Scottish Cup Final Countdown: Hearts Class of ’98 ends 36 years of hurt

In July 1995 Falkirk manager Jim Jefferies stood outside Brockville Park to tell the waiting media and anxious Bairns supporters – “I’m staying at Falkirk”.  The former Berwick Rangers manager had been given the opportunity to take the manager’s post at Hearts and, being a former Hearts captain as well as a lifelong supporter, the temptation was keenly felt.

Jefferies had worked a minor miracle at Falkirk, not only taking the club to the Premier Division but also earning a respectable mid-table position when many pundits were tipping The Bairns for relegation. But, within forty-eight hours of stating his intention to stay put, Jefferies’ uneasiness at turning down what may have been the opportunity of a lifetime intensified. When Hearts chairman Chris Robinson went back to try again, Jefferies changed his mind – and history was in the making.

Two years later, Jefferies had moulded his Hearts team into one that was making
a serious bid for the league title. Celtic and Rangers greater resources meant
this was always going to be a huge ask but when the Scottish Cup came around
some commentators had been so impressed with Hearts displays that they thought
the Tynecastle side were a good bet to take the trophy – even though it had
been thirty-six years since silverware last graced the west end of the capital
city. The Old Firm, they reckoned, would be too involved with the championship
but Jambos boss Jim Jefferies wasn’t worried about that being an apparent
backhanded compliment.
 

Hearts were given a home draw against Second
Division Clydebank in Round Three and were somewhat fortunate to win 2-0 given
that The Bankies created the better chances in the game. It was Third Division
opposition in Round Four when Albion Rovers visited Edinburgh and Angolan
winger Jose Quitongo inspired Hearts to a 3-0 victory before their penchant for
home ties was illustrated again in the quarter finals with a 4-1 win over Ayr
United. Hearts eighth semi-final appearance in the Scottish Cup in twelve years
had many people believing their name was on the trophy when they avoided both
the Old Firm and drew First Division Falkirk. Hearts luck in the cup held firm.
Despite their poorest display of the season during which The Bairns outplayed
them, Hearts emerged 3-1 victors (two goals in the last two minutes sinking
their lower league opponents) and their third cup final appearance in two years
beckoned.

Their opponents were the side that had thrashed
them 5-1 in the Scottish Cup final of 1996 – Rangers. Ibrox boss Walter Smith
conceded that Hearts were a much-improved team from the one that capitulated
two years earlier, but the Govan men were still firm favourites for the trophy.
More than 48,000 supporters headed for Celtic Park on a warm May afternoon to
witness one of the most emotional cup finals in recent years.

Hearts: Rousset; McPherson; Naysmith; Weir; Salvatori; Ritchie; McCann; Fulton;
Adam; Cameron; Flogel. Substitutes: Hamilton, Robertson; Murray.

Referee: W. Young

It was a sign of the cosmopolitan times that, of the Rangers side, only Gordon Durie and Ian Ferguson were born in Scotland (Gough was born in Stockholm while Goram and McCall were born in England of Scottish parentage). Even the Hearts side contained two Frenchman, an Italian and an Austrian.

Both sides were affected by pre-match blows.
Rangers influential German, Jorg Albertz was sent off for violent conduct the
previous week at Tannadice while injury ruled out Swede Jonas Thern. Hearts
captain Gary Locke, who was stretchered off injured after just seven minutes
during the 1996 final, missed the ’98 final because of a hamstring injury and,
being a Hearts daft youngster, his anguish was felt by every Hearts supporter.

Rangers-Hearts Scottish Cup finals have a history of having remarkable
beginnings. The 1976 final between the pair began at two minutes to three,
Rangers scored within 80 seconds, and so Hearts were a goal behind before
the official kick-off time! Astonishingly, the 1996 final kicked off at a
minute to three and Hearts lost their captain within seven minutes. The fans
wondered what the 1998 final would have in store – they got their answer after
just 33 seconds!

 From
the kick-off Hearts stormed upfield. Stand-in captain Steve Fulton burst into
the Rangers penalty box only to be halted by Ian Ferguson. Halted illegally
said referee Young and he awarded a penalty to Hearts. It looked initially like
the foul had been committed outside the penalty box but, tellingly, few Rangers
players protested. Colin Cameron stepped up to slot the penalty kick beyond
goalkeeper Andy Goram and Hearts had a sensational lead after just eighty seconds.
Maroon clad supporters erupted in the Celtic Park cauldron and it was certainly
a start to the match few people – even in Edinburgh – had predicted.

Rangers, although stung by such an early setback,
responded. Rino Gattuso embarked on a powerful run from midfield, which ended
with a shot, which was comfortably saved by Rousset. Then Brian Laudrup had an
effort which was blocked by nineteen-year-old Gary Naysmith.  Hearts,
however, weren’t just sitting back. Despite a significant change in tactics by
manager Jim Jefferies which saw the team adapt a more rigid 4-4-2 formation
rather than their normal swashbuckling style of 4-3-3, the maroons were still
capable of lightening raids on the break, epitomised by young Naysmith who was
having an outstanding game at full back. The Scotland Under 21 star had just
been named Young Player of the Year and his assured defending and attacking
abilities were there for all to see at Celtic Park.

After half an hour Rangers Ian Ferguson – a veteran
of St. Mirren’s cup triumph in 1987 – was put through by Laudrup but pulled his
effort wide. Then came Rangers best effort thus far. Accepting a short free
kick some thirty-five yards out, Lorenzo Amoruso fired in a magnificent shot
which appeared to be heading for the top left-hand corner of the net. But as
Rangers prepared to celebrate the equaliser Hearts keeper Gilles Rousset leapt
majestically to palm the ball past the post. It was a fantastic save and a
defining moment. In the 1996 final, the big Frenchman let a shot slip through
his fingers to give Rangers a two-goal advantage from which they never looked
back. It was a schoolboy error and Rousset hid his face behind his hands at the
realisation at what he had done. But now, two years later, he produced one of
the great stops and the twenty-three thousand Hearts supporters stood to
acclaim the moment. Half-time arrived with Hearts still ahead and one wondered
if history was about to be made.

 
At the start of the second half Rangers replaced the unhappy Stensaas with the
veteran campaigner that was Ally McCoist. It signalled an all-out attacking
policy by Walter Smith and for the opening five minutes of the second period
Hearts were pinned back in their own half. Within minutes McCoist received a
pass from the tireless Brian Laudrup but his effort went into the side net.
Urged on by captain Richard Gough -playing his last game for the Ibrox club –
Rangers swept forward and one wondered if Hearts could hold out. But, on fifty-three
minutes, the Hearts support erupted once more. Gilles Rousset launched a long
ball down field from a free-kick and it seemed that Rangers Amoruso would clear
the danger. But the Italian dithered as he went to strike the ball and
Frenchman Stephane Adam nipped in behind him. Taking the ball into the penalty
box, Adam fired in a powerful shot which goalkeeper Goram could only parry into
the net. 2-0 to Hearts and Adam ran with outstretched arms to an ecstatic
Jambos support to milk the celebrations.

The noise from the Hearts end was deafening. Was
the dream about to come true? Was thirty-six years of anguish about to end? The
supporters, so often kicked in the teeth by countless near misses from their
side, could scarcely believe it. But there were still thirty-five minutes to
go. And a wounded Rangers side is when they are at their most dangerous. 
Seconds later Hearts almost ended the argument when Austrian Thomas Flogel
headed a Steve Fulton free kick powerfully towards goal, but his effort was
well saved by Goram. But, inevitably, Rangers stormed back.

Ally McCoist, despite being written off by some
people at 35 years of age, was proving a real handful for the youthful Hearts
defence. A snapshot from the striker from just six yards out was well saved by
Rousset before the former Sunderland player appeared to be fouled by Dave
McPherson. Time was running out for Rangers but, with nine minutes to go,
McCoist finally got the goal both he and his side deserved. Ferguson played the
ball forward to Gattuso. The Italian slipped it to McCoist who drove the ball
past Rousset and into the net from 18 yards.

The last few minutes of the 1998 Scottish Cup final
were tense, nervous and fraught for supporters of both sides. Rangers threw
everything at the Hearts defence but the Jim Jefferies’ side scented glory. But
there was still time for more drama in this epic cup final. With two minutes to
go, McCoist went down in the penalty box after a foul by David Weir. Referee
Young immediately blew his whistle. For a moment it looked like a penalty to
Rangers and Hearts hopes appeared to be cruelly dashed once more. But, after a
nod from the assistant referee, Young awarded a free kick on the edge of the
penalty box much to the disgust of McCoist. Brian Laudrup’s free kick was
deflected wide and Hearts and their supporters breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The period of injury time seemed to last forever. Fully four minutes stoppage
time had been played when, at last, referee Young blew for the end of the
match. The Hearts support roared themselves hoarse and danced for joy. Jim
Jefferies almost crushed his assistant Billy Brown with a hug of delight.
Hearts had won the cup for the first time since 1956 and four decades of
heartbreak had come to an end.

The scenes which followed at Celtic Park were remarkable. Grown men wept and
the tide of emotion that washed over those in maroon seemed almost to overpower
them. Veteran striker John Robertson, a substitute but who never came on, was
clearly overcome. ‘Robbo’ had been at the club for seventeen years but had yet
to win a medal with the club he loved. Now, in his last season at Tynecastle,
his dream had come true as it had for the thousands of jubilant supporters who
found it difficult to comprehend just what had happened. When Steve Fulton went
to collect the trophy, he invited club captain Gary Locke to go up with him.
The injured Locke – a dyed in the wool Hearts fan if ever there was one –
didn’t need to be asked twice and the two players held the cup aloft to a huge
ovation from the Hearts support.

Edinburgh partied all weekend as the players
paraded the cup through the streets of the famous old city and on to Tynecastle
Stadium for a truly emotional homecoming. An estimated one hundred thousand
people welcomed them home and Edinburgh let down its collective hair. Manager
Jim Jefferies had said before the game that the players could become legends if
they won the cup and there’s little doubt that the Hearts support treated their
heroes in a way befitting such a status.

And, after 36 years of hurt, they had finally
brought silverware back to Tynecastle.