Big Team, Big Cup (Draw)

Well, I certainly didn't see that one coming. Two derbies in the space of eight days, one home fixture and one away; one league and one Scottish Cup. Much as I'm really quite fond of Santa, turkey and such like, there's only going to be one topic of festive conversation in Edinburgh this year and it certainly isn't going to be the Queen's speech. It's all about the road to Hampden.

A cup that just so happens to look extra attractive when adorned with maroon and white ribbons, if I don't say so myself. A trophy which even managed to make Valdas Ivanauskas smile. A prize that brought the city centre to a standstill (twice).

The Big Cup.

On one hand, it's a little bit sad that these little trips down memory lane always now have to involve a mention of our neighbours in Leith, but credit where it's due - it wouldn't have been the same without them. Sunday 2nd April 2006, Heart of Midlothian 4-0 Hibernian. 43,000 of us had the day of our lives, while 324 of them wished they'd taken the 'wrong turning' off the M8 and disappeared off into the bermuda triangle with the rest of the San Giro faithful. Hartley's hattrick, a blizzard of maroon and mayhem and the White Stripes soundtrack in the background. Two tribes, indeed...and that was only the semi.

So here we are again. Maybe they'll also petition to have this game moved from Easter Road on account of the advantage we're bound to enjoy after having won more derbies at their ground than they have? Bad me, it's really not kind to mock the afflicted but the opportunity to watch 106 years without a Scottish Cup turn into 107 is just far too appealing. The alternative is too awful to contemplate at this point, and if I find myself having a particularly bad day in the coming weeks I might well broach that subject, but not today. To be honest, I just wanted an excuse to post lots of gratuitous links to Scottish Cup things....

No, we have open top bus parades to remember... that huge, bouncing, maroon mob following the bus down the Mound to Princes Street, an impromptu twirly at Haymarket and then off home to Tynecastle. Sadly, there aren't quite as many videos to pick from for the 1998 Scottish Cup win but there are a few, including footage of Colin Cameron's penalty , Baggio's 'mazy' run into the box and a whole load of dancing Jambos.

What I'd pay for another day like that. Roll on, December...let's get started....