Elliot’s Hampden roar in derby rout
As fans rue loss of today’s semi-final, former Hearts player recalls 4-0 victory over Hibs and says ‘we knew we’d win’
As Paul Hartley’s 28th-minute opener found the net, Calum Elliot wheeled off in pursuit of his team-mate. On his way past the unfortunate Hibs goalkeeper Zibby Malkowski, who was on his knees in the box, the young Hearts striker roared in jubilation.
“I don’t remember that,” he says but footage of the Tynecastle side’s 2006 Scottish Cup semi-final battering of their capital rivals shows that in that moment, Elliot is a picture of unconfined joy. “It’s funny, because I don’t think you ever totally enjoy those games, not when you are just one goal ahead. You are still too busy thinking you don’t want to get beat. There is so much at stake and, especially coming from Edinburgh there is no escaping the intense scrutiny that comes with those games.
“But the first goal in derbies are usually crucial and that goal wasn’t that long before half-time and it set us up nicely for the second half. Then the manager spoke to us at halftime and that gave us the confidence to go back out there and get the job done.”
Steven Pressley did not re-emerge after sustaining a head knock just before the break but such was the calibre of that Hearts squad, the Gorgie side were able to send out European Championship winner Takis Fyssas as a more than able replacement. Three more goals – two from Hartley to complete his hat-trick and one for Edgaras Jankauskas – completed the 4-0 rout.
“There has, obviously, been the cup final since but at that time it was one of the biggest derbiestherehadbeeninyears. Playing a derby, at a full Hampden, in a semi-final, made it so significant. The result was convincing in the end.”
There was supposed to be another memorable Hampden showdown taking place today as the Edinburgh foes faced up in this season’s Scottish Cup semi-final. The coronavirus lockdown has foiled those plans.
But having moved into management with Tynecastle FC, in the East of Scotland league, Elliot is happy to dredge up old memories to fill the void. “The thing I remember most from the game wasn’t the celebrations afterwards, it was that even during the warm-up the Hearts end was full and, with the players and the leaders we had in that team, we all kind of knew we were going to win that game. There was a real confidence in the group that we would get the result that we needed to take us through to the final.”
Elliot was replaced by Roman Bednar with eight minutes remaining. By then the scoreline was 3-0 and Hibs had been reduced to ten men.
Within six minutes the Leith side were down to nine men and Hartley, pictured inset, had converted a penalty. “That was when I could relax and enjoy the atmosphere. I don’t always remember a lot about most of the games I’ve played in and I was still kind of young back then but that game is one that does stick in my mind.” Just 19 at the time, and a contender for the Player’s Young Player of the Year that season, Elliot was guided by the experienced professionals around him. Their post-match response was eye-opening
Clockwise from main picture: Calum Elliot in action during Hearts’ emphatic Scottish Cup semi-final victory against arch-rivals Hibs in April 2006; Hearts revel in their Cup final win over Gretna; Elliot leads the celebrations after helping the young Scots reach the U19 European Championship final.
as they chose not to indulge in wild celebration on their return to Edinburgh.
“After the game, everyone was delighted, but we were still competing to finish second in the league. I think Celtic had just gotten away from us by that point but it was a close battle between us and Rangers to finish second. And that groupdidn’treallyseeitassuccess to win a semi-final. They wanted to win the Scottish Cup.”
They eventually did, but having started every game en route, Elliot wasn’t part of it; dropped from the matchday squad for the head-to-head with Gretna.
“I was really disappointed but there was some politics and I had played in the Youth Cup final on the Wednesday. I still trained with the squad on the Thursday but on Saturday I wasn’t even on the bench.
“You don’t enjoy it the same way when you are not involved. You don’t feel part of it.
“The next day was the open top bus parade but I was due to meet up with the Scotland Under-19s. I could have travelled on the Monday but I just wanted to get back to playing football. I missed the parade. Maybe that’s a regret.”
The European Championships were a pick-meup, though. Having ousted France, featuring Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri, Elliot and Co made it to the final, where they gave Spain’s Gerard Pique and Juan Mata a fright before succumbing to greater technical ability. “At least the Euros allowed me to finish the season strongly.”
“The thing I remember most from the game wasn’t the celebrations afterwards, it was that even during the warm-up the Hearts end was full”
CALUM ELLIOT