Red card doesn’t take shine off Irving’s goal
Andy Irving used to dream about scoring for Hearts. Now he has done it for real – and the feeling will live with him forever.
Lifelong Jam Tarts fan Irving notched a magnificent first goal in maroon against Dundee United on Friday night in front of his watching friends and family.
In the aftermath, his phone was red hot with messages of congratulations.
Now the teenager hopes he has done enough to earn himself a regular midfield role with his boyhood heroes.
“It’s a dream come true just to play for Hearts at Tynecastle – and to score, too,” he said.
“It’s what I always dreamed about when I was a kid, coming here to watch. I can’t really describe how it feels.
“I can’t really remember much about the celebration, just because it was such a shock.
“Any time I have ever played for Hearts, I have always pictured scoring, but, once you’re on the pitch, you just concentrate on the game and how it’s going. To actually score, it’s amazing.
“I was eight when I first came here, so it’s been a long time coming.
“I had a season ticket, came to games, so it’s unbelievable.
“It lived up to the hype, definitely. An amazing feeling.
“I think I have a not bad left foot, so it was good to get a chance to strike it.
“Hopefully, I have done enough to get a couple more opportunities. That’s my aim and I just need to train, work hard and see what happens.”
Irving spent the first half of last season on loan with Falkirk, but the Bairns’ Championship struggle ultimately ended in relegation.
However, Irving insists he is a better player for the experience.
“It was really tough. The fans were on our back because we weren’t winning, we weren’t producing,” he said. “Being young, you are trying to develop, but that side of things makes it harder.
It’s definitely prepared me better for the future. I wouldn’t change the experience.
“I enjoyed it, I feel I learned a lot and I came back a better player. That’s what I went out to do, so it was worthwhile.”
An unfortunate late red card against United didn’t take the shine off Friday night for Irving.
Craig Levein even hailed the youngster for the back-tracking run that resulted in his handball dismissal following a stumble.
Irving appreciated his manager’s backing – and revealed his lungbursting effort was the result of summer conditioning work.