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Yep back in August if you'd have told a Dandy we fail to make Europe by 3 goals you'd have been laughed oot the boozer....so the miracle never happened but definite process has been made and IF (still a big een) we grab the players identified then next season should be even better.
First off a day of that freak metrological phenomenon...a day when you could wear short sleeves on the 'Y' and nae risk hypothermia.
And so to the game. Pre-match much had been made as to whether Hearts would lie down and let us run up a big win, and they did...of sorts. Lying down in the literal sense. At the slightest touch Jambos would fall down and spend as long as possible writhing in agony...take thon 'gaun baldy' one...Neilson I think....writhes about..gets a bit of treatment and gets helped off the park by the Physio limping as if he was in danger of losing a limb then as soon as he reaches the touchline suddenly he's entirely recuperated.
Not that the Jambo's gamesmanship was the reason why we failed to make the required swing, indeed for the first 15 minutes or so they played the better stuff and almost went ahead thru new Curva Sud icon...Lee Miller!
Nah, it was the season long problem of not having a definitive cutting edge that did for our UEFA hopes. Give Mackie time to think and he'll fluff it, but give him a half chance and he'll bury it - such is the paradox that is Oor Daz - but he wisnae tae blame for while Clark, Superkev and Pony Muirhead regularly skinned their man the crosses and cut back always somehow find their way either directly or indirectly to a Purple Hun.
Nah, oor main man was Richie 'Socrates' Bryne..now I devoted almost my entire Huns game rant to his inadequacies and suggested that he lacked any talent whatsoever. Based on his performance yesterday I would like to admit I got it wrong. He does have some talent...ok it was against a side nae really giving their all and he was still prone to diving in wi his head down but he showed the abilities Tangoman claimed he signed him for.
'Socrates' was the only player we had willing to actually have a pop fae distance and whilst Big Phil rattled the woodwork (from I beleive a Socrates knock down) it was fitting he scored and the sly GIRUY dig at his critics wi the auld pointin at his name on his shirt routine - cannae blame the boy, and was actually quite chuffed for him...if he can sustain yesterdays level of performance into next year then I'll happily eat humble pie.
1-0 at half time I think most had resigned ourselves to just fallin short though some mild light relief was provided by the halftime cheerleaders as one of the routines started wi the opening bars of the 'Star Spangled Banner' and after a few looks of disbelief and WTF's? It was greeted by a round blast of boos fae all on the 'Y'. I kinda felt sorry for the poor lassies dancing around in front o 16000+ punters on probably the proudest day of their lives and their first moves a greeted wi a cacophony o boos...Bring back over weight punters missing penalties that's what I say.
There was of course 2 sides to this 'swing' thing and as usual there was nothing good comin outta Sportsound fae the auld geezer's Tranny a few seats along.
Second half began and we went for the jugular, from our second corner Big Blaha flicked it on and Ellon's finest Deek Adams knocked it past Gordon for our second and for the next 10 minute or so we buzzed at Hearts continually but bar the unique occurrence of the 'Y' cheering a Huns goal with no further cheers the game took on the aura of end of season knockabout it had become wi news the Huns and Hibs were playing out their 1-0 score line a la West Germany-Austria (which I guess would kinda make us Algeria).
Oh we had chance and Gordon had a hat trick of acrobatic saves which if he hadnae made them would have put us in Europe but from about the hour mark I think everyone around me had accepted it was gone.
Heikks got his ovation and as did Lee Miller...who enters the record book as being the first opposing players ever to be given a standing ovation by the Reds.
The only point of note was the reaction of the Pseudo-Huns to the turn of events at Fir Park for the only time that day they burst into life and did their 70's throwback pansy twirly scarf effort...their seemed genuine almost fraternal delight at the Huns title..so what if their side was pish - their big brothers had won the title...party time for the Purple Huns as well. Says it all about them really.
Fair play to the HIbees they beat us fair and square in a clean fight...we had the defence they had the goals...I wish them luck in UEFA and already look forward to next season when we'll do it all again probably accompanied by Hearts and United. All of which bodes well for the future of the SPL, as healthy rivalry and competition between the second tier sides (all of whom have beaten the OF this year) can only help shrink the 30 odd point gap between the OF and the rest.
And finally to all the Jambos, Arabs... in fact fans of almost every other side who've been telling us all year our bubble would burst and then when it became obvious there was no bubble that we were flash in the pan and normal service and the relegation battle will resume next year well time...
WE SMELL YOUR FEAR !!
Nothing send a shiver down spines in our usurpers' souls than the fear of the return of the Red Menace both on and off the park...they've all sneered and mocked us...we'll the times are a coming to serve up some Revenge a la Rouge (best served cold).
Stage one as defined by the Tache upon his return to the promised land was to stop folk laughin at our club....JOB DONE
Stage two will take a few years and will involve reestablishing dominance of the rest of the dross before we're ready to mix it with our mortal enemies in Weegieville. But hey we're already cherrypickin from our opponents.
Bring on next season.
The Red Avenger