We've Travelled Far - Programme Article

[Laurie]

Morning all,

 

A few of you will be aware that I write the "Terrace Talk" section in the match day programme and a couple of years ago I incorporated some fan comments into my piece. 

Well for the first league programme of the season I'm looking at doing something similar. 

 

Since we've been on the road for the first few games of the season I've decided to go with an associated theme, so my article will be titled "We've Travelled Far". 

 

What I'm basically looking for are fan stories, anecdotes and comments around some of their memories from supporting Hearts on the road. That could be at away games in Scotland or abroad. 

 

I want to include as many contributions as possible so I'm not looking for anything too lengthy, just a few lines on some memories that stick out for you. It could be a funny story, an emotional one, one of sheer joy and jubilation; I'm open to suggestions and different takes on this. 

 

All I'd ask is keep it clean! 

 

Depending on the response I can't promise I'll include everything and some things might be edited slightly, but if you can start posting any memories in this thread then I'll start collating them as best I can.

 

Obviously anything posted here could be used in the programme so don't mention anything you wouldn't want ending up in print! 

[bigdav]

85-86 Late in the season when we went to Pittodrie and John Colquhoun scored the winner with a few minutes to go. We were parked up at the beach so had to run across the putting green to get back to the car. Gets back to Edinburgh and my pal produces the flag from the No 7 hole which he had taken in honour of J C. He still has it to this day.

[been here before]

Being so cold at Dens Park that there was about 6 of us on the terracing huddled round a Zippo lighter trying to keep warm, it was absolutely bitter. It's where I learned to turn my scarf inside out on itself to make a hat.

 

Real Ray Mears survival stuff.

[Locky]

Going to Celtic away and being 3-0 down by the time you're in your seat isn't a great feeling.

[martoon]

Boghead 1983 when we clinched promotion.

 

Robbo scored twice at the end where the Hearts support were congregated. We all wanted to swap ends at half time but an old rickety stand was blocking the walk around the terrace so about 2k supporters, myself included, climbed over the small wall behind the goal and walked the length of the pitch instead.

 

We won 4-0, clinched promotion, and invaded the pitch at the end too.

[ollie2004]

One of my best memories was Bordeaux away, firstly on way to game walking behind the pipers we saw two "Glasgow Hearts" (well that was on their tee-shirts) sharing a bottle of Buckie (HONESTLY!) then daughter and I had to phone home to check who scored - told big number 9 and phone slammed down.

[iwasthere1954]

I remember being at Pittodrie with my dad who was 78 at the time. Season 1985/86. Five minutes to go and JC bursts through the middle. Everyone stands up, apart from my dad who was too slow. Goal. Utter pandemonium. My dad never saw that goal as the game was not recorded due to the BBC strike at the time. He always spoke about the "goal" he never saw. He died in 1993.

[Morgan]

Arbroath on Christmas Eve.

 

Get back to our bus and the driver does a head count. One guy missing. Guy in question is well known on here but doesn't post.

Anyway, he eventually shows up with an 88 pint keg of beer, stolen from the back of a local hotel, on his shoulders.

 

'How the feck are you going to get that open'? we ask.

 

'No problem' says the bold beer thief.

 

And produces a four inch long plastic comb!

 

No beer for us that journey needless to say.

[Morgan]

Me, falling UP the stairs in the stand in Munich in 1989.

 

Hotdogs and beer intact.

 

My neck and back not so.

[jamboiain13]

Innsbruck stop over to Bologna return leg in '90.  After a few beers in city centre we were advised to seek out the 'Old Town'.  Having no idea how to find it a member of our supporters' bus decided to approach some locals for directions.  Thinking Mark the postie maybe spoke some German he puts on his best 'friendly tourist grin' and utters the immortal line (in his finest Hamilton accent) "Scuse me mate, could ye tell us where the auld toon is n that?"
Classic

[been here before]

Being 'followed' through the sights of a watercanon on our way to the stadium in Liege was a bit unnerving

[Elshin]

Raith away championship season. Keatings hat-trick. German beer festival tent in the town square before the game. Hundreds of hearts fans drank the tent dry singing along to the german omh pah band playing seven nation army.

 

Memories of the game are hazy to say the least

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[vasco]

Messrs Farmer, Wittmann, Stewart and A.N.Other getting into the Dukla Prague dressing room after game in 1986.

 

Taking a bus to Vienna and stopping in Nuremberg. Had a great time. On way to Munich made same stop, had same great time and took same route onwards. Unfortunately the latter bus was Dougie Park's famous 72 seater double decker(SKY nnn), as opposed to the earlier 49 seater. Encountered low bridge en route. Hence Colinmaroon labelling me Vasco, a tag which sticks to this day - viz Jake on Saturday in Drouthy's.

 

Prague first time getting to Czech border. Armed with a few packs of fags and some whisky, we breezed through while everyone else was held up for hours.

 

Same trip - Gerry Campbell in bog for hours on bus.

 

Same trip - Wittmann sliding down the steps of the side door pished when we stopped for fuel.

 

Same trip - wee Brian O'Donnell from the Manor branch leading a sing song in Europe's oldest pub, U Fleku, singing Cliff Richard's "Lucky Lips" to the utter bemusement of a load of Polish tourists.

 

Myself, Paul McCloy and Frank Morton doing a lap of the pitch in Dnepropetrovsk, FM & I dressed in kilts.

 

Rusty from Bathgate, myself and others getting stopped at a junction in Leipzig for ignoring the traffic lights.

 

I'll need to stop now and get myself another beer.

[vasco]

I'm back.

 

Getting arrested at Motherwell after the Texaco Cup debacle in November 1972. 37 fans lifted before half-time and me at full-time. In cell with 8 Motherwell fans and a Jungle Jim. Got to court weeks later. Hearts fan up before the beaks in front of me gets hefty fine. I'm shitting myself, after magistrate says my case is similar. Fortunately, for what was the first of my several court appearances, the verdict was not proven, something which has been replicated in half a dozen instances since. In Braga in 2004, 32 years later,I met the unfortunate guy up before me!!

 

Anyone of a certain age has had similar experiences with Plod. Colinmaroon (Dumfries 1978), David Walker, the late Alan Willumsen, Derek Waugh (Glasgow 1968 after Arbroath), myself at Somerset Park and Tynecastle in 1989. You'd need to talk to China and his cronies about the 1960s shenanigans.

 

The aftermath of the 1968 escapade in Glasgow was quite interesting, in that Mr Walker, when asked to give a blood sample, told the polis to take it from his big toe, rather than via the conventional method. This, indirectly, led to the introduction, albeit later, of the breathalyser as we know it today.

[trago13]

Convincing my next door neighbour that going to Clydebank away on a school night was a good idea. We assured his mum we would be back before the pubs shut (so his dad didn't find out) and the approval was in place.

 

On the way through, the wind screen shattered. After a bit of a con flab on the hard shoulder the driver agreed to continue and we would get a replacement bus for coming back. The driver had about 5 jackets, 4 hats, 3 scarfs and was still freezing.

 

Got to the game, we won 5-1, Paddy Burne scored a peach, the crowd were on the pitch fighting and all in all it was an eventful night. So far!!!!

 

We had to go into Glasgow to meet the new bus, we parked outside a rock club which proceeded to empty out and start what can only be described as, a healthy altercation!!! The new bus eventually arrived and we were on our way back to Edinburgh. When we got back to Drylaw we were greeted by both sets of parents waiting at the front doors demanding to know where the hell we had been till 1 o clock in the morning.

 

You really can't beat an away day.

[Doctor FinnBarr]

Messrs Farmer, Wittmann, Stewart and A.N.Other getting into the Dukla Prague dressing room after game in 1986.

 

Taking a bus to Vienna and stopping in Nuremberg. Had a great time. On way to Munich made same stop, had same great time and took same route onwards. Unfortunately the latter bus was Dougie Park's famous 72 seater double decker(SKY nnn), as opposed to the earlier 49 seater. Encountered low bridge en route. Hence Colinmaroon labelling me Vasco, a tag which sticks to this day - viz Jake on Saturday in Drouthy's.

 

Prague first time getting to Czech border. Armed with a few packs of fags and some whisky, we breezed through while everyone else was held up for hours.

 

Same trip - Gerry Campbell in bog for hours on bus.

 

Same trip - Wittmann sliding down the steps of the side door pished when we stopped for fuel.

 

Same trip - wee Brian O'Donnell from the Manor branch leading a sing song in Europe's oldest pub, U Fleku, singing Cliff Richard's "Lucky Lips" to the utter bemusement of a load of Polish tourists.

 

Myself, Paul McCloy and Frank Morton doing a lap of the pitch in Dnepropetrovsk, FM & I dressed in kilts.

 

Rusty from Bathgate, myself and others getting stopped at a junction in Leipzig for ignoring the traffic lights.

 

I'll need to stop now and get myself another beer.

 

Good grief man, have you forgot the conga we did through private dining rooms in the same place?

[rubyruby]

White Hart lane 2011...hearts fans singing"we,re only here for the telly's" & " go home ur house is on fire" when the Tottenham riots were happening.

 

Anfield 2012

I went to stand down at the front behind the goals at half time & promptly got a soaking from the massive sprinklers!!

[Shaggy2]

Convincing my next door neighbour that going to Clydebank away on a school night was a good idea. We assured his mum we would be back before the pubs shut (so his dad didn't find out) and the approval was in place.

 

On the way through, the wind screen shattered. After a bit of a con flab on the hard shoulder the driver agreed to continue and we would get a replacement bus for coming back. The driver had about 5 jackets, 4 hats, 3 scarfs and was still freezing.

 

Got to the game, we won 5-1, Paddy Burne scored a peach, the crowd were on the pitch fighting and all in all it was an eventful night. So far!!!!

 

We had to go into Glasgow to meet the new bus, we parked outside a rock club which proceeded to empty out and start what can only be described as, a healthy altercation!!! The new bus eventually arrived and we were on our way back to Edinburgh. When we got back to Drylaw we were greeted by both sets of parents waiting at the front doors demanding to know where the hell we had been till 1 o clock in the morning.

 

You really can't beat an away day.

Didn't Willie Pettigrew score four that night, and you remember Paddy Byrne's???

[Weonly151]

Braga in 2004, arrived in Porto the Tuesday before the match. Went to the the city centre for a bevvy and ended up going on a pub crawl with all these freshers students from a local college. Then the Friday after the match went out for lunch in Porto, got a table outside this pub and by the end of the day out table of 3 became a table of about 20 jambos. Then a bus pulls up full of hearts fans going to the Boavista match and asked if we wanted to come, so id say the majority of us went but forgot to leave money for the tab we had been running up for about the last 4/5 hours. Anyway after the Boabista match we met up with a group of Boavista ultras. They loved all our Hearts songs that we were singing during the match and asked if we wanted to go back to their pub, which me and my 2 mates kindly did. Woops no bus home, how would we get back to out Hotel in Porto we asked one of the Boavista fans. He offered us a lift in the back of kis Transit van. The things you do when your drunk. He could have took us anywhere, but date dos he dropped us back in Porto.What a great trip ????

[Pants Shaton]

You've got to include IJ's story about Craig Thomson:

 

I remember on our first ever trip up on SPL business to Inverness back in 04, CT was in the company. Hadn't met him before, but - of course - had heard the stories.

Craig was a perfect gent on the way up that Saturday, and the game passed without much incident. Seems CT had to keep a low profile due to Dallas being the referee's assessor that day. Apparently Thommo had ragdolled ol' Shuggie's missus and daughter the week before and was gunning for blood. But I digress.

After the match, we head to the hotel we were staying in, and I'm rooming with Thomson. Drop the bags off, and the big man says "Right son, let's get this party started". The next 9 hours was a blur of women, class A's, and Malibu. I honestly couldn't tell you what happened. Anyway, next morning I wake up with Thommo clattering about in the hotel room. "I'm just away to use the pool downstairs" he says. I grumble acceptance and go back to sleep. Suddenly, what seems like moments later, all hell breaks loose. Fire alarms are going off, women are screaming in the corridors, and children are crying. "Christ" I think, and pull on my undercrackers to find out what the story is. 

Turns out the mad b***ard had pulled his mattress off the bed, strolled down to the pool starkers, hoyed the mattress in, screamed "Away y'go!" and launched himself on. God only knows what Ron Pickering would have made of it. 

Anyway, after it's all calmed down, we go to check out. Thomson's arguing with the receptionist about the price of a packet of Walker's Cheese & Onion from the mini bar which he claims we didn't have. Receptionist's - for some reason - a wee bit snippy. "Mr Thomson, with all due respect, you've upset every guest in the hotel, damaged property, broken at least three laws, and we've had to hire a crane to pull the mattress out of the pool. I think that you've caused enough trouble for today".

Thommo, being Thommo, just walks away, turns round with a wink and says "That's nothing hen. You should see what I left in the bath".

What a guy. 

 

 

http://www.hmfckickback.co.uk/index.php?/topic/112986-favourite-memories-of-following-the-jts-with-ct/  

[PTBCAL]

Messrs Farmer, Wittmann, Stewart and A.N.Other getting into the Dukla Prague dressing room after game in 1986.

Taking a bus to Vienna and stopping in Nuremberg. Had a great time. On way to Munich made same stop, had same great time and took same route onwards. Unfortunately the latter bus was Dougie Park's famous 72 seater double decker(SKY nnn), as opposed to the earlier 49 seater. Encountered low bridge en route. Hence Colinmaroon labelling me Vasco, a tag which sticks to this day - viz Jake on Saturday in Drouthy's.

Prague first time getting to Czech border. Armed with a few packs of fags and some whisky, we breezed through while everyone else was held up for hours.

Same trip - Gerry Campbell in bog for hours on bus.

Same trip - Wittmann sliding down the steps of the side door pished when we stopped for fuel.

Same trip - wee Brian O'Donnell from the Manor branch leading a sing song in Europe's oldest pub, U Fleku, singing Cliff Richard's "Lucky Lips" to the utter bemusement of a load of Polish tourists.

Myself, Paul McCloy and Frank Morton doing a lap of the pitch in Dnepropetrovsk, FM & I dressed in kilts.

Rusty from Bathgate, myself and others getting stopped at a junction in Leipzig for ignoring the traffic lights.

I'll need to stop now and get myself another beer.

Christ I forgot about being on the pitch in Dnipro John!!!

[trago13]

Didn't Willie Pettigrew score four that night, and you remember Paddy Byrne's???

Ha Ha, is that right. I really had no idea that was the case.

[Sneckiejambo]

Round about 1971 my Dad took me to Aberdeen, and we were sitting in the main stand with Aberdeen and Hearts fans, no segregation in those days, Fordy scored first then I think Jim Townsend was sent of and Aberdeen scored 2 goals, and a woman behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said Never mind son Hearts are a good team, in the last 5 minutes Fordy scored twice so I jumped up to celebrate only to be told by the same woman F.,. off back to Edinburgh you little b.,.,.d. Happy days.

[The White Cockade]

Didn't Willie Pettigrew score four that night, and you remember Paddy Byrne's??

 

 

Willie got four at Shawfield against Clyde

[gerryjambo41]

Messrs Farmer, Wittmann, Stewart and A.N.Other getting into the Dukla Prague dressing room after game in 1986.

 

Taking a bus to Vienna and stopping in Nuremberg. Had a great time. On way to Munich made same stop, had same great time and took same route onwards. Unfortunately the latter bus was Dougie Park's famous 72 seater double decker(SKY nnn), as opposed to the earlier 49 seater. Encountered low bridge en route. Hence Colinmaroon labelling me Vasco, a tag which sticks to this day - viz Jake on Saturday in Drouthy's.

 

Prague first time getting to Czech border. Armed with a few packs of fags and some whisky, we breezed through while everyone else was held up for hours.

 

Same trip - Gerry Campbell in bog for hours on bus.

 

Same trip - Wittmann sliding down the steps of the side door pished when we stopped for fuel.

 

Same trip - wee Brian O'Donnell from the Manor branch leading a sing song in Europe's oldest pub, U Fleku, singing Cliff Richard's "Lucky Lips" to the utter bemusement of a load of Polish tourists.

 

Myself, Paul McCloy and Frank Morton doing a lap of the pitch in Dnepropetrovsk, FM & I dressed in kilts.

 

Rusty from Bathgate, myself and others getting stopped at a junction in Leipzig for ignoring the traffic lights.

 

I'll need to stop now and get myself another beer.

Nobody likes a telltale

[MoncurMacdonaldMercer]

Willie got four at Shawfield against Clyde

was it Gerry McCoy at Clydebank?

[Shaggy2]

Willie got four at Shawfield against Clyde

Fair play. At least tell me it was a midweek?

[Doctor FinnBarr]

Nobody likes a telltale

 

Looks like JB saved me the bother this time Gerry

 

[Harry Potter]

Going to Celtic away and being 3-0 down by the time you're in your seat isn't a great feeling.

Going there is not a nice feeling, full stop.

[brownkg]

Boghead 1983 when we clinched promotion.

 

Robbo scored twice at the end where the Hearts support were congregated. We all wanted to swap ends at half time but an old rickety stand was blocking the walk around the terrace so about 2k supporters, myself included, climbed over the small wall behind the goal and walked the length of the pitch instead.

 

We won 4-0, clinched promotion, and invaded the pitch at the end too.

I remember Strathclyde's finest and their "wolves" behind the egg box no wanting us to sap ends so e just took to the pitch. Oh and the wee ginger ball boy who sat flicking the vicks at us all second half and at full time he grabbes a corner flag and tried to hit us with it

[martoon]

I remember Strathclyde's finest and their "wolves" behind the egg box no wanting us to sap ends so e just took to the pitch. Oh and the wee ginger ball boy who sat flicking the vicks at us all second half and at full time he grabbes a corner flag and tried to hit us with it

He must have been the only Dumbarton fan in the ground. Don't recall there being any home support that day.

[Laurie]

Thanks for the responses thus far folks, some cracking tales in there.

 

Keep them coming, I'll probably start piecing them together into an article early/middle of next week. 

[bernardbresslawsarmchair]

Messrs Farmer, Wittmann, Stewart and A.N.Other getting into the Dukla Prague dressing room after game in 1986.

 

Taking a bus to Vienna and stopping in Nuremberg. Had a great time. On way to Munich made same stop, had same great time and took same route onwards. Unfortunately the latter bus was Dougie Park's famous 72 seater double decker(SKY nnn), as opposed to the earlier 49 seater. Encountered low bridge en route. Hence Colinmaroon labelling me Vasco, a tag which sticks to this day - viz Jake on Saturday in Drouthy's.

 

Prague first time getting to Czech border. Armed with a few packs of fags and some whisky, we breezed through while everyone else was held up for hours.

 

Same trip - Gerry Campbell in bog for hours on bus.

 

Same trip - Wittmann sliding down the steps of the side door pished when we stopped for fuel.

 

Same trip - wee Brian O'Donnell from the Manor branch leading a sing song in Europe's oldest pub, U Fleku, singing Cliff Richard's "Lucky Lips" to the utter bemusement of a load of Polish tourists.

 

Myself, Paul McCloy and Frank Morton doing a lap of the pitch in Dnepropetrovsk, FM & I dressed in kilts.

 

Rusty from Bathgate, myself and others getting stopped at a junction in Leipzig for ignoring the traffic lights.

 

I'll need to stop now and get myself another beer.

i was one of the ones held up for hours i mind spending hours at chebb on the czech/german border great trip though 

[Maple Leaf]

In circa 1956/57, I left my work in Fountainbridge as usual around noon on Saturday, headed down to the Caley station and caught a train to Rugby Park in Kilmarnock.  The weather was dreadful, and the entire game was played in pouring rain.  There was no covering on the terraces, and I got literally soaked to the skin.  Worst of all, Hearts played poorly and we were well beaten; I think the score was 4-2. 

 

I was a long, dreary train journey home.  When I walked into the house at Gilmerton, my mother looked up from her knitting.  Her eyes flew open in horror and she said, "My god, what happened?"

 

I replied, "Hearts got beat."

 

She said, "I'm not talking about Hearts, I'm talking about you.  Look at yourself."

 

I looked in the mirror and saw that my white shirt had turned bright red.  The dye from my maroon scarf had run due to the rain.  It looked like my throat had been cut.

 

The shirt couldn't be saved and went into the bucket.

[credit card]

Three of us "senior" members of Livingston Hearts went to the ITC game that was called off last year. Found the ITC Supporters club were doing ?1 whisky doubles at lunchtime. None of us mind getting back to our room and one woke up to say they had lost their teeth, their watch and quizzed why it was so dark. He was wearing sunglasses!

[Laurie]

One final bump of this thread, thanks again to everyone who has posted thus far. 

[Laurie]

All now printed and ready for Saturday, Hearts tweeted a wee preview earlier too - as below.

Thanks again everyone who contributed, I couldn't include everything but managed to fit in quite a few!

 

 

 

[Pants Shaton]

Assuming IJ's story is one of the blurred out ones...

[Jamos]

Real Mallorca away I was sat next to Stephen Pressley's Mum and then Fianc?e, right behind us was a chap who didn't' seem to like Bearded Gingers, believed Stephen had no father and also that he was a horses arse. He was so convinced about this he repeated it throughout the match. His Mum and future wife laughed all the way through it.

[Kiwidoug]

In terms of travelling far I'm probably the only person on here to lay a truthful claim that I have seen the Hearts play in Wellington, NZ. It was 1976, we'd just lost the Cup final to Rangers and were staring relegation in the face although we didn't know that.

 

Travelling far represented a walk of around 300 metres from our flat to the ground.

 

Rubbish game. 2-0 win.

[robroy1874]

Went to see Hearts vs Dundee in February '65 at Tynecastle with my Uncle since my Dad as working that day. Had a bad feeling when the teams took the field and Hearts were wearing an all white away strip. Dundee won 1-7. My uncle and I left when it was 0-7. We lost the league on goal difference and if we'd lost 1-6 think we would have won the league. Never able to forget that day.

[cookieboy]

Me, falling UP the stairs in the stand in Munich in 1989.

 

Hotdogs and beer intact.

 

 

My neck and back not so.

Munich was amazing. The guy asking " How much for sooky sooky ?" Being told "**** off am fae Gorgie ya dick " Hope it wisny you Morgan hahaha

[Jammy T]

So did Elvis ever marry his mum then?

[Jamos]

So did Elvis ever marry his mum then?

To be honest, if I was a few years older, I would have asked her myself. Gorgeous lady

[stirlingshirejambo]

Fair play. At least tell me it was a midweek?

Definitely a midweek

It was night before my English o grade as I met my part time job boss in pie queue who was stunned as I'd asked for night off to study

Our buss driver got lost on way thought we were going to Greenock

I also thought pettigrew scored 4

[scott herbertson]

My mate Rod (who was a racing cyclist) decided it would be a great idea if me, him and our mate Robin cycled through to Dumbarton in August 1972 for a League Cup game (45 years ago good grief!) - our first fixture against them in our lifetime (we were 16). Cycled through to Balloch on the Friday to Stay in the youth hostel. Only Rod had a racing bike of course and me and Robin were on crappy starmar 3 gear things. Robin's gears broke after about 30 miles and he had to cycle all the way there (and back) in third gear, with Rod pushing him up the hills from behind. Legs turning to corned beef, wishing death on Rod...

 

 

Got to Dumbarton early on the Saturday. Days before the internet and went to a pub near the ground ( ?The Rock) which turned out to be the Dumbarton equivalent of Robbos. Managed to get served (at 16...) and huddled in the corner but noticed by some of the regulars and threatened that we would be beaten to a pulp when left the pub. Discussing escape methods (through the bog window, a rush out the door?). Then the special train arrived with about 1000 drunk Hearts fans on it. Our threateners last seen running down the street chased by the more enthusiastic of the Hearts toughs...

 

Hearts lose 1-0 , on the bikes for the 80 miles home......

[been here before]

On the good side getting my nuts frozen off at Dens made the programme...

 

On the bad side Im the only one not to get their name in glorious bold moroon writing.

 

Programme pepul oot!

 

[Morgan]

Munich was amazing. The guy asking " How much for sooky sooky ?" Being told "**** off am fae Gorgie ya dick " Hope it wisny you Morgan hahaha

Thankfully not CB!