Great Waldo's last farewell

FOOTBALL legends past and present joined with Hearts supporters today in paying their respects to former club chairman Wallace Mercer.

There was standing room only at Mortonhall Crematorium's main chapel this morning as well-known figures from Edinburgh's football, political and business communities turned out to bid an emotional final farewell to Mr Mercer. Former Tynecastle greats who served under Mr Mercer, such as John Colquhoun, Sandy Jardine, Dave McPherson, Scott Crabbe and Tosh McKinlay, mingled with devastated supporters, as the Capital said goodbye to one of its most cherished entrepreneurs.

Mr Mercer died of liver cancer in hospital on Tuesday after a short battle with the disease.

Hearts legendary striker and former manager John Roberston also attended the service.

Also paying their respects were Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne, his Hibs counterpart Rod Petrie, former Hearts director Leslie Deans and Hibs owner Sir Tom Farmer, along with another ex-Tynecastle chairman, George Foulkes.

The present Hearts side were represented by captain Steven Pressley, general secretary Campbell Ogilivie and finance director Stewart Fraser.

Well-known Hearts fan and former Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie was among the mourners as was former Lord Provost Eric Milligan and Councillor Tom Ponton.

Councillor Milligan said he had nothing but the utmost respect for what Mr Mercer had achieved in the community and in the football boardroom.

He said: "It was only if you were a Hearts supporter during the club's decline of the 1960s and 70s that you can fully appreciate what Wallace achieved.

"We were losing to teams we shouldn't even have been playing. Wallace changed all of that and put foundations in place for us to challenge."

Inside the main chapel, the service was conducted by the Reverend Dr Russell Barr and tributes were read by Mr Mercer's closest friends, Richard Kwiecinski and Pilmar Smith, who served as vice-chairman under Mr Mercer.

"I will remember Wallace as a flamboyant individual and a great media man," said Mr Kwiecinski.

"I think what we have seen in the press over the last few days demonstrates that well.

"You knew you were in the company of someone a bit special when Wallace was around. He wore his heart on his sleeve and did everything wholeheartedly. He enjoyed some fabulous years at Tynecastle."

Mr Mercer famously attempted to merge both Edinburgh football clubs in an attempted buyout of Hibs in the early 1990s, but those with Easter Road connections only remembered him fondly today.

"He brought a spark to so many," said Sir Tom Farmer, who has in many ways followed Mr Mercer's lead by saving Hibs from near extinction.

"He was a man of vision and was extremely passionate. We should remember Wallace only as being passionate about his football."

Mr Smith recalled intriguing tales of life at Tynecastle under Mr Mercer through tear-filled eyes.

He said: "It's hard trying to sum him up in a few minutes. To talk about his contribution to Hearts, you had to be there in 1980. The stadium and the facilities were a mess, there was no money and no spirit about the club.

"The playing staff were not of a high standard but the club released some extra shares to raise capital and they were bought by Wallace Mercer, a young property developer.

"The bold Wallace entered the fray and the next 13 years were a rollercoaster.

"We won promotion to the Premier Division, we brought in Alex MacDonald, we qualified for Europe and so began some great years. Wallace never liked going anywhere on his own, and upon arriving with the team at Pittodrie one day he realised that the driver of the coach was the only person he could take into the boardroom with him. So he introduced him as 'my director of transport'. Wallace always liked to do things in style."

Speaking outside to a gathered crowd of journalists, fans and players, John Robertson's tales of Hearts life brought a smile to many of the mourner's faces.

"He took over Hearts when he was 33. There were older people than him playing in the team. But I remember when we went to Munich and he was mistakenly introduced as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. He didn't deny it, which was typical of Wallace. I think if the job had been available he'd have fancied a crack at it too."

Mr Mercer's family, wife Anne, daughter Helen and son Ian, held a collection for the Edinburgh Cancer Care centre following the service before holding a reception at the George Hotel in the city centre.

Wallace Mercer was chairman of Hearts Football Club for 13 years, from 1981 to 1994.

He was born in Dunoon and trained as a papermaker in London before joining Fairview Estates, a London-based building firm with a £15 million turnover, in 1971.

In 1973, he returned to Scotland and joined building firm Millers, as assistant property manager in the development division.

But, after three years he put half the sale price of his London home into his own property development operation, Pentland Securities.

In the 1970s, he paid £350,000 to take control of Hearts, which was on the edge of financial ruin.

During his time at the head of Hearts, he during which time he established the club as a top-flight force, launched an audacious takeover bid for Capital rivals Hibs and looked at the possibility of moving the Jambos from their spiritual Tynecastle home.

The team did so well under Mercer's rule that they came within a whisker of winning the Scottish Premier Division title just five years after he took over.

Mercer sold his stake in Hearts in 1994, but never lost his love for the club.

He was diagnosed with liver cancer shortly before Christmas but made one last trip to Tynecastle on New Year's Day to see the match against Celtic.

Taken from the Scotsman