best young hearts players to break into 1st team

[kamac1]

Much has been said about Riccarton, but when David Bowman, Gary MacKay broke into the hearts team and a year later wee Robbo joined them, this was the most productive time for young hearts players making the break through into the first team. Afterwards they were joined by Craig Levein, signing from Cowdenbeath and John Colquhoun a bargain buy from Celtic. Bow left for Coventry city at a young age. Looking back this was the start of my favourite period of being a hearts fan. Hearts fans were brilliant at that time, wee doddy the manager was different class, the attitude of the players was every bit as enthusiastic as the fans. The hearts away support at that time was second to none, and were often referred to as the 12th man.

[Sydney]

The late nineteen eighties saw a period of upheaval at Heart of Midlothian, with Sandy Jardine and Alex MacDonald both leaving their roles as manager and co-manager. Although Hearts had some brilliant youngsters and a number of experienced campaigners in their side, they were unable to maintain the progress from the fateful 1985-1986 season. A defeat early in 1986-1987 by Montrose in the league cup, followed by an away-goals elimination from the UEFA Cup knocked the stuffing out of the Hearts players and a season of mediocrity followed. A fine run to the semi-final of the Scottish Cup was to no avail as St Mirren won the Hampden showdown by two goals to one.

 

The late Wallace Mercer, at the time the flamboyant Tory-loving Chairman of Hearts, decided........

 

 

 

History of Hearts continue until

 

..........players such as Andy Driver, Lee Wallace, Craig Gordon, Andy Webster, Davie Templeton and Craig Thompson, all made their way along the Riccarton conveyor-belt of talent and into the Hearts first team before they were out of their teens, following in the tradition of fine Hearts youngsters such as Allan Johnston, Gary Locke and Paul Ritchie.