King of Hearts

Adam ends 36-year wait for a trophy

TRIUMPH is ideal physiotherapy.

When Steve Fulton held high the Scottish Cup and went bounding towards the Hearts supporters, after the 2-1 defeat of Rangers, he bore no resemblance to the figure who had lain injured at Celtic Park a few minutes earlier.

The glory had not just eased his aches; it had also raised the dead, writes Kevin McCarra.

Achievement had appeared extinct at Hearts since their previous trophy, the League Cup, was won in 1962.

It was galling, if comprehensible, that the Old Firm should pile up honours, but Tynecastle fans must have shaken their heads in perplexity when clubs of lesser means, such as Dunfermline Athletic, Partick Thistle, St Mirren and Motherwell proved capable of collecting prizes.

It was enough to instil fatalism.

The bitter period in Hearts' history was long, but their satisfaction with yesterday's events ought also to be protracted.

This was no mere afternoon of good fortune, even if Hearts will give thanks for the marginal mistake that saw Willie Young, the referee, award the penalty from which Colin Cameron opened the scoring in the first minute.

Success in the Scottish Cup final was an extension of a process that has been evident throughout a season in which Hearts sustained a bid for the Premier Division title until the middle of April.

Jim Jefferies, voted manager of the year even before this win over Rangers, must take much of the credit.

Despite his good cheer, he has always been conscious of the severe limits within which he operates.

Before the season began, he sat in the Tynecastle dug-out and ruefully admitted that he would love to have significant funds available.

Jefferies was talking of sums such as Pounds 500,000, which he felt could bring to Tynecastle players of a higher calibre.

It is an amount clubs such as Rangers would spend on the kind of man who is picked only in a crisis.

Jefferies was wistful rather than bitter.

He is a fountain of optimism, always persuading himself that if he makes sufficient journeys to enough obscure matches he will make cheap signings that advance Hearts' cause.

Women who shop so restlessly get accused of dabbling in retail therapy.

In Jefferies' case, the hunt for bargains is fruitful and enjoyable.

Of yesterday's starting line-up, eight players were brought to Tynecastle by him.

The total cost probably comes to less than Pounds 1m, since no fee was required for Gilles Rousset, Stephane Adam and Thomas Flogel, who were all acquired under the Bosman ruling.

Rarely can there have been a manager who takes so sunny a view of football.

It is commonplace to find him reacting happily to Hearts' performance in a match that all other observers found dreary.

He could be teased for that trait, but it has proved invaluable at Tynecastle, playing its part in dispelling a gloom that had built up since 1962.

The revival is a joint inititiative.

Jefferies took the post in 1995, but, by then, the club had already been in the hands of Chris Robinson and Leslie Deans for a year.

Since their takeover, progress has included the rebuilding of the ground on three sides.

That project has had subtle, but precious, benefits.

In those surroundings, it became possible to believe that Hearts were more than just a club with a fine history.

The regulars at Tynecastle would not have quibbled if the club had been able to bring in highly-paid and effective mercenaries for the team, but there may be a deeper satisfaction in seeing players develop until they were ready to provide yesterday's breakthrough.

Paul Ritchie is just such a person.

Two years ago, he was part of a gauche central defence that was overwhelmed in a Scottish Cup final, losing 5-1 to Rangers.

On that occasion, Gordon Durie notched a hat-trick and Brian Laudrup was coruscating.

Those two players were present again yesterday, but Hearts weathered Laudrup's talent and nullified Durie.

Jefferies has assembled a side that likes to go gallivanting into attack, but, when a different approach was called for yesterday, he knew he had the personnel to make it function.

David Weir, another of his acquisitions, exemplified the resilience in the closing moments as he chased across the goalmouth to clear from Sergio Porrini.

There is now substance to Hearts.

After the 1996 final, they lost Allan Johnston, the forward, who moved to Rennes under freedom of contract.

This year, Ritchie was also at liberty to leave Tynecastle, but preferred to sign a new deal.

Between those events, Tynecastle has become the kind of place where a good player might be prepared to linger a while.

At a club which last won the Scottish Cup in 1956, the status that Hearts have recovered should also endure.

In mastering Rangers, they did not remove forever all the disadvantages that hamper them, but, in future, the side will have the confidence to compete with even greater conviction.

The next trophy will surely not require another 36-year vigil.

Taken from timesonline.co.uk