Cup Final Day...

Albums of the Day

Les Arts Florissants – 10 Years (Disc 1)

Bruford-Borstlap – In Concert In Holland (DVD)

Various – No 1 Hits

Up around 6:30 and I update the diary for the first day of our Amsterdam holiday, before Anne gets up and prepares a slap up breakfast for us as, today, Cup Final Day, we will not be eating again until 7pm...

I decide to experiment with the larger of the two memory cards I have for the Digital Camera and see for how long I can film some video footage...

17 minutes of filming Anne and I making breakfast and coffee respectively, Meg the Black Cat lying around on the floor and various shots around the house – I don’t expect any Oscar nominations but it opens up possibilities...

Pam and mum arrive at 11 as arranged and, at 11:30, after showing my mum all my birthday cards and some of our photos from France and from Ballachulish last October, we are off to pick up Jane and Bobby...

We listen to various No 1 hits on the drive through to Glasgow, with everyone singing along. Bobby is the DJ...

It takes 40 minutes to get to Glasgow Cathedral and a further 40 minutes to reach our parking spot around 15 minutes or so on foot from Hampden – the same one Anne and I used last month for the semi final against Hibs...

We’re all expecting Hearts to win easily against Gretna, even though the latter won Division 2 this year (i.e. two leagues below Hearts)...

Of everyone I’ve spoken to re the game, only Anne seems nervous that it won’t go according to the form book...

How right she is to doubt. Hearts are dreadful. In the first half they forego chance after chance, finally scoring after around 40 minutes and going in just one up at half time...

The second half is even worse, as Gretna surge forward time and time again. My favourite player, Robbie Nielson, keeps the Jam Tarts in the game with a heart stopping tackle just as Gretna’s first sub has sliced through the defence and rounded the keeper...

Then, disaster, Gretna are awarded a penalty (rightly so) and, although goalie Craig Gordon saves it, the taker, Brian McGuffie scores on the rebound...

In extra time, Hearts seem to be back on top for the first time since scoring and they are denied a strong claim for a penalty with just a few minutes remaining – then Gretna miss a golden opportunity to score and the chance to make a piece of incredible history...

And so it’s penalties...

At 2-2, Gretna’s big Centre Half (ex Hibs and so pilloried by the Hearts fans at every opportunity) steps up. His body language just cries out that he’s going to miss – and miss he does, hitting his shot almost straight at the keeper...

While 40,000 Hearts fans jump up and down celebrating, I must admit to standing stock still and almost bursting into tears at the thought of the poor guy missing the kick – but that’s football...

Another conversion from Hearts and then Gretna’s fourth man hits the bar and it’s all over...

Hearts have won the cup – just and no more, mind you....

The celebrations seem to go on forever...

Eventually we leave the ground and meet up with Jane and Bobby, who’ve been sitting in another part of the stadium...

Back to the car comparing notes and stories and a quick drive over to Byres Road for a lovely meal at The Ubiquitous Chip in Ashton Lane..

The food is excellent, the drink is flowing (except for me as designated driver) and the service is just right...

We leave around 8:40 and head back along the M8 – once again singing along to all the No 1 songs - a bit louder than before probably due to the excess alchoholic fuel guzzled at The Chip....

We drop off Jane and Bobby and head back to Crispycat Towers with Pam, who’s staying the night...

We are home in time for the highlights – it seems more exciting on the TV than it was live – truth be told the football on show was pretty average – but the extra time and penalty shoot-out combined with the very possible fairytale ending for Gretna made it a memorable final...

It’s probably a very long time since there’s been a Scottish Cup Final without either Rangers or Celtic which has managed to be a sell out at Hampden Park and the atmosphere was superb...

One highlight was the Hearts fans giving Gretna a totally deserved standing ovation as they took their runners up lap of honour...

And Queen of the South have to play them four times next season....

Highlight of the Day : Hearts Win the Cup