MY LEGENDS; Jeff hails his Hearts heroes.

Jim Jefferies last night told his victorious Hearts heroes that they will become Tynecastle legends.

More than 50,000 fans lined the streets of Edinburgh yesterday as the Jambos paraded the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1956.

And manager of the year Jefferies predicted that the team which defeated Rangers on Saturday to break the club's trophy jinx will go down in history.

He said: "This is more incredible than I imagined it would be. I knew it would be something special for the team to win the Cup because of all that has happened to Hearts.

"People thought there was a hoodoo or a jinx on the club and the players have had to take a ribbing off other fans about bottling it.

"We knew 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. They have and it is a great feeling.

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

Jefferies was overcome by the reaction from supporters as the winning side were driven in an open-top bus through the streets of Edinburgh.

And he set his sights on more glory days for the fans in the future.

He said: "The streets were mobbed with people of all ages. There were people in tears because the club they followed through thick and thin had eventually won something.

"It is everything I expected and more. There have been so many desperate people looking for a trophy. Seventy- five percent 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 moment and hopefully in the future we will be up there constantly challenging when the trophies are being handed out.

Taken from the Daily Record