50,000 FANS JOIN A JAMBO-REE; Fun day in sun to warm Hearts of fans and players.

Scottish Cup winners Hearts toasted their first trophy in 36 years yesterday - and some 50,000 fans joined in the celebrations.

Supporters partied in the sunshine as their heroes paraded the Cup through the streets of Edinburgh on an open- topped bus.

The coach took 90 minutes to crawl just three miles from St Giles Cathedral to Tynecastle - trailing a maroon- and-white sea of jubilant Jambos fans in its wake.

The supporters' journey of joy began outside the historic cathedral where a heraldic Heart of Midlothian is laid in the paving.

And as the celebrations got into full swing across the capital, it quickly became an afternoon to warm every Heart.

Supporter Alex McMillan, 28, a van driver of Sighthill, Edinburgh, said: "I never want to go through the agony of those last four minutes of injury time.

"They were the longest of my life, but when the final whistle went I could hardly believe it.

"It was one hell of a party we had on Saturday night, but there's nothing like the sight of that cup to cure a hangover."

Peter Robertson, 64, of Muirhouse, Edinburgh, watched Hearts' last Scottish Cup victory in 1956 - and yesterday he paid tribute to current team boss Jim Jefferies.

He said: "I began to wonder if I would ever see Hearts with another trophy in my lifetime, but yesterday was just magic.

"Jim Jefferies has done so much for Hearts without a great deal of money. We've had to wait for a long time, but we had a real party on Saturday and I don't think it's finished yet."

Henry Wanless, 48, of Drylaw, Edinburgh, added: "As Jim Jefferies has said, this is only the beginning.

"Hearts have shown that they are as good as any team. This is something that people will never forget.

"This has been so good, we should do it again next year!"

A huge roar greeted the trophy when it arrived at the cathedral under police escort.

Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson chauffered chairman Leslie Deans and manager Jefferies along to join the party in his maroon 1952 Bristol car.

As he stepped forward to shake hands with the fans, packed 10 deep, Robinson said: "The car is appropriate. It belongs to the 1950s and that's when we last won the Cup."

The players, wives, girlfriends, children and Hearts backroom staff were given an informal civic reception hosted by Edinburgh's Lord Provost, Eric Milligan, a life- long supporter of the club.

He had been at Celtic Park on Saturday and, like every other Hearts fan, had endured the agonising last 10 minutes of the final.

He said: "The Hearts song speaks of our defence being as solid as the Edinburgh Castle rock - but I doubt the rock could have withstood the attacks the Hearts defence soaked up in those last minutes."

The Lord Provost toasted the team with Marie Stuart champagne and celebrated the new Alliance between Scotland and France which helped to land the cup for the capital side.

He said: "It is highly appropriate when the two Frenchmen played such a vital role in the victory - Man of the Match Gilles Rousset and goalscorer Stephane Adam."

Club chairman Deans paid tribute to Robinson, Jefferies and assistant manager Billy Brown. He said they had "galvanised the team and we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude".

Chuffed-to-bits Deans added: "I can remember when Hearts last won the cup 42 years ago and that side became legends. Now we have 14 new legends in this side."

The crowds roared again as the players filed on to the bus, and in summer sunshine the maroon tide headed for the carnival atmosphere of Tynecastle.

The gates had been opened to allow the fans in free, and they cheered, sang and danced for more than a hour as the bus wound its way along Princes Street and past Haymarket to Tynecastle, packed to its 18,000 capacity.

Unofficial estimates put the total number of partying fans at around 50,000.

Outside the ground, maroon T-shirts emblazoned with "Hearts 2, Rangers 1, Man of the Match Gilles Rousset" were selling fast.

Inside, the supporters greeted each player with a thunderous roar - but the loudest were reserved for injured captain Gary Locke as he ran on to the pitch with the trophy, then for manager Jefferies.

Jefferies said: "The fans deserve this. They have been wonderful and have stuck with the side when the results haven't been so good.

"I want them and the players to savour and relish today and yesterday. These have to be the best days of our lives.

"People ask me if it has sunk in yet and I don't think it will until the middle of the week."

Fan Russell Wright, 23, of Slateford, Edinburgh, endured agony and ecstasy at Parkhead and wild celebrations at Tynecastle.

He said: "I couldn't believe that first minute of the game when we scored. Then came the second goal and I thought `That's it, we've won'.

"Then Ally McCoist scored and I thought `Oh no, surely we can't lose again'. That final whistle was the best sound I've ever heard."

Steven Skinner, 23, also of Slateford, said: "When we scored the first goal I couldn't believe it because this doesn't happen to Hearts. When the score went to two- nil I started to hope.

"McCoist scored and I admit I went to the toilet. I couldn't watch. There were a lot of guys there so I reckon they couldn't bear it either.

"Now next year we'll have to do the league and retain the cup, of course. But tonight it's party time."

Single mum Linda McFarlane, 25, of Niddrie, Edinburgh said: "My grandad told me how Hearts won the cup in 1956.

"I didn't realise just how good a cup win could be until Saturday afternoon. My friends and I were weeping with relief when the whistle blew for the end of the game."

The Hearts faithful left Tynecastle determined that the celebrations would go on into the night.

Along Princes Street the fans basked in the sunshine, soaking up the taste of victory and as much beer as they could get their hands on.

One said: "Scottish Cup champions. Beat the Gers, won the cup, bought the T- shirt and I've got Monday off. It's a wonderful life."

Taken from the Daily Record