The miracle worker; Bargain boys are priceless for Jeff.

Thank goodness for the video recorder.

Without it, Jim Jefferies would never have known what happened on the most successful day of his career.

Everything about Saturday was massive for the Hearts manager.

He spent most of it in a daze and can barely remember how his team smashed their 36-year trophy jinx.

Jefferies was bursting with pride as the side he fashioned finally lived up to their promise in the baking heat of Celtic Park.

Ask him about it now and he will probably be able to take you through the key points of the match in detail. Watching re-runs does wonders for the memory, because an hour after the final whistle the Jambos boss didn't have a clue.

As Gary Locke burst through the sun roof of the Hearts bus and started spraying everyone with champagne, Jefferies admitted his finest moment had passed in a blur.

He said: "Don't ask me how we played. I have no ******* idea!

"I feel drunk and I've not even had a drink yet.

"What I do know is the players were magnificent. Our game plan worked to perfection.

"We were highly disciplined. Our tactics were to let Rangers come at us and try to break us down. They struggled to do that.

"I told the players before the game this could be the greatest day of their lives. Now it's happened and we are savouring it. But the last 10 minutes were torrid, the longest of my life.

"But we got through it. We've got the European Cup-Winners' Cup to look forward to, but first of all we're heading off for a break in Spain on Wednesday.

"The lads deserve it. They've worked their socks off, we all have."

Jefferies' achievement in taking a random collection of journeymen plucked from six countries should not be under-estimated. He is Hearts' miracle worker.

Coming in at a total cost of pounds 800,000, this squad is testament to Jim's ability to unearth talent and make it work.

But, behind Saturday's smiles, the Tynecastle manager carries a deep- rooted feeling, bordering on paranoia, that his team are not given the credit they deserve.

He feels that competing on an uneven playing field with the Old Firm for almost a whole season was not recognised outside Gorgie Road and harnesses this as a strong bonding tool in the dressing-room.

Scratch beneath the surface and the Hearts players all share this `Everyone's against us' mentality fostered by the manager.

The cup win showed Jefferies at his happiest, but he can quickly lose the laid-back image when a staunch defence of his troops is called for.

That all for one spirit was there in spades on Saturday as skipper for the day, Steve Fulton, insisted on club captain Gary Locke sharing the podium to lift the trophy.

The bleached blond midfielder said: "It was no big deal. We were all disappointed that Gary couldn't make the game, as everyone knows he's Hearts through and through.

"It was a tremendous honour being made captain - I'm just pleased I didn't have a shocker! "

Jefferies has come a long way from his beginnings in management when he started off with current No.2, Billy Brown, at Berwick.

The pair were schoolmates at Musselburgh Grammar and their partnership has endured. And Jefferies appreciates just how far they've come.

He said: "This is what I've waited for all my life. It's just beginning to sink in what Hearts have done.

"When I teamed up with Billy at Berwick 10 years ago, we were bottom of the Second Division, the worst team in Scotland.

"Our home games attracted only about 200 fans, now we've got 22,000 Hearts fans celebrating.

"We're Scottish Cup holders. We are in the European Cup-winners' Cup, it's like being in dreamland! This is what it's all about."

Billy Brown added: "The players are all legends. They'll be talked about for years.

"The gates are open now that we've won the cup. Who knows what we might achieve?"

Italian star Stefano Salvatori said: "I'll never forget these scenes. The fans were wonderful. They have had to be very patient.

"It amazes me that Jim Jefferies has spent only pounds 800,000 during his time at Tynecastle. When you see what he has done, along with Billy, that's incredible.

"This is much bigger than the Italian Cup, there is a passion here which is quite incredible.

"I played for AC Milan when we lost the Italian Cup final to Juventus and I was in the Atalanta side who were beaten by Fiorentina.

"Lorenzo Amoruso played in that game for Fiorentina and it's pleasing to be the player smiling this time."

Hearts were accused of lacking the self-belief to go the final yard in their league campaign, but winger Neil McCann said: "We always thought we were favourites to lift the cup.

"There was a tremendous self-belief among the players. It's a strange feeling but we sensed we could do it.

"Our league finish was disappointing but this makes up for it."

The men who made history..

GILLES ROUSSET (Age 34)

Signed in 1995 from Stade Rennais. Made four cup appearances.

DAVE McPHERSON (34)

Joined Hearts from Rangers in 1994. One appearance in cup.

GARY NAYSMITH (19)

Signed 1996 from Whitehill Welfare Colts. Five appearances.

DAVID WEIR (28)

Signed 1996 from Falkirk. Five appearances and scored one goal.

STEFANO SALVATORI (30)

Signed 1996 from Italian side Atalanta. Four cup appearances.

PAUL RITCHIE (22)

Signed 1992 from Links United. Played five cup games and scored a goal.

NEIL McCANN (23)

Signed 1996 from Dundee. Five appearances, one goal.

STEVE FULTON (27)

Signed 1995 from Falkirk. Hit one goal in his four cup matches.

STEPHANE ADAM (29)

Signed 1997 from French side Metz. Three cup games plus one as sub. Three goals.

COLIN CAMERON (25)

Signed 1996 from Raith Rovers. Four cup ties plus one as a substitute. Two goals

THOMAS FLOGEL (26)

Signed 1997 from FK Austria-Memphis Wien. Five cup appearances. Two goals.

JIM HAMILTON (22)

Signed 1996 from Dundee. Five games plus one as a sub. One goal.

GRANT MURRAY (19)

Signed 1995 from Juniors side Bonnyrigg Rose. One cup appearance plus one as a sub.

JOHN ROBERTSON (33)

Signed 1988 from Newcastle. Appeared in three ties as a sub.

GARY LOCKE (22)

Signed 1992 from Whitehill Welfare. Two cup appearances

ALLAN McMANUS (23)

Signed 1996 from Stenhousemuir.

JOSE QUITONGO (23)

Signed 1997 from Hamilton. One cup match plus three subs.

DAVID MURIE (21)

Moved to Hearts in 1992 from Tynecastle Boys' Club. Made one cup appearance.

RODDY McKENZIE (22)

Signed 1996 from Stenhousemuir. Played in one cup match.

NEIL POINTON (33)

Signed 1995 from Oldham.

LEE MAKEL (25)

Signed 1998 from Huddersfield. One sub

MARK BRADLEY (21)

Signed from from Ashfield Juniors in 1995.

Taken from the Daily Record