I thought fuss over 7-0 derby win would last two weeks, says former Hibee Pat Stanton
Anthony Haggerty

STANTON admits to still being amazed at how people react to the result 40 years after it happened.
Hibs legend Pat Stanton Hibs legend Pat Stanton

IT'S the scoreline that still sends Hibs fans into raptures 40 years later – to the amazement of Leith legend Pat Stanton who reckoned the humiliation of Hearts would be forgotten within a fortnight.

Stanton was one of Eddie Turnbull’s Tornadoes who reduced the Jambos to rubble with a 7-0 demolition job at Tynecastle on New Year’s Day 1973.

The players were instantly elevated to legendary status and the memory of that glory day – Hibs’ biggest win over their Edinburgh rivals – remains a cause for celebration among their success-starved support.

Stanton, though, who had captained the club to League Cup glory in 1972, can’t believe the euphoria hasn’t been dimmed four decades later.

And he revealed the Hibees players ditched the ritual of their post-match pint because they were too shattered to lift a glass to their lips.

Stanton said: “It is hard to believe it is 40 years since Hibs beat Hearts 7-0 at Tynecastle in the New Year derby.

“Hibs supporters have clung on to this victory down the years because there has been plenty of bitter disappointments for the club.

“The fact that we are still talking about this match is incredible. We had no idea that it would enter the history books the way it did.

“The fact it was on New Year’s Day and at Tynecastle just added to the sense of occasion.

“The Hibs players genuinely felt the euphoria of the 7-0 win would last a fortnight if we were lucky – yet here we are still talking about it 40 years later.

“We are proud of the achievement and it is always a special feeling when people remind you of it. It still means a lot to the players, especially the Hibs fans who were in that team.

“The Hibs supporters like myself, Jimmy O’Rourke, Alex Cropley and Alan Gordon would always have a drink after games – win, lose or draw we would congregate in the Bruntsfield Links Hotel.

“But we were so physically and emotionally drained – and a bit shellshocked – after the 7-0 win that we went straight home. It was all a bit surreal and I think that is why we didn’t go for our traditional bevvy session.”

Stanton revealed the historic triumph may never have happened had Hearts not squandered a string of early chances.

The defender did not score in the match but claims O’Rourke robbed him of the honour by tapping home his netbound shot.

And after their early let-offs Turnbull’s side ran amok as an Arthur Duncan double plus goals from O’Rourke, Gordon and Cropley had them 5-0 up at the break.

O’Rourke and Gordon rounded off the rout but Stanton admits Turnbull was insistent during his half-time team talk that his players didn’t showboat or take the mickey out of the opposition.

Stanton said: “My abiding memory of the game is Hearts could easily have gone two goals up early in the match.

“If Hearts had scored them then the course of history would have been changed altogether.

“I remember Turnbull’s team talk at half-time and he didn’t want us to go out in the second half and make a fool of the opposition.

“It was only in later years did I understand what he meant. The Hearts players had their professional pride.

“The Hibs players had total respect for every opponent and Eddie made sure that even though we were 5-0 up we did not do anything unsporting.

“I did not score in that match but I maintain my effort was going over the line until that wee so-and-so O’Rourke made sure it did.

“He stole my thunder that day and he is supposed to be a pal of mine!

“Will that match ever be surpassed? It could be. I was fearing the worst in last season’s Scottish Cup Final but thankfully Hearts took their foot off the gas that day and only won 5-1 as it was looking ominous.

“The 7-0 game is a fantastic memory for the Hibs players from that day and of course the supporters who will never forget it.”

Taken from the Daily Record