Young Locke is keyed up for the biggest night of his Hearts career

RAY HEPBURN

28 Sep 1993

GARY Locke has come a long way in a short period of time, and tonight the 18-year-old defender will experience the real meaning of big-time football when he walks on to the pitch at the magnificent Vicente Calderon stadium, the home of Atletico Madrid.

The youngster, whose play has won him a place in Hearts' first team, will be asked to confirm his potential as the premier division's find of the season as the Tynecastle club try to maintain their slight advantage over the Spaniards in the second leg of their UEFA Cup, first-round tie.

Hearts won 2-1 at home, and manager Sandy Clark believes Locke, a Hearts supporter, will cope well enough on such a big occasion.

As a nine-year-old, Locke stood in Parc de Princes with his father and watched his team lose 4-0 to Paris St Germain in 1984.

One of four youngsters elevated by Clark from the reserves to the Edinburgh side's first team, Locke has done enough to become a regular starter.

"After having played for the manager in the youth and reserve teams, I hoped my first-team chance would come after his appointment," said Locke.

"But to get the opportunity so quickly and so frequently has been beyond my most optimistic hopes."

The teenager watched his first Hearts match as a two-year-old and turned down the chance of a glittering career in England.

Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough, and Manchester United all wanted to sign him, but he was waiting for only one team.

"I promised the club while at school that if I was still good enough at 16, then they would be the only club I would sign for," he said.

Locke realises this will be his most severe test to date, and the chances are he will have to contend with Polish striker Roman Kosecki, who appears to have won a long running argument with Atletico coach Jair Pereira.

Kosecki spent the first five matches of the season confined to the dug-out area, which is where he was in the first leg at Tynecastle before being set free later in the game.

His menace was demonstrated quickly when he scored the vital away goal.

Significantly, Kosecki was promoted to the starting side for Saturday night's 1-1 draw with Sporting Gijon after having criticised the coach publicly.

"Everyone in Madrid knows I should always be in the team," said the Polish international team captain.

Even though aware of the threat of Kosecki and others, manager Clark has promised that Hearts will try to attack their way into Friday's second-round draw in Geneva.

"If we try to defend, we will be crucified," he said.

"We will have a go at them and try to match their away goal."

Clark has no injury worries to concern him after Saturday's victory over Celtic, but he may try to find a place for £300,000 signing Jim Weir.

The former Hamilton player could inject some steel into the midfield.

Much will also depend on how well players like Craig Levein and Alan McLaren perform, but although the Hearts squad know they are about to be put under pressure, they are looking forward to the challenge.

The 1-0 win over Celtic on Saturday has given them a timely lift.

Taken from the Herald