MANAGER Jim Jefferies celebrated "the greatest day in my life" as Hearts lifted the Tennents Scottish Cup here yesterday.

He then smiled and said: "Don't ask me how we played, as I don't have a bloody clue!"

A controversial penalty goal in the opening minute from Colin Cameron and an early second-half goal from Frenchman Stephane Adam sent the Jambos on track for

their sixth Scottish Cup win in their long history - even though Rangers finished the stronger side and got a late goal from substitute Ally McCoist.

Jefferies, who will take his players to a luncheon hosted by Edinburgh's Lord Provost this afternoon before parading down Princes Street on an open deck bus, revealed that he had changed his tactics for the match.

He said: "While we prepared in Stratford we looked at the four games we had played against Rangers this season when we lost 13 goals.

"We realised our style of play had suited Rangers, so we changed.

"We decided to let them have the ball and come at us.

And it worked out perfectly.

"We sagged a little in the first-half when the adrenalin was flowing a bit after getting that early penalty.

"However we survived those last ten minutes, which were hell to me, and I think we deserved to win.

"It's the greatest day in my life.

People had to go back 42 years to interview players who had won a Scottish Cup medal with Hearts.

Now they can speak to the lads who won here today and played so well for the club this season.

"For me this has given us the platform to go forward.

And I was pleased for our keeper Rousset who made a number of good saves to make up for the mistake he made in the final against Rangers two years ago when we lost."

Rangers manager Walter Smith handled his disappointment well, saying: "Of course it was disappointing to lose that early goal, but though we dominated almost the entire match we just couldn't break them down.

"They played a different type of match than they usually do, quite happy to give us possession, but we couldn't get the goals we needed.

"All credit to Hearts, they've had a good season."

TV replays showed that Porrini's challenge on Fulton for the penalty was a yard outside the box, but Smith refused to make an issue of it.

"TV showed it was outside the box but we have to accept the referee's decision," he said.

"The referee went about his job fairly and referees are not biased towards this club."

He then paid credit to his players saying that they had come through a difficult period with so many players leaving along with himself.

He added: "They still challenged for the championship and took us to the final of the cup."

"They will become stronger in the next few years."

Smith, who moves aside and will be replaced by Dutchman Dick Advocaat next season then warned: "This is as bad as it gets for Rangers.

I should warn Scotland that we'll get stronger and better!"

So Rangers finish their season without a trophy, the first time for 12 years.

But for Hearts, who will play in the European Cup Winner's Cup next season, it was there sixth victory in their 12th final, but the sponsors pounds 39,000 won't go amiss.

It was the end of the road for Andy Goram, Brian Laudrup, Richard Gough, Ally McCoist and manager Smith, but sadly there was to be no last hurrah.

It was the day of the Jambos and their fans took a long, long time before leaving Celtic Park.

Spoilsport Scottish soccer bosses turned Hearts' Cup final winning party into a shambles at Parkhead yesterday, writes BILL GRANT.

The stick-in-the-mud Scottish Football Association chiefs refused to allow crocked Hearts' skipper Gary Locke onto the park at the final whistle to join the knees-up.

And Hearts' players were kept kicking their heels in the centre circle and hanging about for close to a quarter-of-an-hour after the end of the game before the trophy was finally brought out onto the pitch.

It was fully 20 minutes from the end before stand-in skipper Steve Fulton led his team up onto a makeshift podium to collect the Cup.

Locke complained after watching the game: "I was biting my nails for the last few minutes and wanted to join the lads with my other team-mates who had not been playing.

"A security boss was at the mouth of the tunnel and he stopped me and the others despite the fact I told him who I was.

In the end we all got on."

Almost the whole of the 49,000 crowd stayed behind and even the Rangers' fans warmly applauded the victorious Hearts team.

Defeated Ibrox skipper Richard Gough, who leaves for America tomorrow, said: "That's a terrible way to end my career with Rangers.

"It's the second week in a row I've had to congratulate another team, but fortunately it hasn't been like that for the last nine years.

"I felt it was a nothing game and there is no doubt it was a foul when Hearts got their penalty.

"I don't know whether it was in or out of the box, and when we claimed the spot-kick right at the end the linesman indicated the offence had happened on the 18 yard line."