Hearts fans sang my praises - now I hope they'll be cursing me

PAUL KIDDIE

PARTICK THISTLE playmaker Stevie Fulton heard his name chanted for the first time this season during the Tennent’s Scottish Cup tie against Hearts - by the away fans!

As he prepares to lock horns with his former club in tonight’s third-round replay at Tynecastle, the midfielder is hoping the same supporters are left cursing him.

Fulton was given a warm welcome by the travelling support when he appeared as a half-time substitute for the Jags at Firhill, chants of "Baggio" from the Gorgie faithful packed into the stand behind Kenny Arthur’s goal greeting the midfielder as he trotted on to replace Adam Strachan.

The acclaim was music to the former Jambo’s ears after a season in which he readily accepts his form has left a lot to be desired.

While the man who captained Hearts to Scottish Cup glory in 1998 was delighted to discover his special relationship with the supporters is still very much intact, he’s hoping the home fans have little to shout about after this evening’s re-run at Tynecastle.

"I have had a pretty decent relationship with the supporters and the first time I went back to Tynecastle after leaving the club I got a great reception," he said.

"In fact, the first time I heard my name being sung at Firhill this season was during the first Scottish Cup game against Hearts - and it was their fans who were shouting it!

"I appreciated it. I haven’t been playing anywhere near the standards of previous seasons so can’t have any complaints. But I did find it quite funny it was the away support I heard!"

Fulton helped the Jags mark Dick Campbell’s first game at the Maryhill helm with a deserved 0-0 draw against John Robertson’s side.

The 34-year-old is relishing the prospect of visiting his old stomping ground where he spent seven successful years before being offloaded by former boss Craig Levein.

Well into the twilight of his career and out of contract at Thistle in the summer, tonight’s cup tie could well be the last time Fulton plays at Tynecastle and he is determined to make the most of an occasion which could also see a number of other ex-Gorgie aces renew acquaintances with their former employers.

"I’m sure Grant Murray, Kenny Milne and Derek Fleming, who was a young boy at Hearts, and our new assistant boss Jimmy Bone will also be looking forward to the game," he said.

"There are a lot of Hearts connections in our team which makes it interesting.

"I am not sure how long I am going to continue playing but going by my previous standards, I have been pretty hopeless this year.

"Without wanting to sound too downbeat, I haven’t really given too much thought to my future yet.

"But if tonight does happen to be my last appearance as a player at Tynecastle, hopefully I can make the most of it, especially when there is another old club, Kilmarnock, waiting in the next round.

"There is a home draw awaiting the winners of tonight’s replay so the incentive is there for both teams."

Fulton knows Robertson well from their years together as team-mates at Tynecastle and feels nothing but sympathy for the strike legend over the ongoing off-field problems which are threatening to derail the Jambos’ season.

The uncertainty surrounding a host of out-of-contract stars has been well documented and despite the players’ insistence to the contrary, Fulton reckons doubts over their futures will be preying on their minds.

And he is determined to help the Jags capitalise on any slip of focus by the hosts this evening.

"We still have a chance tonight, that’s for sure," he said. "Hearts have not been playing to the level of the last few seasons and seem to be losing players regularly as well, which doesn’t help.

"They still have a lot of players out of contract and no matter what they may say publicly about not thinking about it, the situation will be at the back of their minds.

"It is an unsettling period for all of them, especially the way the game is at the moment. A lot of the teams are in the same boat and it’s not as easy as it used to be to leave one club and find another.

"Apart from the top players, it is going to be more difficult to find something.

"You never know, we might be able to take advantage of that. As I said, they have not been at their best, as we saw at Firhill when they dominated the second half without creating any real chances.

"Kevin McKenna had a header which went wide and Phil Stamp had a shot from well out which our keeper tipped over in the last minute.

"But if you’re limiting a team to those kind of openings, then you’re defending quite well.

"I have never worked under Robbo as a manager but I would imagine he would be scrupulous in his preparation for games. Knowing him he won’t leave anything to chance.

"The wee man is a pretty driven character and I can only imagine him being a good coach and manager.

"It is just unfortunate the circumstances which he is having to work under just now. It’s unbelievable and I’m sure he just rolls his eyes when he finds out new things every day. Wee Robbo is the type of guy who will see these obstacles as just things which have to be overcome and they will make him even more determined to be a success."

Fulton is not one to subscribe to the view that Thistle lost their best opportunity to cause a cup shock in the first game, the midfielder adding: "Hearts are favourites but if we can work hard we might get something out of it. I thought we gave a good account ourselves in the first game at Firhill.

"It was quite even although Hearts maybe just edged it, particularly in the second half.

"Given the kind of run we had been on and the fact we had a new manager in, we were delighted to take anything from the game and we can’t wait to have a go at Tynecastle now."

Taken from the Scotsman