YOU'RE LEGENDS
Jefferies' tribute to his Hearts heroes

JUBILANT Hearts boss Jim Jefferies last night told his Scottish Cup winners - "You are all legends."

The Jambos were cheered through the streets of Edinburgh by 50,000 fans after claiming the trophy for the first time in 42 years.

And Manager of the Year Jefferies was full of praise for the side that ended the Tynecastle club's 36-year silverware drought.

He said: "This is more incredible than I thought.

I knew it would be something special for the team to win the Cup because of all the things that have happened to Hearts.

"People thought there was a hoodoo or a jinx on Hearts, and they have had to take ribbings off other fans about bottling it.

"We knew then that the fans would be savouring it if we won, and I said that I would love to be the manager to do it.

"I also told the players, some of whom are at a very young age, that they would be legends if they won it, and they have, so it is great.

Reaction

"It is far better to say that it is 24 hours since Hearts won the Scottish Cup, rather than 42 years."

Jefferies was overwhelmed by the reaction from supporters as the team paraded the trophy through the capital in an open-top bus.

And he vowed there will be more glory for them to celebrate in the future.

The ecstatic manager said: "You could see the faces of the people on the streets.

"There were people in tears because the club they followed through thick and thin had won something.

"It is everything I expected and more.

"There have been so many desperate people looking for a trophy.

"Seventy five per cent of

the crowd at Celtic Park will never have seen Hearts win anything.

"There were grown men out there crying tears of joy.

"We are going to enjoy this day and, hopefully, in the future we will be up there constantly challenging when the trophies are being handed out."

Jefferies' bold prediction of even better things to come was backed last night by Hearts chairman Leslie Deans.

He too is determined there won't be another 36 year wait for a trophy.

Before Saturday, the last time the Jambos clinched silverware was in the League Cup in 1962.

Marvellous

But Deans said last night: "This is just the start, we will make sure of that.

It won't take Hearts so long to win another trophy.

"What we've done today has been marvellous, we have made the breakthrough.

"Now it's up to us to build on this success and make sure we go from strength to strength.

"But for the moment, we just want to enjoy it."

Saturday was a very emotional day for Deans and his father George, who was able to take his seat at Parkhead after recently winning a battle against cancer.

Emotional

Deans said: "That was the icing on the cake for me.

It meant so much.

"He only beat cancer last year and so as you can imagine it was all a bit emotional."

"It is absolutely fabulous - we've waited so long.

"The fans have been absolutely magnificent, out of this world, and they deserve this moment.

"To be selfish, I was a fan again myself today.

"It's 36 years since I first went to Tynecastle and this is the first time I've seen them win anything.

"I just want to enjoy it."