Talk of cup sets Jefferies’ heart racing

His Hearts side's 2-1 victory over Rangers in 1998 remains the highlight of his own career and the club's recent history. Yesterday, he was in reflective mood ahead of his young Kilmarnock team's trip to Gorgie on Saturday in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

When thoughts turn to that day in May 1998, his most enduring memory is not the game itself or the celebrations afterwards. Rather it is a post-match tale regarding his managerial counterpart on Saturday, John Robertson, who was on the bench that day.

"When I stayed in Lauder, I used to meet an old guy who stayed in nearby Oxton. I knew his family well and he was a big John Robertson fan," explained Jefferies.

"Whenever I didn't play Robertson he used to say, and particularly as that final approached, 'get Robbo in the team'. It was a bit of banter.

"He had a ticket for the cup final but then had to hand it back because he had taken a bad turn with his heart and doctors advised him not to go. He was gutted.

"When I got back home after the cup win, I decided to take a trip round to the old guy's house. I knocked at the door and I had the trophy with me. I nearly gave his wife a heart attack and, would you believe it, the old guy was sitting on his own watching the game on video.

"His wife said to me 'he's not moved since you won it. He just watches it over and over.' and I said it her, 'he's probably waiting to see if I put Robbo on!'

"I sat on one side of the settee, he was on the other and we had the cup in the middle. That made his day. I think he died a few weeks after that."

That match proved to be the Hearts legend's last involvement with the club and Jefferies revealed that Robertson declined the chance to come on as a substitute late in the game.

"I think I was going to put him on and he said 'no, the team's more important. If you're happy with the team, then don't change it for me'. You saw what it meant to him when the final whistle went and the whole bench was bedlam."

Robertson has not had it all his own way since leaving Inverness for his dream job at Tynecastle in November.

Tuesday's 3-2 defeat in the CIS Cup semi-final was a particular disappointment, but Jefferies believes it may serve as motivation.

"It was a disappointment for them but if it was me I would be saying to the players, 'We've got a chance to try and reach another final.' They will be hurting and that will spur them on. They will not give in, either. They were 2-0 down with five minutes to go on Tuesday and came back. There wasn't a lot in the game, Motherwell just took their chances."

Robertson's indifferent start at Hearts has, at least in part, been due to his attempts to introduce a more fluid, attacking style in the wake of Craig Levein's departure. Jefferies concedes that facing a Robertson team is markedly different to a Levein side.

" John's changing it a wee bit and they're maybe just a bit better to watch. He's a former striker and he knows that he thrived on the teams he played for creating chances.

"He'll want to do that for his strikers. I'm not saying who was right or wrong. Everyone is successful in a different way. Time will tell if John will be as successful."

Jefferies also confirmed that 18-year-old Steven Naismith has signed a 31/2-year deal and Danny Invincibile is on standby for Australia's clash with South Africa next week.

Taken from the Herald