Departing Hearts hero leaves marvellous memories

THE Hearts fans were spoiled: spoiled for goals, spoiled by the ease of the job and spoiled for heroes. But, even on a day when so few did anything wrong, it was clear that one or two had an elevated status.

As they passed the cup from one to another to hoist aloft and soak up the cheers, one man stood out. It wasn’t just Rudi Skacel’s maroon and white party wig and it wasn’t even the fact he jumped up on to the presentation shelf when it was his time to get his mitts on the silverware. This is a man who has enjoyed two spells at the Tynecastle club and helped deliver the Scottish Cup each time. The crowd erupted.

It’s a mutual appreciation society. They lap up his goals, he feeds off their adulation and together it’s a cocktail for success. But this was likely to be the last of it. Like another fans’ favourite Ian Black, this final is likely to prove Skacel’s parting gift. The Czech Republic forward is out of contract and as Hearts press on with the necessary age of austerity, it’s unlikely he can be convinced to stay.

But, if Carlsberg did swansongs. . .

“Probably it’s my last game,” said fans’ favourite Skacel, who grabbed two goals to mark his final game. “It’s the best way to say goodbye with the Cup in my hands. I’m 99 per cent certain it’s my last game for Hearts.

“I’m a big supporter of Slavia Prague but Hearts are up there in my heart. I will always feel warm towards these Hearts fans, it’s a nice memory for us.

“You can’t compare 2006. That was a fantastic season for us, this was another big game and we beat our big rivals. I hope there will be a similar or even bigger celebration because we have saved our season with this game. All the people will only remember this fantastic victory. We won the big derby and showed everybody there’s only one team in Edinburgh. All you can ask for is to finish this way.”

He isn’t the only one who will sign off with a memory to savour. In the programme notes Ian Black spoke of his record against Hibs. In 22 games against the Leith side, he had lost just two and they were both decked out in the colours of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and never in the strip of his boyhood heroes.

He was one of 11 players who started the match intent on ensuring that his final derby match was not his first derby defeat.

“It was a massive performance from the boys and the scoreline was a fair result,” said Danny Grainger, who ended his run of near misses when it comes to playing in cup finals and even made it on to the scoresheet, with the second-half penalty which immediately quelled any hopes of a Hibs comeback. In truth, though, the gap between the sides could have been even more eloquently expressed if Paulo Sergio’s team had netted a couple more. “If we are being honest I don’t think Hibs caused us any problems at all and I thought we coped with everything really well and I can’t remember [goalkeeper] Jamie [MacDonald] having to do anything, so, for a Scottish Cup final, we have to be happy with that.

“We always knew we were better than them but we didn’t expect it to be as easy as it was.”

For all the focus on the stars who would exit the stage this summer, it was the men who will be charged with safeguarding the legacy next term who gave them the early advantage. Darren Barr has been a key performer in the past couple of months and he opened the scoring. The club’s Young Player of The Year, Ryan McGowan also got the goal his efforts this term have merited.

But, by the time Skacel had waded in with two goals and Suso Santana had, somewhat dubiously, earned them a penalty, the focus had shifted back onto the players Hearts will have to fend without when the new season gets underway. As well as Blackie, Rudi, Suso, they will miss the industry and selflessness of Stephen Elliott, while even the man who set up the cup final place, with his late penalty in the semi, Craig Beattie could be off to pastures new.

It won’t be easy to replace them, admitted Grainger.

“We have a team here that can achieve things and we have shown that today. We have a good team bond after the season we have had on and off the pitch and it’s be a revelation to come out of it all with a Scottish cup win,” he said.

“I couldn’t have imagined this earlier in the year but, obviously, it’s a great way for the likes of Rudi to end his career here, if he does leave. He is a legend here and he will always be that and he deserves that status because he has been fantastic. There’s not many Skacels out there with a left foot like that. He is a rare breed and a great guy off the pitch as well. A lot of people think it’s a one man show but Rudi knows how important the rest of the lads are for him and he never goes out thinking he can do everything himself. He came in at half time and he was getting all the boys riled back up. He’s an all round great player.”

The fans know that.

They would rather not say goodbye but at least as far as farewells go, this was a fond one.

Taken from the Scotsman