Swanson vows to stay cool in the derby pressure cooker

LIKE waving a maroon flag at a fool, Danny Swanson remembers a time when the mere sight of a Hearts jersey would send him over the edge. As a young Hibernian fan he would attend the Edinburgh derby fixture and, in his own words, hurl ‘dog’s abuse’ at the Hearts players. The silliness of such conduct was thrown into focus when one of his prime targets became a close friend. He explains: ‘I used to shout at Scott Severin back in the day — now I go round to his house for tea. I was a young tearaway and he used to get dog’s abuse. ‘There was just something about his face! But then I got to know him, I went on holiday with him and got to know that he is not a bad guy.

‘When he signed for Dundee United he came to live with me and Keith Watson. I remember the first day he walked in and told me I had avoided him a few times. He was probably right because I wasn’t so sure about him.

‘I was dreading him coming to stay but he was brilliant — what a guy.’

Perhaps Severin’s arrival at Tannadice marked a turning point.

Warned regarding his conduct by then United manager Craig Levein ahead of his first senior appearance at Tynecastle in 2008, he promptly got himself sent off following a dreadful tackle.

It was all very unbecoming for a player of Swanson’s natural ability but perhaps explains why he never did look at ease during his very brief spell as a Hearts player a couple of seasons back.

Although the crazy streak re-emerged in a shocking on-field flashpoint with his St Johnstone team-mate Richard Foster last season, Swanson (left) insists he can be relied upon to keep the head as he makes his derby debut for Hibs on Tuesday night.

‘I am looking forward to it a lot,’ he says. ‘I still stay in touch with some of the boys and I always look forward to this game.

‘When the fixtures came out, the derby was the first I looked for. I was at the last derby when we beat them in the cup last season. The boys stayed at the end to clap the fans and I can’t remember Easter Road being like that. It was amazing.

‘I am raring to go. I’m now 30 but I still feel young and this is always a huge game in my family — and a huge game in Leith. Everyone is talking about it and I have always dreamed of playing in it. I always do well against Hearts, so hopefully that continues.’

The presence of Levein in the opposing dugout adds another layer to the story but, as with Severin, Swanson has only good things to say about his former boss.

‘Craig was very good to me and brilliant for my career,’ added Swanson.

‘He would always talk to me about how to handle things because he knew how passionate I was about Hibs.

‘I still see and talk to him. Obviously, he was at Hearts when I was there but he wasn’t as involved as he is now. He is a great guy and the best appointment Hearts could have made.

‘From top to bottom he will sort that club out.’