston. ‘I don’t think they’ll finish top four, if you look at the gap.
‘But Hearts under Ian Cathro were going nowhere. It was eight months of torture for supporters.
‘Craig has come in and turned it around. It’s still not where Hearts want to be — but it’s certainly progression from where they were, the negativity that was around.
‘Craig hasn’t won anything, to be honest, as a manager. Look at the guys who have won trophies — Tommy Wright, John Hughes, Jim McIntyre, Danny Lennon… Craig has been the Scotland manager and hasn’t won anything.
‘So he will be hoping to right that wrong and get a massive feather in his cap.’
Winners in 2006 and again in 2012, Hearts would dearly love that cycle of a one Scottish Cup every six seasons to continue.
Even getting through this round would feel like an almighty stride in the right direction.