Hearts in the right place for Hibs - Weir

FORMER Hibs star Mickey Weir today dismissed claims that Hearts could "lie down" to Aberdeen to prevent the Easter Road club claiming a place in next season’s UEFA Cup as nothing more than "fans’ paranoia."

And Weir knows from personal experience the professional pride which will drive the Gorgie outfit on at Pittodrie having been part of a Hibs side which pulled off a shock win over Celtic on the final day of the season to send Hearts into Europe. Hibs arrived at Celtic Park on May 2, 1992, knowing their own UEFA Cup place was safe thanks to their Skol Cup triumph earlier in the season but also well aware that even a point for Liam Brady’s side would prevent Hearts joining them in that competition.

But Hibs, managed by Alex Miller, pictured below right, with only two wins in their previous 38 visits to Celtic Park, stunned the home club. Derek Whyte scored an own goal before Pat McGinlay put them two up with Stevie Fulton claiming a consolation strike for the Hoops. News of Hibs’ win was greeted with delight at Tynecastle where Hearts had beaten Falkirk 2-0, the combination of those results ensuring European football for the Jambos.

Now Hibs fans have their fingers crossed that today’s Hearts side can do them a favour by ensuring Aberdeen don’t rack up a convincing win on Sunday although, even if they do so, Tony Mowbray’s players can still clinch a place in the UEFA Cup by avoiding defeat at the hands of Rangers at Easter Road.

Weir, however, is convinced that Hearts won’t turn up at Pittodrie simply to make up the numbers in what is a meaningless match as far as they are concerned. He said: "Of course when we went to Celtic Park that day we knew we could help Hearts into Europe but such thoughts go out of your head all together when you are playing.

"As a professional you have to look after yourself, there’s a win bonus to be picked up and you do your best to grab it.

"I wasn’t interested in what was happening at Tynecastle - in fact none of us even asked what the result of Hearts’ game was when we came off.

"No-one was giving us a chance against Celtic but our win wasn’t a surprise to us. We’d had a good season in winning the Skol Cup and we wanted to finish on a high.

"I know a lot of Hibs fans think there could be a nightmare scenario if Hearts lose heavily but I believe that’s just paranoia.

"Don’t get me wrong, most Hearts supporters probably don’t want to see Hibs in Europe but I don’t believe their players will be thinking that way.

"Hearts have had a couple of bad weeks publicity-wise, the team hasn’t won too many games recently but the players will be looking to put things right.

"There will be a new manager coming in over the summer and while we don’t know who that will be as yet, you never know if he might be sitting in the stand on Sunday watching. Aberdeen’s win at Easter Road last week has certainly given them a sniff of things, they grabbed something of a lifeline and they’ll most definitely be up for the game.

"But the last thing the Hearts players will want is to be spending a summer mulling over a heavy defeat on the last day of the season."

And Weir believes the thought of having accusing fingers pointed at them will also act as a spur for the Gorgie stars.

He said: "You only have to recall the furore from Hearts fans when St Mirren lost heavily against Celtic on the last day of the season in 1986 to take the title from them on goal difference or the reaction from the Dunfermline players to the accusation from Chris Sutton a couple of years ago that they’d lain down to Rangers.

"It’s one of the worst allegations you can make against a professional football player, to accuse him of not doing his best in any match and I am sure the Hearts players, whatever the result, will have done the very best they can."

Weir admitted the loss of skipper Steven Pressley through suspension will be a big blow for Hearts, but he insisted the "interim joint manager" will be determined to end his short time in charge of affairs with a good result.

"And he believes the fact Hibs are facing Rangers in their final game is no bad thing. He said: "I think it’s the best match to finish with - it will certainly keep the minds focused.

"The danger, I believe, might have been had Hibs been facing a lesser team with everyone expecting them to win.

"Rangers obviously have many more vastly experienced players than Hibs but they are having to rely on a slip-up from Celtic if they are going to win the league. As experienced as they are who is to say what might happen if they get word that, with the game still scoreless at Easter Road, Celtic have gone a couple of goals up at Fir Park?"

With Hibs having twice passed up the chance to settle the European issue, drawing against Motherwell and then losing to Aberdeen, Weir believes there is evidence that a long, hard season is finally catching up with Mowbray’s youngsters, many of whom have been experiencing top flight football for the first time.

But he called for one, last supreme effort, convinced it will be Hibs and not the Dons who are celebrating on Sunday night.

He said: "I can remember how hard it was when I was first breaking into the side along with the likes of Paul Kane and John Collins. It is tough both physically and mentally and I think it takes you a good two or three years to get to grips with it all.

"Having said that, Tony’s side have done marvellously well this season.

"If you’d presented the current scenario to any Hibs fan at the start of the season they’d have bitten your hand off to take it. Now they just have to get over that finishing line.

"I am sure Tony will be telling them that they haven’t played as well as they have all season and won so many games to end up with nothing to show for it.

"I don’t think many fans up and down the country would begrudge them a place in Europe as they’ve played the most entertaining football of any side in Scotland this season. The great thing is that Hibs don’t have to rely on favours from others, it all rests in their own hands.

"One point is all it will take but even so, I don’t think Aberdeen can score a barrowload of goals against Hearts.

"All Tony’s players can do is work hard, give of their best and I am sure they’ll get over this final hurdle.

"It’s maybe been a bit harder than we all envisaged a wee while ago, but, then, that’s the Hibs way of doing things - we never do it the easy way!"

IRONICALLY, Celtic did play in the UEFA Cup in season 1992-93 following the previous campaign’s final day defeat by Hibs.

This was a result of the competition being restructured to take account of the break-up of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, with the number of clubs entering increased from 64 to 70.

Taken from the Scotsman