Seven years ago, best selling author Ted Brack wrote ‘There is a Bonny Fitba Team’ (Fifty Years on the Hibee Highway) which recorded his memories of a lifetime following Hibs.
The last paragraph of that book reads: “My biggest hope is that I will live long enough to see Hibs lift the Scottish Cup. Like Martin Luther King, I have a dream. My dream is that in the not-too-distant future, the whole Brack family (grandchildren included) will sit in the stand at Hampden and watch Hibs win a Scottish Cup Final by playing our traditional free-flowing football. Such an occasion – and the celebrations which would follow it – would make me the happiest man alive.”
Since that book was published, Pat Fenlon twice led Hibs to finals however both ended in defeat however nn Saturday 21st May 2016 the whole Brack family (grandchildren included) sat in the South stand at the National Stadium and witnessed history being made.
Anthony Stokes opened the scoring before Kenny Miller then Andy Halliday gave Rangers an undeserved lead. With time running out Stokes equalized and almost added a third before captain David Gray bulleted a header from a Liam Henderson corner past Wes Foderingham to secure the famous victory.
So, did this make Ted the happiest man alive?
When the Edinburgh reporter caught up him and the look on his face told all.
Ted told the Edinburgh Reporter: ” Yes it has, I am the happiest man on earth and to be at Hampden with my wife, daughter, three sons and three grandchildren as well as other cousins and nephews added to the day.
“It was such a great day and even now I can’t get the smile from my face. I met a friend at the parade on the Sunday and he said that even six raw bitter lemons wouldn’t stop me smiling and he is correct.
“I seem to have a fixed grin and the warm glow of happiness hasn’t reduced. Every day I wake up with a smile on my face.
“I actually had a strong feeling that this would be the year particularly after coming back from 2-0 down to Hearts at Tynecastle, but didn’t want to tempt fate although I did keep a journal so I was able to write the book shortly afterwards.
“I was down after the play-off defeat to Falkirk but as the week went on I got the gut feeling back that our name was on the cup.
“I had the same seat in the South Upper that I’d had for the 2007 CIS Cup win which was just above the corner flag from where Liam Henderson took the two decisive corners. When Anthony Stokes equalised I thought there was only one team going to win and it wasn’t Rangers. When David Gray scored the winner, well what a feeling and I haven’t stopped smiling since that moment.
“The title of the book came from the banner in the north stand which read ‘Time for Heroes’ What a fantastic banner and what better way to sum up the day. It was inspirational for the fans and must have lifted the players as well. It certainly gave me a lift when I saw it, so well done to whoever was behind the idea. There is actually a photograph of the banner on the back of the book cover.
“I was greedy and wanted both promotion and the Scottish Cup and if you had asked me that question two weeks before the final I’d have had to think about it, but havng experienced the cup win, I have no doubts. Yes, given the choice of promotion of the cup win, I would have taken the cup win and everything that it entails. Anyway we will win promotion next year.”
Time for Heroes is a must read book for all Hibs’ fans, young and old, which relives the events of a tumultuous campaign, from the agony of a League Cup Final defeat and the race for promotion to the ecstasy of Scottish Cup glory on a day that will never be forgotten.
Ted and Pat Stanton will be signing copies at the club shop between 2.30-4.00pm on Saturday 2nd July, then at Waterstones at Ocean Terminal on Sunday 3rd July and at the Gyle Shopping Centre between 11.30am – 1.30pm on Saturday 9th July.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
