BURGLARS STOLE 1956 WINNER'S MEDAL... 40 YEARS LATER THE COPS BROUGHT IT BACK TO ME

FORMER Hearts star Bobby Kirk feared the reminder of his greatest day in football had gone for good.

The one-time full-back couldn't leave home for a month because so many well-wishers queued outside his house in Dalkeith, offering congratulations after he won the Scottish Cup in 1956.

Tommy Walker's side became the first Hearts team in 50 years to lift the famous old trophy when they swept aside Celtic 3-1 in front of 132,840 fans at Hampden.

The current crop of Jambos stars hope to follow in the famous of Jimmy Wardhaugh, Willie Bauld and Alfie Conn this season but they must see off Partick Thistle in the last eight at Tynecastle tomorrow and take a step closer to a place at Hampden in May.

The class of '56 picked up a bonus of £100 for beating Celtic but the medal they won that day was priceless.

However, cruel thieves broke into the Kirk family home soon after the Final and stole Bobby's badge from its place of pride on the sideboard.

For decades the empty space stood as a reminder of a callous act - until a knock on the door five years ago saw him reunited with the medal he thought had gone for good.

Kirk, 76, said: "It was only a few months after the Final. I was at training and my wife Tina was out for the day and came back to find the place had been ransacked.

"They took a few of my medals that sat on a plaque on the sideboard, including the one I won in the Scottish Cup.

"I thought how much work I put in to win it in the first place and those characters simply came in and took it away.

"I felt like a different person every time I saw the empty space on the sideboard. The medals were no good to the thieves and you can only wonder what was in their heads.

"I thought the medals were gone for good until five years ago when the police got in touch to tell me they'd traced them to London.

"They had passed through various hands over the years and were in the care of a medal collector, who was trying to sell them on after thinking I had done the same.

"Tina and I were in tears when two young detectives came to the door and handed them back.

"They never did get the thieves but at least I got the medals back."

It's fitting the story has a happy ending, for Kirk enjoyed a career blessed with good fortune and silverware success.

If Vladimir Romanov returns the Hearts of today to the position of prominence they enjoyed half a century ago he will consider all his money well spent.

During his seven seasons at Tynecastle, between 1955 and 1962, Kirk won two titles and two League Cup badges to go with his success in the Scottish Cup. They ruled the roost over the Old Firm and, in addition to beating Celtic in the Final, the Jambos slammed four past Rangers in the last eight at Tynecastle without reply.

The Hearts side was peerless and, in addition to the terrible trio of Wardhaugh, Bauld and Conn, also boasted players such as Dave Mackay, skipper Fred Glidden and wonderful wide men Alex Young and Ian Crawford.

Crawford scored twice in the Final against Celtic and Conn netted the other, with the goal conceded to the Hoops the only one they lost in six games in the Cup that season.

Kirk said: "I still recall the excitement that day - I couldn't get my clothes on fast enough on the morning of the game and get to Hampden. It was a comfortable win for Hearts. We played really well and Celtic were shocked because they thought they only had to turn up to lift the Cup.

"Celtic fans even cheered us as our bus pulled away from Hampden and Rangers fans were just as pleased.

"They played at Hibs that day and on the way back their supporters' buses pulled off the side of the road and their fans got out and cheered us as we drove home.

"It seemed to take forever to get back to Tynecastle because we stopped at almost every village on the way to Edinburgh as people came out on to the streets to wish us well. It was wonderful and we went on an open-top bus tour with the Cup and I've never seen Princes Street so busy."

These days, big-earning stars retire back to plush detached homes in gated neighbourhoods to savour their success but in the days of the maximum wage players lived in the heart of the communities from where their clubs drew their fans.

For Bobby and Tina, who still live in Dalkeith, it meant a period of adjustment to his new-found celebrity.

Kirk, who also played for DunfermlineandRaithRovers, said: "I didn't get a minute of peace for a month after the Final as kids were queuing at the front door for autographs.

"I didn't know if I was coming or going and couldn't leave the house but I didn't mind because we knew most people in the village and they were very happy for us."

After leaving Hearts, Kirk, originally from Arniston, returned to the juniors and spent more than 20 years at Linlithgow Rose as coach and physio.

He still watches the juniors and takes in an occasional game at Tynecastle as guest of the Jambos but will settle for seeing tomorrow's tie on Sky.

He said: "I've been very impressed with Hearts this season and I really like the left-back Takis Fyssas who's outstanding.

"It's amazing to think but when we won the Cup in 1956 I could never believe there would one day be foreigners playing for Hearts."

Taken from the Daily Record