DARREN BARR WANTS TO KEEP DERBY RECORD AS HEARTS FACE HIBERNIAN

Sunday December 2,2012
By Michael Robertson

DARREN BARR chose Hearts over Hibs three years ago and insists May’s Scottish Cup final proved he made the right decision.
But he admits it was only when he witnessed the 100,000 who turned out to line the streets for the victory parade the following day that it hit home just how big a club he had joined.

The 27-year-old was courted by both halves of the Edinburgh football divide when he prepared to leave Falkirk three seasons ago and eventually knocked back the chance to work again with former Bairns boss John Hughes at Hibs to pen a more lucrative pre-contract at Tynecastle in January 2010.

At times that decision has looked flawed, with Csaba Laszlo being removed as manager and replaced by Jim Jefferies before Barr had even wound his way to Gorgie and a first-team place hard to come by in his first 18 months.

Yet, the Scotland cap will go down in Hearts’ history as one of the men who sent the Jambos on their way to their dramatic 5-1 hammering of Hibs in the cup final when he netted Hearts’ first goal on May 19 with a rare strike.

I haven’t lost a derby, touch wood. I’ve drawn one. Let’s see what happens

And he is now dreaming of doing it all again with a revamped team that heads for Easter Road this afternoon seeking to add to Hibs’ 110-year wait for the trophy.

Barr, who captained Falkirk to their cup final defeat to Rangers in 2009, said: “I think the Scottish Cup win did (vindicate my decision to join Hearts).

“I love the cup. I was lucky to have a few good runs with Falkirk, so it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. I just want to be in the next round.

“It’s just a massive, massive club but the size of the crowd at the cup parade was a surprise. I didn’t actually understand the extent of the support and fan-base.

“I’d like that experience again, especially with the youths coming through, who want to experience it themselves.

“On form, Hibs are doing well but it’s a derby and you never know what can happen. We can only think about ourselves instead of going into this and that about them. It’s about us.

“I haven’t lost a derby, touch wood. I’ve drawn one. Let’s see what happens.” just a chance to get through to the next stage of the cup - if we can take out our rivals along the way it’s an added bonus.”