19 Years ago today - Hearts 3-4 Rangers League Cup Final

[Hearts Heritage]

A high and low point.

Magnificent performance but came away thinking We'll never win anything in my lifetime.

 

https://youtu.be/grZj_v6TE9I

[Seymour M Hersh]

19 years ago! Sure doesn't feel that long ago. Amazing how time flies by. 

[JamboJen]

Wow, how time flies.

 

It's strange but until I watched the highlights back on YouTube a few years ago my only memory was Gazza walking through the defence to score the fourth.

 

That broke my little 10 year old heart.

[brownkg]

Terry was on fire that day and my other memory is of Gazza launching Robbo three rows into the stand and getting a free kick or it too. Bitter sweet as you rightly say Davy

[graygo]

My memories of that day are that Gascoigne, Laudrup and McCann were unplayable.

 

How that wasn't a free kick against Robbo before their 3rd I'll never understand.

 

Remember McCann got a bike for mom.

[Noddy1874]

A freezing cold day and walking out of Parkhead totally gutted but proud of the team. Oh, and my seat not actually existing in the two years old 'New Parkhead'. 

 

That's my memories. 

[aussieh]

I cried like a big baby.

[Hector Riva]

Shit weather. Took my son.

His first game.

The Hearts support was magnificent vocally

 

Some game.

[Spencer]

Pasquale Bruno seemed to think the game started 20 mins later than everyone else

[Spellczech]

One of our proudest defeats. Mccann deserved a Victoria Cross that day...

[Fareastjambo]

Can't believe it was 19 years ago! Weather was atrocious that day. We had travelled down from Aberdeen for the game, rain and snow! It was a great game to watch, just a shame about the result. Really felt we could have won it.

[Bowmans_Boot]

I still think if that game had lasted 10 minutes longer then we would have won it. 

 

Neil McCann was, as pretty much always, unplayable,  He won so many games for us on his own, incredible player. 

[Rudolf's Mate]

Remember leaving Gorgie as the snow started and getting to Harthill thinking we might not make the game. Jumped off he bus and had a snowball fight for 5 mins and back on the bus 20 yards down.

 

Was really proud of us in that game. I also came away with a strong belief that it was only a matter of time.

[Paolo]

Shame about result, but a great game.

 

Neil McCann was outstanding.

[Clerry Jambo]

Terry was outstanding and brilliant support that day

[Rousset1]

I wonder if Neil still has his Coca Cola bike?

[The Treasurer]

When we got back to 2-2 I really thought that we were going to do it.

Bad refereeing and great skill from Gascoigne soon shattered my dream

[Say What Again]

Remember McCann got a bike for mom.

 

That's my recollection too.

 

Wasn't it a Coca-Cola bike?

 

EDIT: I see Rousset1 has confirmed it on the thread while I was watching the video

[Say What Again]

[Stuart Lyon]

My wife's boss gave me his ticket for the VIP section and I was sitting beside the sponsor's (Coca Cola) rep. About 5 minutes after the game started an Ulster branch of the Hun loyal arrived, some in short sleeve shirts, and literally invaded the VIP seats. Despite my protests to the stewards they did nothing so for his safety and mine I got the Coca Cola guy to move as far away from them as we could. Their behaviour and language must have given the sponsors a great impression of Scottish football fans.

 

I didn't think the weather was that bad, a wee bit of snow but hey ho what do you expect for that time of year. 

 

The game was excellent only marred by Gascoigne's unpunished brutal tackle on Robbo - we wiz robbed!

[Fitzroy Pointon]

Remember sitting in a social club in Rutherglen waiting to here if the game was going ahead.  A freezing cold day.  Gascoigne was outstanding as always that day.  Wasn't half as gutted after it as I was after the 5-1 game earlier in the year.  

 

I remember getting free stickers with the programme, it was a maroon rosette with the badge on it and going to school next day and all the Rangers fans had blue ones stuck to their bag, then there was me with my maroon one.  

[Ray Gin]

Cheated their way to that trophy.

[Psychedelicropcircle]

Great game but we lost, the only thing I recall was having fat Sally in the supporters bus sweep stake!

[corryjambo]

A great game, and I think the belief the team took from that game helped us in 1998.

 

I sat next to Scott Crabbe that day, and trust me he is a PHM. I remember the whole stand going mental when we equalized.

 

However one of the everlasting memories from that day is drinking in a pub very close to Parkhead and us getting rounds in from the wee guy who was meant to be collecting the glasses. He was charging us ?1 for a bottle which he was promptly putting into his trackie pockets. He must have cost the pub a fortune that day because by the time we left the pub he could hardly hold his trackie bottoms up for the sheer weight of ?1 coins in the pockets.

 

Just watched the highlights and still can't believe that Craig Moore wasn't sent off that day, and that we never got a free kick prior to their 3rd goal. Nothing ever changes.

[TNCASTLE]

A high and low point.

Magnificent performance but came away thinking We'll never win anything in my lifetime.

 

I thought that too. I even didn't travel from Oz for the cup final that we won on the basis of that thought.

I was just lying in my bed stunned when we won the Scottish Cup and I missed it! We have won two since. Full of negativity I was.

However.... Never again, I just know we will win the next Cup Final, whatever it is, what ever tournament it is.

This is because we became winners after that 3-4 versus the Hun.

[Buffalo Bill]

Our defending was poor for their goals, although we were up against a vintage Rangers side playing at their peak.

 

 

Hearts gave it everything that day, fantastic performances from Weir, Cameron and of course Neil McCann. A great final over all.

 

 

The person who I felt most sorry for was our skipper, Gary MacKay who played really well, and deserved a winners medal after 16 years service.

[Spencer]

Our defending was poor for their goals, although we were up against a vintage Rangers side playing at their peak.

 

 

Hearts gave it everything that day, fantastic performances from Weir, Cameron and of course Neil McCann. A great final over all.

 

 

The person who I felt most sorry for was our skipper, Gary MacKay who played really well, and deserved a winners medal after 16 years service.

Gary Mackay was a great servant to Hearts. Sadly he was part of an era that promised much but delivered nothing by way of tangible success.

 

I thought we arguably played better in that game than we did in 98, although our defending that day was poor as you state.

[alicante jambo]

The performance from mcann that day was the best ive ever seen from a hearts playee.Unfortunately gascoigne decided to turn his style on aswell.Sure him and mcoist had a whisky at half time after their fall out.

[Morgan]

I remember shite weather, being in a club of some sorts in Glasgow where Hearts fans were shirtless and creating a fantastic atmosphere and having a few drinks with George Wright in Montpeliers when we got back to Edinburgh.

 

McCann was immense.

 

Was it not on the back of that game that Der Hun bought him?

[Gavsy Van Gaverson]

16 year old, half pished and a great game. McCann was immense.

 

Shettlestone bowling club pre match if I remember correctly.

[Marvin]

A high and low point.

 

Magnificent performance but came away thinking We'll never win anything in my lifetime.

 

https://youtu.be/grZj_v6TE9I

 

Remember that game well. This was the game where it had been snowing like feck iirc. Constant calls to Hampden to make sure the game was still "on". Got to the ground to see that the pitch was in great condition.  Although disappointed that we came away with nothing there were plenty of positives to take from it. I did feel that JJ had us on the right track which was proven in the '98 final when after all the disappointment before gave us the happiest days of our Hearts supporting lives.

[Lambo85]

I heard that Gascoigne did not go into the dressing room for the half time team talk but actually ended up in one of the hospitality suites and knocked back 2 double whiskies before going back out for the second half.

 

Was there any truth in this?

[Francis Albert]

McCann's first 20 minutes or so of the second half was probably the best 20 minutes I have ever seen from a Hearts player.

 

Another memory was of Richard Gough turning at the end to applaud the Hearts fans.

 

My thoughts on walking back to the car were exactly those of the OP - "Ill never see us win an effing trophy".

[Noddy1874]

Remember that game well. This was the game where it had been snowing like feck iirc. Constant calls to Hampden to make sure the game was still "on". Got to the ground to see that the pitch was in great condition.  Although disappointed that we came away with nothing there were plenty of positives to take from it. I did feel that JJ had us on the right track which was proven in the '98 final when after all the disappointment before gave us the happiest days of our Hearts supporting lives.

 

I'm surprised they answered. 

[punkrockcroc]

Wow. It was a case of we're never going to win anything.

[Buffalo Bill]

 

McCann was immense.

 

Was it not on the back of that game that Der Hun bought him?

 

No, it was the 2-2 draw at Ibrox, Feb 1998 (McCann opened the scoring). Dick Advocaat was in the stand.

 

 

Then in the August of 1998, we beat Rangers 2-1 on the opening day. McCann destroyed Rino Gattuso (who was playing right back) and the decision was made.

[Fultons Right Leg]

My memories of that day are that Gascoigne, Laudrup and McCann were unplayable.

 

How that wasn't a free kick against Robbo before their 3rd I'll never understand.

 

Remember McCann got a bike for mom.

 

 

Great team - a taster of what was to come in 1998.

 

I had to convince a few Hearts mates years ago that McCann received a bike for MoM. Looking back, it seems like a bizarre gesture.

 

 

That's my recollection too.

 

Wasn't it a Coca-Cola bike?

 

EDIT: I see Rousset1 has confirmed it on the thread while I was watching the video

 

 

I remember Darren Beckford getting the same prize after a cup game we played at Easter Road. I'm sure it was against a Dundee team that included Jim Hamilton, just before we signed him.

 

Or was it St?phane Paille that won man of the match that night?? Ach, never mind.

[Smack]

As far as I remember it Colin Cameron was equally good on the right. He probably wasn't even playing.

[Francis Albert]

I remember Darren Beckford getting the same prize after a cup game we played at Easter Road. I'm sure it was against a Dundee team that included Jim Hamilton, just before we signed him.

 

Or was it St?phane Paille that won man of the match that night?? Ach, never mind.

 I think it was Paille, who went onto emulate Lance Armstrong (in one sense anyway).

[Sneckiejambo]

We were very unlucky that day, got supporters bus down, got back to Perth A9 closed with snow, went round by Aberdeen back to Inverness then watched game again when I got home, and as JIm Jeffries said if we keep knocking on the door one day they will let us in and sure enough Scottish Cup Final 1998 they did. HHGH

[Morgan]

No, it was the 2-2 draw at Ibrox, Feb 1998 (McCann opened the scoring). Dick Advocaat was in the stand.

 

 

Then in the August of 1998, we beat Rangers 2-1 on the opening day. McCann destroyed Rino Gattuso (who was playing right back) and the decision was made.

D'yknow, as soon as I posted that I got a feeling I was wrong!

 

Thanks for clarifying!

[Marvin]

I heard that Gascoigne did not go into the dressing room for the half time team talk but actually ended up in one of the hospitality suites and knocked back 2 double whiskies before going back out for the second half.

 

Was there any truth in this?

Probably a myth a but I heard a similar story.

[Hilary Briss]

Cant believe that was 19 years ago !!

 

Memories are that it was freezing, Neil McCann had a stormer and Gazza was on different level.

[superjack]

I remember drinking in the goodies in oxgangs and kept falling on my arse walking to the bus. We were drinking in the Carmyle Celtic supporters club pre-match and the atmosphere was immense. Centre out the game proud as punch, even though we lost. As someone else said, the experience from that game, and the 5-1 gubbing in may that year, helped us win 98.

[Talk-o-the-North]

I heard that Gascoigne did not go into the dressing room for the half time team talk but actually ended up in one of the hospitality suites and knocked back 2 double whiskies before going back out for the second half.

 

Was there any truth in this?

Yep, true. I was at an event a few years back where Walter Smith did a Q&A session and he spoke specifically about that game and how Gascoigne was no where to be seen at HT. A search of the building took place and Gascoigne turns up, if I remember correctly, in the Celtic boardroom helping himself to a decanter of whisky.

 

The rest is history, but he personally ripped us apart in the 2nd half that day.

[Jambo 4 Ever]

Terry was outstanding and brilliant support that day

Why is McCann called Terry?

[Carl Fredrickson]

Terry McCann was the main character in Minder, so probably something to do with that. 

 

I mind sitting in my car a few miles outside Glasgow as we waited to hear if the game was going ahead. 

 

We went in fancy dress - I was Fred Flintstone, my mate was Barney Rubble and the wee lass I took to games was dressed as Bam Bam. 

 

I dont think I have ever been so proud of a Hearts team that has been defeated. The fans were amazing, McCann throwing the bike to the ground after the photos were taken, THAT STRIP, leaving the ground thinking if we cant win a cup playing like that, we never will.....

[stirlingshirejambo]

A freezing cold day and walking out of Parkhead totally gutted but proud of the team. Oh, and my seat not actually existing in the two years old 'New Parkhead'.

 

That's my memories.

I thought I was only one who was sold a ticket for seat that didn't exist

Spent the first half underneath stand in a police cordon

Got put in a row for second half with no seats so sat on metal frame but least saw the game

Really thought we were going to do something

So proud of team that day

[Samuel Camazzola]

16 year old, half pished and a great game. McCann was immense.

 

Shettlestone bowling club pre match if I remember correctly.

I may have been at same place. Went with Robin's Nest bus.

[151]

Wow, only time i've seen that was when i was 8 years old

 

Neil McCann was ****ing class eh!?

 

Is it just me or was there a hell of a lot more chances back then in a game haha.