2012-13 Uncovered: Saturday 27th October - Home Is Where My Hearts Is - Or County

   After the tumult of last Tuesday, this time it's a homecoming.

   Tynecastle is where I feel truly 'home'.  It's where I feel most comfortable watching football.  It's where I feel I belong.  Today, though, is a big problem.

   Ross County are my team.  For decade upon decade, way before Dingwallians ever thought of the Scottish League, let alone SPL, I made my way to Victoria Park, to Clach, Thistle and Caley, to Lossiemouth and Deveronvale, supporting my local club in the Highland League.

   It's something very familiar to English football fans.  Thousands upon thousand support or help out their local club but follow a 'league' club too.  It was the same with me.  Hearts my 'league' side, County my local club, and supported both thanks to no conflict of interest.

   But today it's the SPL.  It's Hearts alright.  It's Tynecastle, superb.  But Ross County are the opposition.  Oh, bloody hell, what's going on?

   Quite a lot, as it goes.  County have slowly, but surely, worked their way from the bottom of the Highland League, and onwards through the Scottish League.  A long stay of consolidation in the First Division, then relegation, quick promotion, then Derek Adams.  Since then, a Scottish Cup Final, promotion to the SPL, unbeaten league run for over a year and a perfectly comfortable start to life in the top tier.

   For Hearts, it seems as if 50 years of history have been wrapped up into the past 5 months.  The ecstasy of the Day Of Destiny and that 5-1 win in the Salt'n'Sauce Final.  Followed by the departure of the manager, Rudi Skacel and half the cup winning side.  Then an epic Europa League confrontation at Anfield.  Followed by the scorer on that unforgettable night, David Templeton, leaving sharpish for Sevco and Berwick away.

   Leading up to today.  The club, in their wisdom, are making shares available, to a value of just over £1.7m.  Which they promised will be spent of developing the youth set-up.  Except that, well, they have a high court hearing for a potential tax bill.  Of just over £1.7m.  Do the board of directors really think anyone, let alone football supporters, are that stupid?

   Considering the backdrop of apparent mayhem, everything was calm, almost tranquil, as we got off the bus at Gorgie.  People just went about their business, to the pub or the ticket office, with that normal wry grin, borne of the knowledge that every day is a new and exciting world in Jamboland.  Even if the excitement is normally that adrenaline rush you get preparing you for a car crash.

   Chipper and I took our seats in the Gorgie End not knowing who we'd support or how we'd react at the goal.  Chipper had caught the Hearts bug about four seasons ago.  A game where Aberdeen attempted to launch Christian Nade into space and both managers scrapping with each other.  

   With some superb goals and a throw-in that never even made it across the line put in for good measure, he was hooked.  Since then we'd both gone semi-regularly to both Hearts and Ross County games across Scotland, safe in the knowledge that, cup ties apart, their paths will never cross.  Except now ... oh bugger.

   We looked across the ground.  It's the definition of compact.  We were literally less than our body height away from the Gorgie End goal.  The seats are steep giving the impression of the crowd on top of the pitch, almost leaning over.  

   Three modern, decent looking stands and one old, wood and corrugated iron main stand, keeping its old charm and sense of history.  A 17,400 capacity makes sure that with one end given to away fans, the rest of Tynecastle looks full, even with today's 12,000 crowd.  You cannot help but love the place, especially when the dulcet tones of Hector Nicol hits the Edinburgh skyline.

   If the day couldn't get any more disconcerting, both teams are playing in their away kit.  It's as if both sides realise the conflict tearing Chipper and I inside, and don't want to be seen or noticed playing out the game.  If we'd wanted that, though, being at a football match that wasn't a football match, we'd have gone to Stoke v Sunderland.

   Instead of cheering on either attack, I find myself shouting for both defences.  Mostly, though, at the other end, as Hearts press forward constantly.  But then there's a County break and ex Jambo Gary Glen is through on goal.  His first shot is saved but is parried out.  It looks a certain goal but he misses terribly.  I don't say anything but stare at Glen.  Or did I glare?  I felt the slightest twang of frustration there.  Maybe I'm more of a Staggie.

   Hearts resume the attack and just before the break, a great through ball from Zuliakis lets in Novikovas, and he slots home.  Chipper celebrates as is it's his favourite player.  I just sit there.  So now I know.  It is County in my blood more than Hearts.  I think.

   The second half begins in similar vein to the first.  Then a rare County break.  There's bodies on the floor going for the ball, trying to reach the ball as it goes out of play.  A goal kick.  Except no.  The ref seems to be pointing for something else.  Must be a free kick then.  But no.  Penalty for the Staggies.  Nobody seems to know why, including the players.  The impressive Richard Brittain hammers it home.  1-1.

   Neither of us gets out of our seats.  But we both clench our fists and shout "Yes!".  No reaction from anyone around us in the Gorgie End.  They've picked up already that our hearts are with both sides, not just Hearts.  So Chipper is genuinely divided whereas I'm leaning towards County.

   It's more even now.  Ian Vigurs is getting a grip on the midfield.  I'm now back to cheering for both defences rather than either forward line.  1-1 would do me as, I suspect, it would the hundreds of Staggies in the away end.  Where I may or may not should've been.  But hey, I feel at home in the Gorgie End.  This is my place, whatever teams are on the pitch today.

   The crowd are becoming more frustrated at the ref and lino's, who have made 1 or 2 errors.  None of the mistakes have any bearing on the game, or even stop the flow of it too much.  But you know what it's like, you're pegged back against a side you should be out of sight against, there's that feeling that something bad will happen, and you take it out on anything that goes wrong.

   Then something bad does happen.  For Hearts.  A fine through ball from Vigurs, Stuart Kettlewell is free inside the area, and in a carbon copy of the opening goal, he smacks it low and inside the far post.  2-1 to County.  Again Chipper and I raise fists and shout momentarily but aren't out of our seats.  

   I'm feeling pleased but more torn.  I don't want Hearts to lose this but this would be an epic away win for County.  Their only other away win this season was at Dundee, so that doesn't really count.  This would be a hell of a result.  Interested, as well, to see Chipper celebrating with me.  Perhaps he's more Staggie than I thought.

   Now, this is where the Tynecastle crowd really are a different breed.  Only a handful of Hearts supporters actually trying organised chanting, those sitting closest to the away end.  The rest just shout at times of anticipation or frustration.  No chanting or booing.  Just one colossal roar one way or the other. 

   Sometimes the roar of frustration keeps going and turns into one of encouragement and it rolls down from the stands onto the pitch, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.  This happens as a free kick sails harmlessly over the bar.  The Jambo supporters are highly miffed the score, but seem to realise it's not Hearts being awful, that it's just how it goes sometimes, and start to back their team.  I'm warming to them.

   As normal time turns to injury time, most around me have given up, and the visiting Staggies start to sing in celebration.  I smile, and say to the guy next to me, an old man with a nervous twitch, not to worry.  He doesn't know what I know.  That sometimes it's just the way it's meant to be.  I've seen it happen three times in the past week.  In just two games.

   There's a desperate last ball into the box.  It's only half cleared.  To John Sutton.  He's falling over.  But as he does so, he gets a great connection with the ball.  It rockets low and into the left hand corner of the net.  2-2 and the crowd are up on their feet.

   Including me, my arm raised, shouting "Yes!" as loudly as I have all afternoon.  Chipper does likewise.  On the pitch, the County players stand with hands on hips, looking choked.  Hearts players are running back to the centre circle with the ball.  They sense a winner.  They're wrong though.  Before it's even placed on the halfway line the ref blows for full time.

   Chipper and I are delighted, as are the rest of the home crowd.  Both teams go off to generous applause.  The result for us is perfect.  A draw, our favourite players scoring them, and the excitement of an injury time equaliser again.  It's been another fine game on another fine day in the fair city of Edinburgh.  

   We wander out of Tyencastle towards Dalry Road and the bus back to the hotel.  As we do so, I somehow feel as one with the thousands flooding Gorgie Road and heading off to their nearby homes.  It's as if I was born to be with them, that it's what I should be doing at every game.  It feels somehow right.  Except for most part of the game I was willing on County.

   I don't dwell on it too much.  Edinburgh is too great a city to waste thinking about things.  The weekend, and Auld Reekie, belongs to us.  Whoever we support.

   Heart of Midlothian 2,  Ross County 2