Edinburgh lad returns home to join Hearts

PAUL KIDDIE

NEW Hearts signing Michael Stewart today revealed that his first memory of being a Jambo was seeing grown men cry.

The 23-year-old has joined his boyhood heroes on a year’s loan from Manchester United in a bid to get his career back on track.

Born in the Capital, his family is Hearts-daft and today Stewart recalled the occasion at Dens Park in 1986 when the Gorgie outfit saw the league title snatched from its grasp in the cruellest of fashions on the last day of the season. He had gone along to the Dundee game hoping to see the Jambos celebrate a memorable triumph only to leave disconsolate with thousands of other supporters after a 2-0 defeat meant Celtic’s emphatic win over St Mirren at Love Street saw the championship head to Parkhead.

And the image of men reduced to tears still lingers to this day.

"My first memory of being a Hearts fan goes back to 1986, when Craig was a stalwart at the back," he said.

"Unless I’m mistaken we all had season tickets for Tynecastle back then and I went to all the games with my dad Bill and my brother Rory.

"Now that I think about it I even went to the game on the final day of the season when we lost to Dundee at Dens Park.

"To be honest I must have only been about five or six and remember being pretty confused, not sure why grown men were crying when we were walking out.

"I was at the game but I don’t think I quite knew what was going on. It was only later that I found out all about it - and that Archie Knox was the manager. Now I’ve looked at the fixtures and Hearts’ first league game of the season is at Dens Park, which I suppose is quite ironic.

"To be honest, since I’ve been away in England I’ve always kept an eye on what’s going on at Hearts.

"Tynecastle is a place all my friends and family are familiar with - even my girlfriend’s dad supports the club, although her mum follows Hibs."

After the Ibrox switch fell through, Stewart had the chance to pursue his career with other clubs. But he put personal happiness before financial gain in coming to Tynecastle and hopes to repay Levein’s faith in handing him his surprise opportunity in the SPL.

"The other options I had would have been better for myself from a financial point of view," he said. "But this is a case of putting a price on happiness. I’m happy here, a place where my friends and family are. That’s coupled with the fact that I supported the club as a kid. It’s also at the back of my mind that this could be the last year Hearts play at Tynecastle. All these things add up but at the end of the day I know I’m going to be happy here.

"That’s why I was willing to make the financial sacrifice. After the disappointment of the last couple of years I just want to get back playing football.

"I’ve come back to where I’m most comfortable, basically to start again.

"But this is a good deal for me as much as it is for Hearts and I want to repay them for the faith they’re showing in me."

The midfield dynamo, whose presence will help offset the considerable loss of Scott Severin this season, won the last of his three caps as a substitute against South Africa in the Reunification Cup in Hong Kong in 2002. And he’s hoping his move to Gorgie will help rekindle his international aspirations.

He said: "Listen, I’ve got more to prove to myself than I do anyone else. I know what I’m capable of and want to do well. If I’m happy in myself then it really doesn’t matter what other people think.

"But yeah, I have a lot to prove to myself and that’s at the forefront of my mind.

"I also want to try to get myself back into the Scotland set-up as quickly as possible. I think coming to a club with the stature of Hearts in the Scottish Premier League will help my route back in there."

Levein admitted he was as surprised as anyone to be able to talk about a third new arrival at Tynecastle this summer after the capture of Jamie McAllister and Ramon Pereira. Michael has signed a year’s loan deal from Manchester United, with an option at Christmas which could see him return to Old Trafford if they need him.

"Everyone knows the financial situation at the club just now and we’re as surprised as anyone to be signing another player," said Levein.

"But it’s unusual in itself in that the deal is being financed by the player. I have heard a lot of people say they’d pay money to play for Hearts - well, here’s someone who has actually done it.

"If that shows anything it’s that Michael is determined to make a go of this and be a success.

"He’s been a Hearts supporter since he’s been a young lad and there is no doubt that’s been a big part of us bringing him here."

Taken from the Scotsman