Former Hearts star Donald Park: I didn't speak to anyone for a week after 7-0 defeat to Hibs

Hugh Keevins

PARK was just a teenager when the Jambos were humbled by their arch rivals and he admits it was a hard result for everyone at the club to stomach.
Donald Park admits the 7-0 defeat to Hibs is still clear in his mind Donald Park admits the 7-0 defeat to Hibs is still clear in his mind

DONALD PARK was the baby of the Hearts team humbled 7-0 by Hibs.

And there were tears before bedtime on the day that is still indelibly marked on his mind 40 years after the event.

The man who is now the SFA’s head of coach education can recall every disturbing minute of the worst afternoon of a professional career that comprised 477 first-team games for a handful of clubs.

Park said: “It could only be described as a harrowing experience for a teenager. It was my first Edinburgh derby and it was a nightmare that left me shellshocked.

“I’d only signed for Hearts six months earlier and I’d broken into the first team straight away. I remember being in tears and distraught when I sat in the dressing room at Tynecastle after the final whistle.

“I went back to a darkened room and didn’t speak to anyone for a week. It was my worst day in football. Nothing ever came close to equating with what I went through that day.”

But Park is unique because he was the Hearts player who went on to become interim manager of Hibs during three different spells as a coach at Easter Road.

And he must be the only Tynecastle player to admit he used to pay to get into Hibs’ ground. He said: “Everybody thinks I come from Edinburgh but I was born and brought up just outside Fort William.

“I loved the game of football and I could appreciate great players. The Hibs team of the early 70s was full of fantastic individuals and Alex Edwards was my particular favourite. He was one of the main reasons why I’d go through the turnstiles at Easter Road if Hearts weren’t playing.”

No present-day player would do such a thing. But Park didn’t believe in tribalism.

He said: “Passion for your team was something I could understand but hatred was alien to me. The first time I was shouted at in a derby I thought to myself, ‘I’m just a wee boy from Fort William’.

“But the day Hearts lost seven goals to Hibs was so extraordinary there’s even a book devoted to it. I was in a book shop in Edinburgh the other day and I almost fell over with surprise when I saw it.

“I couldn’t get over the fact you could write a book about something that lasted 90 minutes but I wasn’t so fascinated that I bought one.”

Park did coach Hibs in several matches against Hearts and said: “My father supported Hearts and I loved playing for the club. But when Hibs were paying my wages they got my undivided loyalty and I always wanted them to win the derbies when I was wearing green and white.

“I was fortunate to work there along with people such as Alex Miller, Alex McLeish, Franck Sauzee and Mixu Paatelainen.

“But I was never allowed to forget the day Hearts lost seven goals at Tynecastle.

“Ian Murray, who’s now managing Dumbarton, was the worst. When he was Hibs captain he once had ‘1973’ shaved into the back of his head and he never tired of kidding me on about the game.

“Ian used to shout out his jibe and then run away because he knew I’d throw whatever was in my hand at the time in his general direction.

“Even now I sometimes think if people stop talking about that game it might go away but I know I’m only kidding myself. If that day’s been stuck in my mind for four decades how could I expect the fans to forget about it?

“I’m just grateful that I can see the best in both teams today.

“I’m glad to see Hibs turning a corner under Pat Fenlon and I think John McGlynn has some fantastic young players at his disposal.

“I just hope the club gets over the financial difficulties they’re dealing with and prospers.

“But as a former Jambo I have to admit I can still get crabbit when I think of the day my professional pride was hurt by losing a game in which my team played so badly.

“I don’t think any of us will ever get over it.”

Taken from the Daily Record