A Real Lothian Lion

Just a word about Wallace Mercer.

Once again, football throws up timing which, were it scripted by Hollywood, would be laughed out the cinema for preposterousness.

Dixie Dean passed away at Goodison while watching the Merseyside derby he dominated for so many years and Wallace Mercer, in the season Hearts mount their greatest challenge since he held the reins at Tyncastle, departs this life too early for him and his family - but not early enough for Hibs fans.

Before Souness arived at Ibrox, Wallace Mercer was the man shaking up Scottish Football. He was a pain in the ass, a bampot and exactly what Hearts and Calcio Caledonia needed. Anyone old enough to remember Hearts immediately BEFORE Mercer will appreciate the enormity of his achievements when I tell that oft-told tale of mine:

December 1985, Scottish Premier Division: Rangers … 0 Hearts … 2 - going on 5. The Broomloan packed to the rafters in a sea of maroon, the West enclosure with spots of maroon, the Govan stand with a thoudand maroon occupants, the Main Stand with the same. Un-fucking-believable.

And only now, twenty years on, are the Jambos close to repeating that level of interest from their own fans.

Those of us in Red, White and Blue who are as tetchy about David Murray as many in maroon have been about Mercer should remember that it’s all about what these guys did for the history of your club and the sheer adrenalin-pumping excitement they gave us.

Not nice men. Not good men. But real men - who give us what we want, for however short a time.

Sorry, but - due again to that romantic timing of football’s - I think it’ll be a Hibs-Hearts final this year in the Scottish Cup and, this Saturday, we can hope the other Lothian concern, Livingston, are suitably distracted by their forthcoming attempt to win a second League Cup in three seasons for us to hump them.

Play all fifteen strikers, Eck - Wallace Mercer would have admired that!