‘Natural order’ never used to matter in derby
An Edinburgh derby never needs much to add a bit of extra spice.
But Craig Levein’s assertion that Hearts’ recent victory over Hibs – their first in 10 confrontations – had restored “natural order” to capital conflicts certainly did that.
You can be sure it will form part of Neil Lennon’s pre- match pep talk ahead of Friday’s meeting at Easter Road -– probably within the first 10 seconds!
It wasn’t the first time the Jambos had hit a long barren patch against their greatest rivals.
Back in the 1970s, the Hibees held the upper hand for nearly five years, before Hearts smashed the hoodoo at the 13th attempt.
Jim Jefferies was involved in nine of those meetings, but doesn’t recall as much fuss being made of statistics as there is now.
“Back then, Hearts beating Hibs was every bit as important as it is today, but we just went from one season to the next,” said Jim.
“Whether you had won or lost the two derbies that season, when the next campaign kicked off, the slate was wiped clean.
“But Hibs certainly had a great side at that time, as I quickly found out to my cost.
“My debut in the Edinburgh derby came on January 1, 1973, when I was called in late to replace Ian Sneddon, who had called off with flu.
“The least said about that afternoon, the better!”
Hibs won 7-0 at Tynecastle. And while Hearts gained some measure of revenge when the clubs next met – winning 4- 1 on their own patch – that was the last time they would taste success until they broke the aformentioned hoodoo at Easter Road on November 4, 1978.
That day, Dennis Mcquade – more famous for his part in Partick Thistle’s stunning League Cup Final success over Celtic seven years earlier – set the ball tolling just after the interval.
Twelve minutes later, Derek O’connor extended the lead by punishing a poor Jackie Mcnamara passback, and although Gordon’s Rae’s goal threatened a comeback, the Jambos held on for the win.
In the away dugout that day was Willie Ormond, Hearts manager but an Easter Road legend as part of the Famous Five forward line.
These days, that might be viewed akin to Craig Levein managing Hibs, but Jefferies confirms those were different times.
“When I was growing up, I recall Hearts and Hibs fans standing side by side for derby games,” he said.
“And there was a good number of players who played for each club with no one really batting an eyelid – Gordon Smith, Alan Gordon, Willie Hamilton and so on.
“It was only when the police started insisting on segregation that the club divide started to widen and that was unfortunate.
“Willie Ormond had been terrific for St Johnstone, and went on to take Scotland to the World Cup Finals in West Germany, and he was a great manager in his own right when he came to Tynecastle, so his Hibs background wasn’t an issue.”
Finally getting one over their old rivals was not the platform to greater things for Hearts.
They had been relegated from the Premier League less than 12 months after losing the 1976 Scottish Cup Final to Rangers, and that was their destination at the end of the 1978/79 campaign.
“There were a lot of money problems at the club, and it was a real yo- yo period for us,” Jefferies continued.
“It wasn’t until Wallace Mercer came along that the club finally began to stabilise.”
By then, Jim was away for a two-year spell at Berwick Rangers before embarking on a long and successful managerial career with Hearts (two spells), Falkirk, Bradford City, Kilmarnock and Dunfermline.
These days he’s on the Board at League Two Edinburgh City, and looking to build on their progress up the Scottish football pyramid.
But he will, of course, have both eyes on the action at Easter Road on Friday night.