Hearts lifting League Cup would be even better than last year's Hampden rout of Hibs, says Jimmy Sandison

John Gardner

FORMER Tynecastle ace Sandison reckons the current squad can bump the team of 2012 down the pecking order of Hearts' finest feats if they can overcome St Mirren on Sunday.

PLENTY of Jambos doubt anything will taste sweeter than that glorious day they devoured Hibs in the Salt ’n Sauce Final.

Jimmy Sandison isn’t one of them. In fact he’s licking his lips in anticipation of an even more momentous achievement.

He looks at a bunch of kids and sees a hunger to become legends. And if they depart Hampden with the League Cup tucked under their arm on Sunday he reckons the famous 5-1 rout will have been bumped down the pecking order of Hearts’ finest feats.

The Tynecastle side are aiming for back-to-back cup successes following the famous thrashing of their bitter rivals in the Scottish Cup Final 10 months ago.

Hearts players throw Paulo Sergio in the air after the 5-1 thrashing of Hibs Hearts players throw Paulo Sergio in the air after the 5-1 thrashing of Hibs
William Hill/Getty Images

And so much turmoil has engulfed the club since then, ex-Hearts hero Sandison reckons the prospect of silverware again this weekend is simply “scary”.

Just three players who started against Hibs are likely to face St Mirren. Severe financial cutbacks have decimated the squad and fast-tracked in a crop of youngsters to plug the gaps.

Off the field, wage delays and dire warnings over the future of the club have provided a grim backdrop.

And with John McGlynn’s sacking as manager adding more uncertainty and upheaval, Sandison believes victory on Sunday would rank higher than Hearts’ last Hampden visit.

He said: “It would just be unbelievable. If you compare the two finals the Scottish Cup was a massive day and the performance was second to none.

“But that team has now been dismantled. A lot of young kids have come in and been fantastic.

“With the upheaval of managers coming and going, the financial side of things, to get to another major cup final is absolutely massive.

“And if they can win on Sunday it would just be scary.

“It will in a sense be bigger if they win this one because the team for the Scottish Cup Final could pick itself. You knew who was going to come in. You can go back to Craig Beattie and Rudi Skacel, who were hugely influential, and you just had a good feeling about that team.

“Recently we’ve missed Marius Zaliukas through injury, Andy Webster is still there and there’s one or two others but there’s been a lot of young lads come in.

“It’s been a huge ask. These players, with all they have to deal with, I don’t know how they’re getting to major cup finals.

“It’s just unbelievable how they can totally focus on football on a Saturday or Sunday. That’s down to them being good professionals.”

Sandison spent seven years at Hearts without winning a major trophy and actually got closer to silverware when he reached the 1995 Scottish Cup Final with Airdrie who were beaten 1-0 by Celtic.

And, win or lose, he has urged Gary Locke’s side to make sure they enjoy the occasion.

He added: “I still have mementoes on the wall from the 1995 final even though we lost.

“It’s a wonderful occasion just to be in a cup final – that itself is worth telling your family and friends about and being proud of.

“A cup final is the pinnacle and the players don’t need extra motivation. It’s a huge opportunity for these kids and the experienced guys.”

Taken from the Daily Record