Worst ever day supporting Hearts

[BigC]

Too young for Dens so for me the 5-1 to the Huns in 1996 was the worst. That was my first season supporting Hearts... We started badly, but just got better and better and better... By the end of the season I'd seen us hump Rangers at Ibrox and win against them at Tynie... and Rousset was my first ever footballing hero.

 

I was depressed for weeks afterwards.

 

Losing the League Cup final after getting back to 2-2 was probably second.

 

2-3 against Celtic probably the worst result in the league although I felt anger more than pain because of the ref that day.

 

I would put defeat in this game above the Celtic game and probably just above the LCF in 1996.

[Monty Carlo]

It hardly ever gets a mention on threads like this, but I was crushed after the 2-2 draw at Ibrox in Feb/Mar 1998. Made up for it a couple of months later though.

[Gorgiewave]

This is the correct answer. For those who were at Dens, I'm not sure there could ever be anything worse on the playing side for Hearts. Certainly not losing a Cup final to Hibs, sore though it would be. Sure, there would be a slight readjustment in the completely one-sided dynamic of the Edinburgh derby - instead of being light years behind us, they'd just be a few million miles behind.

 

Nervous though I am about May 19th, to be honest I'm still finding it hard to even buy into the "biggest derby of all time" chat. The reason for this is that the biggest derby of all time - in living memory, that is - is still as fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday, and the young pretender that has been thrust on us so soon afterwards just hasn't convinced me at all so far. As everyone knew in 2006, the semi, from our point of view, was effectively the final. Just like the semi this year, in fact.

 

 

I hope this is tongue-in-cheek. I am not yet bricking it, but the idea of losing is not at all pleasant and would involve a significant change to our self-identity, at least in derbies.

[Boab]

It hardly ever gets a mention on threads like this, but I was crushed after the 2-2 draw at Ibrox in Feb/Mar 1998. Made up for it a couple of months later though.

 

Aye,it was the game i think everyone thought would be the test to see if we could win the league and if it wasn't for that arsehole Albertz,we would have......maybe!

On that,i'm getting off this thread.....bad vibes on here!

[Prince Buaben]

For me it would be the very top of the list.

 

 

 

 

[ArcticJambo]

Dens '86, and then followed closely by

the '96 final, pretty much broke me that one. I was beat.

[Robbo-Jambo]

Hope to feck it was at Dens in 1986.

 

If I feel any worse pain than that if that mob beat us on May 19th Mrs R J will be cashing in my insurance policies on the following Monday.

[leginten]

I hope this is tongue-in-cheek. I am not yet bricking it, but the idea of losing is not at all pleasant and would involve a significant change to our self-identity, at least in derbies.

 

Not really tongue in cheek; as I said, I'm so far having a slight problem acknowledging the forthcoming final as the derby to end all derbies, given that it's only six years since we had a winner-takes-all (as long as the winner was Hearts - Gretna could have pumped Hibs) match of gigantic, unprecedented proportions against the Hibs. I'd go as far as to say that the 4-0 Big Semi stands a very good chance of remaining the definitive derby of all time if we just squeeze past Hibs narrowly in May. If we were to absolutely cuff them, or if we lost, things might of course be different.

 

I acknowledged in my post that a defeat would bring a shift in the derby dynamic, but it certainly wouldn't be anything close to my worst moment as a Hearts fan. They'd still, unquestionably, be our bitches. The stats don't lie.

[the windae cleaner]

the week of 86

 

if hibs were and its a very big were to win it id be fine . just scurry home to the highlands where id be able to hide ...

on the up shot i know ill be standing with another couple o hundred jambos outide a pub near gorgie singing about the gypsys being tucked up in bed

[Hansel]

5-1 in 1996 vs Rangers

 

1-0 95 cup semi vs Airdrie

 

2-3 2005 vs Celtic.

 

3-4 96 rangers in league cup.

[Gorgiewave]

Not really tongue in cheek; as I said, I'm so far having a slight problem acknowledging the forthcoming final as the derby to end all derbies, given that it's only six years since we had a winner-takes-all (as long as the winner was Hearts - Gretna could have pumped Hibs) match of gigantic, unprecedented proportions against the Hibs. I'd go as far as to say that the 4-0 Big Semi stands a very good chance of remaining the definitive derby of all time if we just squeeze past Hibs narrowly in May. If we were to absolutely cuff them, or if we lost, things might of course be different.

 

I acknowledged in my post that a defeat would bring a shift in the derby dynamic, but it certainly wouldn't be anything close to my worst moment as a Hearts fan. They'd still, unquestionably, be our bitches. The stats don't lie.

 

Aye, there might be something in that. The fact that we don't HAVE to win, but Hibs do, makes it less serious.

[Gorgiewave]

Not really tongue in cheek; as I said, I'm so far having a slight problem acknowledging the forthcoming final as the derby to end all derbies, given that it's only six years since we had a winner-takes-all (as long as the winner was Hearts - Gretna could have pumped Hibs) match of gigantic, unprecedented proportions against the Hibs. I'd go as far as to say that the 4-0 Big Semi stands a very good chance of remaining the definitive derby of all time if we just squeeze past Hibs narrowly in May. If we were to absolutely cuff them, or if we lost, things might of course be different.

 

I acknowledged in my post that a defeat would bring a shift in the derby dynamic, but it certainly wouldn't be anything close to my worst moment as a Hearts fan. They'd still, unquestionably, be our bitches. The stats don't lie.

 

Aye, there might be something in that. The fact that we don't HAVE to win, but Hibs do, makes it less serious.

[red]

Gordon hunter

6-2

george burley sacking

 

In that order

[Bert Le Clos]

I'm sorry, this thread doesn't make sense.

 

"Worst ever day supporting Hearts"? I haven't had one, not one single day has "supporting Hearts" been bad. Sure, we've lost games, but that is part of football. We've been hammered in Cup games that I'd like to win, but I was glad to be there. We've had times where our Chairmen/Owner/Custodian has made things difficult, but haven't made being a Hearts fan bad. Being a Hearts supporter is a glorious existence and no defeat, no bad news story will ever change that.

 

Being Hearts is never, ever the "worst" of anything.

 

I get where you're coming from bigH, but I don't think the OP was in anyway suggesting he's ever considered not supporting Hearts. I agree supporting Hearts is never the worst of anything, but I can definitely think of my two worst memories of supporting Hearts.

 

I can't remember '86, I was only two. But I was 10 in 1996, and losing 5-1 to Rangers is definitely my worst memory. I was gutted, totally gutted. I'd gone through truly believing we were going to win, and didn't know what to do at the final whistle. I remember just sitting crying.

 

My 2nd worst memory is losing 1-0 to Hibs at Easter Road in the league cup under Korobocha. I'd never left a match in my life feeling so down. We were so, so bad that day, don't think we even had a shot on goal and lost to a shite Hibs team. At that point I genuinely thought we were in big trouble.

[corkie64]

Dens park without a shadow of doubt, the train going home was the quietest i've ever been on you could've heard a pin drop :-(

[janie jones]

Losing to them would be a sore yin of that there is no doubt but wouldn't even come close to '86. What happened that day changed and defined a whole generation of fans - not many of us who were there that day will ever take anything for granted in football!

 

To put it into perspective, I could actually imagine that should the worst happen and we lose I could face the hibbies in my local on the night (or at least that weekend), shake their hands then go and get well and truly bloutered but I WOULD get over it.

 

After Dens park I couldn't even face my mum for a week (and I was 14 living at home) never mind any other football fans, still can't have a proper conversation with a celtic fan and until we win the league I will never properly get over it.

Spot on. Dens was the build up of an incredible run over several months of being top of the league and being undefeated in 27 league games only to have it snatched away in the cruellest fashion and nothing will make up for it until the league flag is flying over Tynecastle. I think the reason that there is often general negativity and an expect the worse mentality of many Hearts fans of a certain age is because of that day at Dens. One thing I have resigned myself to over the years is always expect the unexpected supporting Hearts.

 

A defeat in the Cup Final would be a sore one not just because its against them but because it would have meant we didn't really turn up on the day and/or they carried a huge amount of luck, but if we did lose we'd all get over it and go on to pump them endlessly in the years to come. I have supported Hearts for well over 30 years and have saw us enjoy unrivalled success and dished numerous humilating defeats to that filth and a Scottish Cup defeat won't diminsh that.

[Bruno]

Losing to Airdrie on penalties in 1992 was the most gutted I've ever been at a game, and probably will be. Was but a bairn at 7 years old.

[N Lincs Jambo]

Aside from the obvious (ie Dens 86) etc, the most gutted I was was against Ayr (April 77) when we lost 2-1 at Tynie and were to all intents and purposes relegated for first time in our history. Was 13 at the time and totally gutted. Also 0-0 away vs Killie in April 82 followed by 0-1 vs Well the week after which meant we had missed promotion. Turned out to be a godsend as the next season Robbo, Gary Mackay and Bowman matured and when we did come back up we stayed up!

[bighusref]

I get where you're coming from bigH, but I don't think the OP was in anyway suggesting he's ever considered not supporting Hearts. I agree supporting Hearts is never the worst of anything, but I can definitely think of my two worst memories of supporting Hearts.

 

I can't remember '86, I was only two. But I was 10 in 1996, and losing 5-1 to Rangers is definitely my worst memory. I was gutted, totally gutted. I'd gone through truly believing we were going to win, and didn't know what to do at the final whistle. I remember just sitting crying.

 

My 2nd worst memory is losing 1-0 to Hibs at Easter Road in the league cup under Korobocha. I'd never left a match in my life feeling so down. We were so, so bad that day, don't think we even had a shot on goal and lost to a shite Hibs team. At that point I genuinely thought we were in big trouble.

 

Sorry, Kim, dude. I don't agree. I think the OP is saying that a bad loss makes you think "This is the worst day to be a Hearts fan". I completely and utterly disagree with that notion.

[CJGJ]

Anyone who was around in 1986 at Dens will know the worst of feelings -- we were then given another kicking when we were down in the cup final the following week.

 

Just standing around Dens after the match was yep 'heart breaking'

 

But it made me a little stronger knowing that in my life I was prob never going to feel that bad again in sporting terms -- and despite some matches like the 6-2, the losing of the 1996 cup final 5-1 as well as losing to Falkirk in the cup 4-0 and the loss in Munich when we really should have won, that has proved to be the case.

 

 

What annoys me more nowadays is losing to teams we are clearly better than due to a poor attitude and issues that are at times outwith the scope of the management or players.

[Pivo]

Anyone who was at Dens Park in 86 knows that once you have gone through that shocker, any future experience can only ever be the 2nd worst one of your football supporting career

[Martin_T]

I was only 4 in 1986, so have no memory of it. I would pick out both the Semi Finals against Airdrie, 1992 and 1995 as being particularly hurtful. The Steve Cooper 1-0 in 1995 had me genuinely wondering at the tender age of 13 whether I would ever see my team in a cup final let alone win a trophy. The final in 1996 was sore, but it was against a very good Rangers team and although we'd won the previous two games against them, part of me never expected us to win that game.

 

Off the pitch, not sure why but I never viewed the potential loss of Tynecastle as profoundly as others did. Maybe because I didn't think that Murrayfield would the death of the club in the same way others thought it would be. In recent times, the whole wages saga of this season, particularly from October to December, had me genuinely fearing that the death of the club was imminent, that is probably as low as I've felt as a Hearts fan.

[Tynie Willie]

I can't remember '86, I was only two. But I was 10 in 1996, and losing 5-1 to Rangers is definitely my worst memory. I was gutted, totally gutted. I'd gone through truly believing we were going to win, and didn't know what to do at the final whistle. I remember just sitting crying.

[IMA MAROON]

'86 was tragic. It was not just a game but a whole season, it is more than even that. We only just got promoted a few seasons before.

 

I did not want to face another game of football aftr Dens but the support at the '86 final was unbelievable, what happened bound the supporters and players together.

 

Losing to hibs could not compare to that.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Was present at all of the above and they hurt like hell. Dens being by far the worst. 88 Semi against Celtic was angriest i have ever been coming out a match.

 

Lets not kid ourselves, Hobos had no direct hand in the above, therefore, Given that we are MASSIVE favourites, i would be devastated if we lose this.

 

However, we won`t so will not give this another thought !!

 

Nothing could compare to that week in 86 and the years after that were only healed by that day in 98. Will winning mean as much as it did in 98, if you didnt suffer 86, probably more, if you did, maybe less?

 

It will be different and I hope I can answer the question by 4.50pm on 19th May, not another Gretna please?

[Gizmo]

Can't even compare 1986 to anything.

 

However, those abysmal semi-finals against sodding Airdrie were awful. Driving back along a pissing wet M8 after walking past gloating Airdrie fans in the car-park, no one speaking and my mate near greeting as he had just been dumped by his burd the night before.

 

The 5-1 final sucked as it just got progressively worse. But I think I felt worse after freezing to get into Parkhead for the CIS final against the Hun as I really felt we deserved to win that after giving everything and being undone by a ridiculous officiating decision which allowed Gazza to run up the park and score.

 

So how would I feel if Hibs surmounted the odds and fluked a win? Shite.

 

However, I have every faith in our team and manager to go on and win this, having dispatched the favourites and holders and knowing we have fought so damn hard to get to the final, with Hibs having a very easy draw by comparison.

[Monty Carlo]

Sorry, Kim, dude. I don't agree. I think the OP is saying that a bad loss makes you think "This is the worst day to be a Hearts fan". I completely and utterly disagree with that notion.

 

TBH, don't think anyone else on the thread took it to mean that.

[gowestjambo]

Many interesting points and horrible experiences, it would be difficult to put defeat to hibs into a worst day perspective.

 

Over 50 years of supporting Hearts I have seen the highs and lows - more lows than highs admittedly - but have any of these dampened my enthusiasm for Hearts - not one bit!

 

We deal with the situation, and learn to live with it - as it makes us stronger. For every gut wrenching defeat there has been a victory to offset this.

 

I dont think the worst moments can be put into any league as age and expectations vary with different people. My first horrible experience was 1965 watching the whole game stood on 2 McEwans Export cans to allow me to see! How could we lose to Kilmarnock - we only needed to score at home to win the League.......

 

1968 against Dunfermline Cup Final - Surely we could not lose to them - disappointment number 2

 

1973 - 0 - 7 how was this possible? I have never felt worse leaving a football match!

 

1976 - We were 1 - 0 down before 3 o' bloody clock!

 

Dens Park - say No more - worse than all the previous put together!

 

19th May 2012 - Well I dont care what anyone says, if we get beat then I cannot imagine a worse feeling in the entire world. Our whole ethos is - Well at least we are better than the wee team and 1902 - I cannot imagine the sun rising the next day if we lose!

 

`But that just aint gonna happen, Winning the Scottish Cup against them will be the best feeling ever, better than beating rangers in 1998 to win the Cup, beating hibs in 2006 semi final, our 22 in a row, our 17 in a row and making the current run 11 in a row - just one final wish - please Hearts make sure we win 7 - 0.................

[Uncle Buck]

January 1, 2006. I was devastated

[Gorgiewave]

Sorry, Kim, dude. I don't agree. I think the OP is saying that a bad loss makes you think "This is the worst day to be a Hearts fan". I completely and utterly disagree with that notion.

 

 

Pedant! The OP (me) meant to say that there are bad experiences as a Hearts, such as defeats in important games, relegation, etc. I was wondering whether losing the final against Hibs would be a worse experience than such experiences as losing the league at Dens, etc. As you very well know.

 

 

No, I have never considered giving up Hearts, and being a Hearts supporter is not overall a "bad" thing, it just has bad moments.

 

AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW, BIGHUSREF.

[Don Draper]

I was only 4 in 1986, so have no memory of it. I would pick out both the Semi Finals against Airdrie, 1992 and 1995 as being particularly hurtful. The Steve Cooper 1-0 in 1995 had me genuinely wondering at the tender age of 13 whether I would ever see my team in a cup final let alone win a trophy. The final in 1996 was sore, but it was against a very good Rangers team and although we'd won the previous two games against them, part of me never expected us to win that game.

 

 

I was a bit older than you (18 in '95), but I remember feeling exactly the same. Horrible defeat.

[davemclaren]

My first ever Hearts match was the 1 -1 draw agaisnt Killie in 65 but Iwas far too young to appreciate the pain. May 86 at Dens is probably the worst i've felt as a Hearts fan. I'm pretty cool about the upcoming cup final as we are the better team and even if they do beat us on the day I don't think it would be worse than Dens.

[leginten]

My first ever Hearts match was the 1 -1 draw agaisnt Killie in 65 but Iwas far too young to appreciate the pain. May 86 at Dens is probably the worst i've felt as a Hearts fan. I'm pretty cool about the upcoming cup final as we are the better team and even if they do beat us on the day I don't think it would be worse than Dens.

 

Didn't we lose 2-0? Or am I thinking of the wrong match? It's before my time.

[davemclaren]

Didn't we lose 2-0? Or am I thinking of the wrong match? It's before my time.

 

We did indeed. I must have been thinking about the score I wanted.

[Johanes de Silentio]

Erm...would I be right in thinking that quite a few posts have been removed from this thread?

[skene11]

Not a massive game but the worst one that sticks in my mind is the 4-0 drubbing at home to Dundee Utd. Worst Hearts performance I think I've seen.

[Bert Le Clos]

 

indeed

 

I was 12 in 1996. Shite that means I'm not 25 doesn't it?

[Bert Le Clos]

Sorry, Kim, dude. I don't agree. I think the OP is saying that a bad loss makes you think "This is the worst day to be a Hearts fan". I completely and utterly disagree with that notion.

 

I don't have an issue with that TBH. I definitely have never felt worse as a Hearts fan than after the '96 final and that league cup defeat at Easter Road. Therefore, they definitely felt like the "worst day to be a Hearts fan". That's not me saying I've ever regretted being a Hearts fan, or thought that supporting Hearts was worse than supporting Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen etc.

 

But personally, those were the worst days of my life as a Hearts fan.

[Tiberius Stinkfinger]

Nice cheery thread !

[Goz]

1986 by far the worst there has and will be. Nothing will compare to that week, certainly not in my like time and i was only 10 at the time. Can still remember it like it was yesterday.

 

 

It wont even come close to 86.

 

These. Especially the emboldened part.

 

I was 11.

[Drewjambobusby]

Nothing could compare to that week in 86 and the years after that were only healed by that day in 98. Will winning mean as much as it did in 98, if you didnt suffer 86, probably more, if you did, maybe less?

 

It will be different and I hope I can answer the question by 4.50pm on 19th May, not another Gretna please?

 

86 Hurt like hell, as i have said. However, i was much younger then and firmly believed there would be other chances to do it. Would have been worse if i had a crystal ball and know what i know now.

 

However, being much older and dare i say wiser , i don`t think i will handle the final as well. I know this is a 10,000/1 chance of ever happening again, and i want us to finally complete, the set of "domination" over our biggest rivals.

 

I feel if we win, we may have to adopt a new biggest rival, as we will have forever ripped the heart out of them. Nothing will ever top it.

[dc-jambo]

Not a massive game but the worst one that sticks in my mind is the 4-0 drubbing at home to Dundee Utd. Worst Hearts performance I think I've seen.

Ha! If you are talking 1980 I remember that. But went late to the games in these days, from the pub, and they were 2-0 up when I got there :blink:

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

Has anyone mentioned the day they introduced dynamic pricing yet? Too soon?

 

[kawasakijambo]

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a proper lap of honour on May 19th?

 

Andy

[Martin_T]

Not a massive game but the worst one that sticks in my mind is the 4-0 drubbing at home to Dundee Utd. Worst Hearts performance I think I've seen.

 

Ah the infamous 'no right back' game. Ibrahim Tall got sent off in the first half, however Frail/ Korobochka decide to play without a right back for the rest of the game, which allows Barry Robson, playing on the left wing, to help himself to a hattrick.

 

At the time I think I laughed at how farcical we'd become rather than finding it a genuine low point.

[jamboozy]

The 0-7 game, i was totaly numb after that game and couldn't wait for septmber to see us beat them, us humping them in the cup final will finaly lay that ghost to rest.

[Buffalo Bill]

Some other lowlights from me:

 

 

A 0-4 home defeat from Rangers in 07/08; Hearts were simply a shambles that night and barely strung a pass together.

 

 

A 0-4 Scottish Cup defeat at Falkirk in horrific weather, January 2003. Falkirk's striker, whose names escapes me, seemed to score at will.

 

 

A 1-2 Scottish Cup defeat at Broomfield in 1991. Depressing stuff.

 

 

A 0-2 home defeat v Celtic in 2008, the tramps going two up early on and suffering the rest of match listening to the full IRA songbook.

 

 

Hearts v Sparta Prague at Murrayfield. Freezing cold, soaked to the skin, the fog not lifting from the fierworks, horrific football, a 0-2 home defeat, and hundreds of fans, myself included, wandering aimlessly into a giant deep puddle in the dark afterwards round the back on the stadium.

 

 

Why do I mention all of these? There are plenty more in the locker. But it's nice to bring a few out, just to remind myself that the the cup final next month, however fraught, will be something to look to, and something to enjoy, in contrast to those bad times that happen.

[Allowayjambo1874]

Apart from 86 which was horrific and I'm not going to talk about a stupid game that sticks in my throat was a 2-0 defeat from Montrose is the league cup at Tynecastle in 89 i think. The reason being we had gone over two years unbeaten at home and played all sorts of teams and then we lost that record to a bloody second division team. And we even played a full team! I was so annoyed come full time.

[Buffalo Bill]

Apart from 86 which was horrific and I'm not going to talk about a stupid game that sticks in my throat was a 2-0 defeat from Montrose is the league cup at Tynecastle in 89 i think. The reason being we had gone over two years unbeaten at home and played all sorts of teams and then we lost that record to a bloody second division team. And we even played a full team! I was so annoyed come full time.

 

Start of 86/87 season.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

Some other lowlights from me:

 

 

A 0-4 home defeat from Rangers in 07/08; Hearts were simply a shambles that night and barely strung a pass together.

 

 

A 0-4 Scottish Cup defeat at Falkirk in horrific weather, January 2003. Falkirk's striker, whose names escapes me, seemed to score at will.

 

 

A 1-2 Scottish Cup defeat at Broomfield in 1991. Depressing stuff.

 

 

A 0-2 home defeat v Celtic in 2008, the tramps going two up early on and suffering the rest of match listening to the full IRA songbook.

 

 

Hearts v Sparta Prague at Murrayfield. Freezing cold, soaked to the skin, the fog not lifting from the fierworks, horrific football, a 0-2 home defeat, and hundreds of fans, myself included, wandering aimlessly into a giant deep puddle in the dark afterwards round the back on the stadium.

 

 

Why do I mention all of these? There are plenty more in the locker. But it's nice to bring a few out, just to remind myself that the the cup final next month, however fraught, will be something to look to, and something to enjoy, in contrast to those bad times that happen.

 

 

Trinidadian; Colin Samuel, I think. Samuel was like shit off a teflon coated shovel back then. I think I read somewhere around that time that he was a decent 100 metre sprinter before taking up football full-time... Certainly looked like it that day.