Robbo to shelve sentiment on Gorgie return

PAUL KIDDIE

TYNECASTLE legend John Robertson has a clutch of special memories from his glittering career with Hearts - and masterminding a shock victory over his former club tomorrow would rank up there with the best of them, writes PAUL KIDDIE.

The Inverness Caley Thistle boss slammed 310 goals in 701 games for the Jambos but he’ll return to his old stomping ground as a manager for the first time as the Highlanders go in search of their first away league victory of the season.

Robertson’s outfit were leapfrogged at the foot of the table by Dunfermline Athletic last weekend and any sentimental thoughts will be put to one side come 3pm.

"People will make more of this game than I will but the bottom line is this is just another SPL game which we need points from.

"I’m sure it will be a great match and I’m looking forward to it.

"Tynecastle will hold great memories for me forever and I’m proud of the fact they have a suite there named in my honour.

"People can go in and look at mementoes of my Hearts career. Close friends and family regularly visit before matches."

Robertson knows his SPL strugglers face a mammoth task if they are to emerge victorious from tomorrow’s clash, with ‘Fortress Tynecastle’ appearing impregnable to all but the Old Firm.

He said: "Outside of the Old Firm no one has beaten Hearts at home for more than two years and that’s quite a fantastic record.

"I am just going back to try to get a win for Caley Thistle."

The former Scotland forward feels for ex-team-mate Craig Levein, who has had to try to maintain his side’s challenge on the field despite all the off-field distractions surrounding the future of Tynecastle.

"Craig is a close friend of mine and a former team-mate and he has done a magnificent job for the club," he said.

"But that has been largely overshadowed by all the talk of what is going to happen to Tynecastle and the move to Murrayfield.

"Of course I would be delighted to see Hearts stay put. Deep down that is what everybody would like."

Taken from the Scotsman