Hearts legend Sandy Clark: Hearts have best team but I fear Hibs could end cup hoodoo in Final

May 6 2012 By Gordon Waddell

SANDY CLARK'S blood has run maroon since the day he first walked into Tynecastle 28 years ago.

But his blood runs cold when he thinks about the nightmare that could unfold for Hearts at Hampden in two weeks’ time.

The 55-year-old spent the best days of his career carving out a place for himself as a Gorgie great.

Only one defeat to rivals Hibs in his entire time there is the ultimate testimony to his stature.

Clark is, though, a believer in the law of averages.

And that’s the root of the nagging fear inside him that destiny is calling for a side who have spent 110 years waiting.

Speaking to MailSport as we launch his autobiography that charts a fascinating 38-year career, the former Jambos player and manager believes no set of fans deserve to savour success because of what they’ve been through more than the Hearts punters.

Their loyalty has been stretched to breaking point – however he fears it may be given its biggest test when the capital clash hits Glasgow on May 19.

Clark said: “I signed for Hearts in 1984 and had 10 brilliant years there – but the only constant since then is the fan base.

“They’ve stayed so loyal. They’re the ONLY stable ingredient at Tynecastle.

“They deserve the Cup. They’ve stood by the team through the most difficult circumstances, whether it’s changes of manager, results, the owner influencing all paid, players leaving – there’s so many reasons they could have walked but they’re still there.

“Their faith has been tested to the limit but they’ve done the right thing and invested it in the team.

“They go to watch the players on the park and back them.

“The manager Paulo Sergio has done such a good job in trying circumstances.

“Okay, the team has been so inconsistent, especially away from home – but it’s understandable.

“I’ve never been in their position when the money hasn’t appeared in the bank – but the manager has kept them together.

“Their results were actually good after the news broke in any given month their pay hadn’t come in.

“That’s testimony to Sergio though. I spoke to Gary Locke a few weeks ago – he came through the ranks when I was there – and I know how loyal he is to Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown.

“But he had nothing but good things to say about Paulo. He’s been won over and you’ll find no more honest Hearts guy than Gary.”

Deep down, though, every Hearts man, woman and child harbours a deep fear for the outcome of the Scottish Cup Final.

It’s their worst nightmare, Hibs winning the trophy and them no longer being able to mock more than a century’s worth of failure.

The possibility of Hibs owning the ultimate in Edinburgh bragging rights is too much to bear.

Clark said: “When I was playing, there wasn’t that big a fuss over their cup hoodoo.

“It is only really since they got past that 100-year landmark in 2002 that it’s become a big thing when the cup starts every year.

“The rivalry is great, though. I’m not the most welcome visitor at Easter Road and I’m never too happy going there either – it’s a mutual thing!

“But the Hibs fans are a loyal bunch who stick to their team – they’re just not my team!

“I only lost once against them in 10 years. I scored goals and did well against them. They couldn’t beat us and I got abuse from them as a result. I took it as a compliment.

“Even now, when you look at both teams, pound for pound, player for player, Hearts are the better team without a doubt.

“But the 110-year hoodoo worries the life out of me. It’s my biggest fear because I believe in the law of averages.

“You never know what’s round the corner in football. If both sets of players perform to their best, Hearts will win. But...”

The word hangs in dead air for a few seconds, before he adds: “I hope I’m wrong but it worries me that they get lucky.”

To be fair, Clark has Cup Final previous when the best set of players DID prevail. Sadly for him, he was on the wrong end of it. He said: “The final we lost in 1986 to Aberdeen, it didn’t feel like nearly as much of a blow as losing the league the week before did.

“When you look at the individual players Aberdeen had they were better than us. We did well to finish above them in the league but, in a one-off game, they were always capable of beating us.

“That’s the beauty of football though. I was doing some media stuff before this year’s semi and, looking at the game, you were thinking ‘Celtic should win’.

“But if Hearts’ important players perform, they could beat Celtic. And they did.”

Starting today, and continuing over the next two days in the Daily Record, Clark’s book ‘From the Heart’ is a no-holds-barred account of a career’s worth of highs and lows on both sides of the border and both sides of the touchline.

Now lecturing in football at Cumbernauld College and waiting for the call back to the dugout, he said: “When I was first approached to do the book, I said no. I wondered who would be interested.

“But if you look at some of the events in my career, a lot has happened. And I ended up enjoying the experience. The one thing I didn’t want to do was go down the road of talking about games, dates, goals. It was more about the inside track of football, the people you come across, good and bad, and the influences on your career.

“You never really appreciate the good times unless you’ve been kicked in the teeth along the way.

“I can vouch for both sides, as a player and a manager.

“And I hope it’s not finished yet. I’ve still a driving ambition to get back in management. Whether or not the chance comes, I don’t know, but I want it because I still have the enthusiasm.”

Taken from the Daily Record