The Hearts end

[Gorgiewave]

In the 1980s and 1990s, away supporters were accommodated at the Gorgie end. It's been the reverse since early in 1997-98. Who decided we should change ends? Was it violently disputed on the kickback of the day? From clips on YouTube, the "away" end at Pittodrie seems to have been unclear. Has any other team changed their "home" end?

[Fxxx the SPFL]

7 minutes ago, Gorgiewave said:

In the 1980s and 1990s, away supporters were accommodated at the Gorgie end. It's been the reverse since early in 1997-98. Who decided we should change ends? Was it violently disputed on the kickback of the day? From clips on YouTube, the "away" end at Pittodrie seems to have been unclear. Has any other team changed their "home" end?

It’s easier to manage away fans in the Roseburn shepherding them down towards Russell Rd even when Gorgie was open terracing it was a nightmare to control what was going on along Gorgie road 

[Sooks]

I used to stand next to the crazy corner at the school end with my old man , from my first season onwards . I used to look over at the Gorgie Road end and estimate crowds sizes of the visitors and that is how I judged their size as a club . I also used to wonder if the wee food hut in that end that had McDonalds advertised on it actually sold McDonalds food  

 

 

Edited February 23 by Sooks

[RobNox]

When I first started going to games there was no segregation, so really wan't a home end or away end as such.

 

When segregation was introduced, we had the old shed which covered part of what is now the Wheatfield Stand and extended slightly into the Roseburn end.  So maybe it just seemed logical to retain the covered standing area for home fans and let the away fans have the Gorgie end.

 

Once we had built the new stands, it made more sense to give the away fans the Roseburn from a logistical point of view, as the previous poster suggested.

[davemclaren]

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

[HMFC01]

It's safer for kids and families now than it used to be that's for sure.   Easier to get to the three stands via Wheatfield, Gorgie and Mcleod St without having to cut through hundreds of away fans.   Was a nightmare. 

 

 

[dannymack]

Before segregation in 1978 Hibs fans used to congregate in The School End with smaller groups occupying the Gorgie Road End and Main Stand. 

The Gruesome Twosome... wfll the less said about them the better.

 

When the fences went up I remember 81/82 they shut the Gorgie Rd and all away fans went in the North Enclosure (apart from Motherwell and Killie) 

 

After promotion in 82/83 all away fans went into the Gorgie Rd right up until the the new stand went up. (Away fans in the main stand)

[Mikey1874]

1 hour ago, Gorgiewave said:

In the 1980s and 1990s, away supporters were accommodated at the Gorgie end. It's been the reverse since early in 1997-98. Who decided we should change ends? Was it violently disputed on the kickback of the day? From clips on YouTube, the "away" end at Pittodrie seems to have been unclear. Has any other team changed their "home" end?

 

Partly with the order of the redevelopment in which stand built first. With the Gorgie the last stand to be rebuilt it was decided to make it a big deal of being the Hearts end to sell more tickets. A different era when season tickets nearer to 8000. 

[Jack Torrance]

They used to segregate part of the away Gorgie end in the 80s, and use it as an overflow for us at the Wheatfield entrance, when the shed was full.

[dannymack]

It took Lothian & Borders Police Force and Tynecastle Security decades to realise away fans in the segregated Gorgie Terracing was a recipe for disaster, many a scrap on that famous road was had because of lunacy in decision making. 

 

All they had to do was fence off the school end at the end of The Shed and that was your away end regardless of how many tickets Rangers and celtic wanted. 

[Baxfee]

I loved when the ‘away’ end was the end you shot into. Fans changing ends at half time was brilliant. 

[Sooks]

3 minutes ago, dannymack said:

It took Lothian & Borders Police Force and Tynecastle Security decades to realise away fans in the segregated Gorgie Terracing was a recipe for disaster, many a scrap on that famous road was had because of lunacy in decision making. 

 

All they had to do was fence off the school end at the end of The Shed and that was your away end regardless of how many tickets Rangers and celtic wanted. 

They are still weirdly ****ing surprised when punches are thrown because away supporters have been given or sold tickets for our end , like when Celtic won the league at Tynecastle last season 

[sandylejambo]

I remember a cup tie against Dundee when their fans stood in front of us on the Weatfield Terracing

[No Idle Talk]

I started going in 83, fans changing ends seems mental to me. Can hardly believe that was a thing. How did that even work if you had a crowd of 25-30,000?

 

I remember going to a Hearts v Celtic match at Tynie and we were in this social club somewhere up the road from Tynecastle, further along Gorgie road than the stadium. Anyway, to get to the home end we had to walk through a hell of a lot of Celtic fans. It wasn't very pleasant. Probably better to have them at the end they are now. 

 

I love that they are bumping their guns so much about their 576 tickets. Get it up them. If we played them in a cup final they would happily take 40,000 tickets and claim 10,000 is more than we deserve. There would be no talk of 'fairness' or 'atmosphere'. So they can suck on the fat Jambo boaby as far as I'm concerned. 

[Hungry hippo]

In addition to the safety issue of the away in the middle of Gorgie Road, it was also convenient from a fund raising perspective to switch the away end at that time.

 

This was because the Gorgie Stand was largely funded by the popular 500 Club scheme and it was definitely more enticing to contribute towards a Hearts stand than an away one. 

[The Fish]

1 hour ago, davemclaren said:

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

Sorry Dave, that’s wrong. The Roseburn was built before the Gorgie. Remember as a kid being a season ticket holder in the Roseburn and that seat was transferred to the Gorgie as a mirror image when the Gorgie was built and the away end changed.

 

When Robbo scored the winner against Celtic in the league cup, the home end was Roseburn and Celtic in the gorgie terracing… great memories ☺️

[Daktari]

I remember during our ‘nearly’ season of ‘85-‘86 being at a home game against St Mirren. I think it was a Sunday, and I didn’t think I was going to make it due to work. A last minute change of plans, and I went straight from work, but the only tickets we could get were in the Georgie Road ‘away’ end. It was a weird experience, very quiet and subdued until Hearts scored and the ‘away’ end erupted. The bulk of the people in there were Hearts fans who had been keeping their hands in their pockets, mouths shut and scarves tucked away.

 

What changes we’ve been through since I started watching Hearts in the 70’s. From no segregation, to segregation, to perimeter fences to the all seated stands with proper toilets and catering. Some of the stuff from back then seems unreal now. It makes perfect sense to have away fans in Roseburn, but as one of the season ticket holders in there I like them to be as far away from my seta as possible….. Get as many Hearts fans in there as possible and make both ends home ends! (P.s. - this isn’t intended to start another debate on the Hibs allocation!)

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

8 hours ago, davemclaren said:

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

Er, no!

[Silvery_Moon]

6 hours ago, The Fish said:

Sorry Dave, that’s wrong. The Roseburn was built before the Gorgie. Remember as a kid being a season ticket holder in the Roseburn and that seat was transferred to the Gorgie as a mirror image when the Gorgie was built and the away end changed.

 

When Robbo scored the winner against Celtic in the league cup, the home end was Roseburn and Celtic in the gorgie terracing… great memories ☺️

Yeah that's right.

 

Wheatfield  - 1994

Roseburn - 1995

Gorgie- 1997

 

This was probably our last game with the Roseburn as our home end at the start of the 1997/98 season. The Gorgie Road End was in situ but not quite ready yet. 

 

 

Edited February 24 by Silvery_Moon

[jamboozy]

8 hours ago, davemclaren said:

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

I’m sure it was the other way about Dave, I’m sure the Roseburrn was built before the Gorgie?🤔

      The reason I recall this is, my sons and I had to sit in the Roseburn while waiting ont Gorgie being completed, the Gorgie was to be the family end.

 

edit: should have read the whole thread.

Edited February 24 by jamboozy

[HoGwash]

8 hours ago, davemclaren said:

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

My best memory of this was at Dumbarton the day we got promoted. There was just a rail round the ground and at half time the 'away end' emptied and we walked right up the length of the pitch and into the other end. The police just let it happen as there were so many of us.

[soonbe110]

8 hours ago, davemclaren said:

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

And collecting the empty bottles to get the deposit back🤷‍♂️

[Harry Potter]

8 hours ago, Sooks said:

I used to stand next to the crazy corner at the school end with my old man , from my first season onwards . I used to look over at the Gorgie Road end and estimate crowds sizes of the visitors and that is how I judged their size as a club . I also used to wonder if the wee food hut in that end that had McDonalds advertised on it actually sold McDonalds food  

 

 

Could do wi that wee hut back, cash only please😃.

[Poseidon]

9 hours ago, Gorgiewave said:

In the 1980s and 1990s, away supporters were accommodated at the Gorgie end. It's been the reverse since early in 1997-98. Who decided we should change ends? Was it violently disputed on the kickback of the day? From clips on YouTube, the "away" end at Pittodrie seems to have been unclear. Has any other team changed their "home" end?

The away end at Aberdeen was the beach end so yes, it's changed too, although not a full end change like at Tynecastle. Aberdeen built the Dick Donald stand with the big capacity, boxes, hospitality etc and obviously therefore used that for home fans from then on

[Midloth_Iain]

35 minutes ago, Silvery_Moon said:

Yeah that's right.

 

Wheatfield  - 1994

Roseburn - 1995

Gorgie- 1997

 

This was probably our last game with the Roseburn as our home end at the start of the 1997/98 season. The Gorgie Road End was in situ but not quite ready yet. 

 

 

 

THAT tackle/assault by Miller on Pointon (3:33), how it was only a booking is mental .....

 

😲

[Peakybunnet]

53 minutes ago, Silvery_Moon said:

Yeah that's right.

 

Wheatfield  - 1994

Roseburn - 1995

Gorgie- 1997

 

This was probably our last game with the Roseburn as our home end at the start of the 1997/98 season. The Gorgie Road End was in situ but not quite ready yet. 

 

 

I still cant  believe Joe Miller never got sent off for stamping on Neil Pointin. 

[davemclaren]

7 hours ago, The Fish said:

Sorry Dave, that’s wrong. The Roseburn was built before the Gorgie. Remember as a kid being a season ticket holder in the Roseburn and that seat was transferred to the Gorgie as a mirror image when the Gorgie was built and the away end changed.

 

When Robbo scored the winner against Celtic in the league cup, the home end was Roseburn and Celtic in the gorgie terracing… great memories ☺️

 

1 hour ago, Silvery_Moon said:

Yeah that's right.

 

Wheatfield  - 1994

Roseburn - 1995

Gorgie- 1997

 

This was probably our last game with the Roseburn as our home end at the start of the 1997/98 season. The Gorgie Road End was in situ but not quite ready yet. 

 

 

 

49 minutes ago, jamboozy said:

I’m sure it was the other way about Dave, I’m sure the Roseburrn was built before the Gorgie?🤔

      The reason I recall this is, my sons and I had to sit in the Roseburn while waiting ont Gorgie being completed, the Gorgie was to be the family end.

 

edit: should have read the whole thread.

Ah well, my memory certainly failed me there then. 🤪

[Percival King]

29 minutes ago, Poseidon said:

The away end at Aberdeen was the beach end so yes, it's changed too, although not a full end change like at Tynecastle. Aberdeen built the Dick Donald stand with the big capacity, boxes, hospitality etc and obviously therefore used that for home fans from then on

Same at Tannadice. For that famous game in 1986, we had the end next to the main stand and half the terracing which ran pitchside (a great, steep terracing).

[Silvery_Moon]

39 minutes ago, Midloth_Iain said:

 

THAT tackle/assault by Miller on Pointon (3:33), how it was only a booking is mental .....

 

😲

 

23 minutes ago, Peakybunnet said:

I still cant  believe Joe Miller never got sent off for stamping on Neil Pointin. 

Crazy.

 

Worth pointing out that was the game where we turned around a poor run of form against Aberdeen.

 

Dean Windass had been mouthing off in the build up to the game basically saying how much better Aberdeen were than Hearts. At the time his argument had some justification based on recent results and our barren spell of trophies. I'm sure his comments helped fire the players up and we took 10 points out of 12 from them that season. We won this game 4-1 and the return fixture at Pittodrie by the same scoreline. 

 

We pretty much dominated them from that season until we got relegated in 2014.

 

We've since re-established home dominance against them but could now do with sorting out our record at Pittodrie.

Edited February 24 by Silvery_Moon

[1971fozzy]

Loved drinking in the roseburn before and after a game. Boooooooooooooooo

🤣

Edited February 24 by 1971fozzy

[Silvery_Moon]

10 hours ago, Gorgiewave said:

In the 1980s and 1990s, away supporters were accommodated at the Gorgie end. It's been the reverse since early in 1997-98. Who decided we should change ends? Was it violently disputed on the kickback of the day? From clips on YouTube, the "away" end at Pittodrie seems to have been unclear. Has any other team changed their "home" end?

Aberdeen have probably switched more than once but in the 90's their home end was at the left where their ultras are now situated. Around the 2005/6 season they switched ends and like to attack the Beach End second half. 

[Marvin]

2 hours ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Er, no!

 

You're right. My brother used to be a ST holder in the Gorgie. I remember because the season after we won the cup I was fortunate enough to see the first handful of games (my bro was away on holiday) which we won. Despite 98/99 being a pretty shit season, I never saw us lose. 

[Hansel]

1st game in front of Gorgie stand. Minute silence for Brian Whittiker also.

 

[gordon simpson]

11 hours ago, davemclaren said:

The Gorgie Stsnd was built before the Roseburn and had the new hospitality suite in it as well plus the club shop so it made sense to make that the home stand. 
 

I'm of an age that I can remember changing ends at halftime - could be dangerous if we were playing Hibs or the OF.

Falkirk was fun changing end with the wee bridge Gorgie rules applied  

[davemclaren]

Just now, gordon simpson said:

Falkirk was fun changing end with the wee bridge Gorgie rules applied  

Aye, that was a bit weird. 🤣

[Silvery_Moon]

1 hour ago, Hansel said:

1st game in front of Gorgie stand. Minute silence for Brian Whittiker also.

 

Worth noting the segregation between the Hearts and Dundee United fans in the Roseburn. Pretty much none.

 

Compared to the half section that gets closed off now - surely there must be some middle ground approach.

[HMFC01]

1 hour ago, Hansel said:

1st game in front of Gorgie stand. Minute silence for Brian Whittiker also.

 

 

The defence should’ve been sacked for the marking at Robbos goal 😁 

 

The amount of space he had was unbelievable. 

[BelgeJambo]

Use to enjoy seeing the away support getting absolutely pish wet through on a rainy day.

[Boab]

12 hours ago, dannymack said:

Before segregation in 1978 Hibs fans used to congregate in The School End with smaller groups occupying the Gorgie Road End and Main Stand. 

The Gruesome Twosome... wfll the less said about them the better.

 

When the fences went up I remember 81/82 they shut the Gorgie Rd and all away fans went in the North Enclosure (apart from Motherwell and Killie) 

 

After promotion in 82/83 all away fans went into the Gorgie Rd right up until the the new stand went up. (Away fans in the main stand)

I remember Killie fans in the North Enclosure, mate. Early 81/82 season. 

[WASTREL]

11 hours ago, No Idle Talk said:

I started going in 83, fans changing ends seems mental to me. Can hardly believe that was a thing. How did that even work if you had a crowd of 25-30,000?

 

I remember going to a Hearts v Celtic match at Tynie and we were in this social club somewhere up the road from Tynecastle, further along Gorgie road than the stadium. Anyway, to get to the home end we had to walk through a hell of a lot of Celtic fans. It wasn't very pleasant. Probably better to have them at the end they are now. 

 

I love that they are bumping their guns so much about their 576 tickets. Get it up them. If we played them in a cup final they would happily take 40,000 tickets and claim 10,000 is more than we deserve. There would be no talk of 'fairness' or 'atmosphere'. So they can suck on the fat Jambo boaby as far as I'm concerned. 

I started going with my Grandad and his pals in the late 50's early 60's and our perch was at The Pie Stand high on the Gorgie Terrace.  From memory I recall "changing ends" to be behind your own keeper and in general it was orderley as I dont think The Shed was as established back then.  My Grandad and his pals always took the Low Way round The Wheatfield side with Away fans taking the Upper Route and in Old Firm and Hibs Games it was there that the flash points and verbals took place.  Always seemed big crowds back then.. I My Grandad used to enjoy a pint in the Tynecastle Arms and with a shout "See you behind the goals on Gorgie End" I left to buy my pie and cup of tea and "bags our bit on the barrier".  I always felt safe. 

[The Goalscoring Knee]

17 minutes ago, Disco Ball said:

I started going with my Grandad and his pals in the late 50's early 60's and our perch was at The Pie Stand high on the Gorgie Terrace.  From memory I recall "changing ends" to be behind your own keeper and in general it was orderley as I dont think The Shed was as established back then.

Might have changed by the time my dad was taking me in the late 60s/early 70s - seemed to be a more optimistic approach of being behind the opposition keeper in the expectation of seeing a few goals flying in 😄. My old man had no truck with traipsing, tho - parked against the low white wall behind the goals at the Gorgie Road end.

Be interested to know if we always had a preference for kicking that way in the second half of games? Seems to have been the case for as long as I can remember.

[No Idle Talk]

46 minutes ago, The Goalscoring Knee said:

Might have changed by the time my dad was taking me in the late 60s/early 70s - seemed to be a more optimistic approach of being behind the opposition keeper in the expectation of seeing a few goals flying in 😄. My old man had no truck with traipsing, tho - parked against the low white wall behind the goals at the Gorgie Road end.

Be interested to know if we always had a preference for kicking that way in the second half of games? Seems to have been the case for as long as I can remember.

 

In the 80s our preference was for shooting in to the school end in the second half. 

Edited February 24 by No Idle Talk

[Yoda]

I started going around 1978 and I remember Hearts & H1b5 fans clashing outside of the Tynie Arms after the games.  H1b5 fans coming from the Gorgie end and us from the main stand and Roseburn (School end).

 

No Police road blocks then, just a big stramash under the railway bridge.

[Macros]

5 hours ago, Silvery_Moon said:

Yeah that's right.

 

Wheatfield  - 1994

Roseburn - 1995

Gorgie- 1997

 

This was probably our last game with the Roseburn as our home end at the start of the 1997/98 season. The Gorgie Road End was in situ but not quite ready yet. 

 

 

First home game of the season, roasting hot day. The Gorgie Stand hadn't been given a safety certificate earlier in the week so couldn't be used which lead to chaos outside as they had to move everyone to different seats which caused a massive queue at the old ticket office. The kick-off was delayed by at least 15 minutes. Their fans were in the enclosure nearest to the Roseburn. It was the first game I took my eldest son to, he was 4, we had walk past their supporters to get into the Roseburn, one pissed Dons fan shouted right in his face that Hearts were shite and going to win **** all, as I had my son in my arms I couldn't swing a punch and his mates shoved him away from me, so happy we pumped them that day and finished the season with the Cup.

[Hansel]

2 hours ago, HMFC01 said:

 

The defence should’ve been sacked for the marking at Robbos goal 😁 

 

The amount of space he had was unbelievable. 

Pressley had a mare 

 

Pity is wasn't a hearts player getting the 1st goal in front of the new Gorgie stand but at least the opposition player was Kjell Olofsson who's 2 goals relegated Hibs at the end of that season.

[The Goalscoring Knee]

1 hour ago, No Idle Talk said:

In the 80s our preference was for shooting in to the school end in the second half.

👍 Course we did - my memory's not what it used to be