It was one of the biggest turn-outs for a trip since the friendly against Barcelona in 2007, but the day ended in frustration as Hearts failed to add the League Cup to the Scottish Cup in the Tynecastle trophy room, going down 3-2 to St Mirren in a disappointing game.
Club members were joined by a few extras for the dawn departure from Memorial Gardens, with several Jambos who were visiting York for the weekend making use of the bus north, and we picked up two others en route on the M74.
The day began in good mood, as Hearts sought to hold both domestic cups at once for the first time. Gav and Badger donned new "Ayup for the cup" T-shirts, a number of us wore less-than-fetching Yorkshire flat caps for the day, and Sam handed out Mickey Mouse masks to a select band who had vociferously belittled the competition in recent years.
We fought through blizzards on the way north but Stuiart Tait's killer quiz and the Jambo Tribe CD (starring our own chairman) made the trip less more enjoyable.
We had time for just a quick pint in The Beechwood pub pre-match and then to the game. The atmosphere was oddly flat from the off, Hearts fans perhaps still blase and high from last May's Scottish Cup final or perhaps just all-too aware that the team had rarely impressed this year. Certainly the mood was more subdued than at most finals, understandably so in the end.
Hearts began well, went 1-0 up and had plenty of chances to add to their tally, but we lost our way after the first half hour, conceded three goals and left ourselves an uphill battle. Ryan Stevenson added his and Hearts' second after 85 minutes but it was too little too late. Hearts hit the woodwork three times and can probably count themselves slightly unfortunte to lose, but they ultimately paid the price for failing to seize control when they had the chance.
The drive back went from tedious to very tedious when two of the bus's tyres blew out on the M74 heading south. The driver did well to get us on to the hard shoulder and we then endured a long wait atop the embankment until replacements arrived. Our bus was broken, our bus was broken, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow.
The next trip will be after the SPL split. Details to be confirmed in due course.
2 comments:
Gav...feel your pain.
I hope Orwell's trip to York is less eventful.
Hope your boy's are getting some football training prior to our visit..looking forward to The Races too.
Catch you all soon.
Bruce
Hi guys I was one of the lads that joined you on the bus after a stag do in York. Just wanted to thank you all again for making us so welcome and apologies if we were a little more subdued than most after our exploits over the course of the previous 48 hours! Sorry to hear about your nightmare return journey but glad you all made it back safe! Got 1 of the flatcaps as a souvenier and must pass on praise to the organisers of both the bus and the quiz master for a pretty challenging quiz (especially with our hangovers!) passed the time well and was a good laugh. By the way I was well chuffed that jambo tribe was being blasted out as it was the 1st time I'd heard it in years and had the priveledge to be in the company of someone who featured on it! "And Fulton's Bagiiioooooo!" Cheers again and hopefully meet up at another final or something in the not to distant future, I take my flat cap off to those that make lengthy journeys on a regular basis to follow the boys.
Chris
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