100,000 Hearts beat proudly

EDINBURGH was recovering today from one of the biggest parties the city has seen in years as jubilant Jambos turned the streets maroon and white.

Club chiefs claimed up to 250,000 people poured on to the streets to mark the Scottish Cup win. Police put the official figure at nearer 100,000 as they praised the carnival atmosphere of the event.

Lord Provost Lesley Hinds led the tributes to the Gorgie heroes at a special civic reception at the City Chambers before the cup was paraded on an open-top bus tour along a packed Princes Street and on to Tynecastle.

The cup victory, after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Second Division champions Gretna, marked a spectacular end to what has been a turbulent season for Hearts and their supporters.

Since Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov increased his stake in the club to 55.5 per cent in October, fans have seen the departure of two managers, a chief executive and chairman.

But despite the apparent boardroom turmoil, the club qualified for Europe's Champions League after seeing off a late season rally from Rangers and winning second spot behind Celtic in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague.

An ecstatic Romanov prompted cheers from fans when he jumped on to a model cow - installed outside City Chambers for the CowParade arts festival - and held the trophy aloft.

The reception was attended by councillors, including diehard Jambo and former Lord Provost Eric Milligan, city council leader Donald Anderson, former chairman George Foulkes, who resigned amid a storm of controversy last year, and MSP Mike Pringle.

The team were piped into the council's headquarters by Lord Councillor Hinds' favourite female piper, Louise Marshall Milligan.

Speaking to the players, Cllr Hinds said: "On behalf of the city of Edinburgh, I give my warmest congratulations to Heart of Midlothian Football Club on their magnificent achievement today. The city is tremendously proud of this success and I thank all members of the club for their hard work and dedication in achieving this victory.

"Heart of Midlothian has played a special role in the history of Edinburgh and it is truly fitting that we recognise their achievements, not only in their Scottish Cup victory, but in qualifying for the Champions League."

Councillor Milligan, a guest of honour at the celebrations, could not hide his delight.

"Hearts has always been a huge part of my life - I have been a supporter for 50 years and I am maroon right through, down to my socks. In 100 years, Hearts had only won the cup twice until yesterday.

"Since the last time, in 1998, the winners have always been Celtic or Rangers and yesterday, Hearts were the team to topple them. If that doesn't create an emotional outpouring in Edinburgh, I don't know what would."

Cllr Milligan was caught swigging from a bottle of Buckfast to celebrate Hearts' first Scottish Cup victory in 42 years in 1998. The then Lord Provost came under fire for taking a sip of a fellow supporter's booze while celebrating in the streets.

He added: "The reception and parade today was an incredible end to an incredible weekend and an incredible season. For Hearts supporters, who have waited so long for honours and have missed out on so many cups and trophies, this was the time to celebrate.

"The parade was a wonderful jamboree through the streets of Edinburgh and I was delighted to be part of it, as I was in 1998.

"Football can touch all sorts of emotions - you always want your team to do something that is really unbelievable, so when they do it, you certainly want to make the most of it and I think that is what the people of Edinburgh have done today."

He added: "We have shown to those who think that Edinburgh people are reserved that we can be demonstrative and emotional - I think the scenes across the city today proved that.

"The celebrations will continue, not just in the coming days but for some time to come. Edinburgh knows how to party when the chance comes and Hearts have given us the opportunity to do that."

Around 10,000 fans shadowed the bus as it paraded around the city centre on its way to Gorgie.

Others lined the street along the route, cheering and waving as the players looked down from the upper deck of the bus, accompanied by Mr Romanov.

The team bus started at the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, made its way down The Mound, along Princes Street, through the West End and Dalry before arriving at Tynecastle to be greeted by a stadium of more than 15,000 cheering fans.

The procession had paused for a minute at Haymarket to remember the Hearts players who were killed in the war. Balloons were released in memory of former club members who died in the First and Second World Wars - including those who fought in McCrae's Battalion in Contalmaison, France.

The whole Hearts first-team squad enlisted for the battalion in November 1914. Seven players, including Duncan Currie, Ernie Ellis and Harry Wattie, died in the battle, while Bob Mercer and Paddy Crossan never regained full health after being wounded and both died aged 37.

Inside Tynecastle Stadium, excited fans were being serenaded by live bands, including a 30-piece steel and brass band. Jugglers, face painters, clowns and balloonists entertained young Jambos as the crowd waited with baited breath to see the Tennent's Scottish Cup trophy brought home.

The club's first ever Hearts-themed concert was performed to the waiting fans, and a new reworking of the Hearts anthem was unveiled to a standing ovation.

As captain Steven Pressley showed the cup to fans in the stadium, a massive roar went up from the crowd and a ticker tape shower rained down over the pitch from behind him.

A spokesman for Hearts said that the celebrations had been "superb".

"Hundreds of thousands of people in Edinburgh have turned out to celebrate Hearts' win and we are delighted.

"Going along Princes Street was just a big sea of maroon and white.

"The smiles on the faces of the players just said it all."

He added: "I think it's better to put it in the words of one of the players, Roman Bednar, when he said that the last two days have been the best of his life. I think that's how everyone feels."

A police spokesman praised the behaviour of the fans, residents and tourists of all ages who packed the streets. He said: "It all went really well and there were no problems at all throughout the day. We are delighted for Hearts Football Club that the celebrations went so well."

After the win on Saturday evening, fans lined the streets as the players, perched precariously on the top of their roofed team bus, brought the cup back to Gorgie in an impromptu victory parade through Edinburgh. Crowds cheered as the bus, on its way home from Hampden Park, moved slowly through the city streets. The team later went to the club's end of season party at Murrayfield Stadium, as Tynecastle had already been booked for a private function.

Taken from the Scotsman