BarryLFC

Watch as Forfar slip back towards ignominy...

shannon2007

Well as I've bought half their team

BarryLFC

Feeth.

shannon2007

The goalkeepers Hearts had when I arrived were both rubbish, so Kevin Stuhr-Elleggard was freed and Alan Marriot I conned Sunderland into buying for £12,000. Wolves bought Mark & David Paterson for a combined fee of £114,000 and Dundee United bought Dariusz Dudka for £45,000. I had never heard of any of these players, even though I had been managing in the same division and my team had played against them. Thats how crap they were. Six other players, who were even crapper, were given free transfers.

Of the sixteen new faces to arrive at Tynecastle in the summer of 2011, six came directly from Forfar, and one had previously played for them. It is after all, better the devil's you know.

Goalkeeper Ignacio Martinez (23) was unwanted by new Forfar manager Billy Davies and so I snapped him up for £210,000. As back ups, in came Rangers reject Allan McGregor, now 29, from Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he'd just had a dreadful season. Twenty year old Scotland U-21 keeper Mark Graham arrived from Dundee United for £100,000.

Twenty two year old French right back Sicot Cedric impressed me enough to bring him to Forfar, and was one of the first players I targeted after my move to Tynecastle. £350,000 was enough to secure his signature and he will be backed up by 21 year old Lithuanian Vytas Vytautas, one of the few players already at the club whom I decided to keep. Darren Thompson (28), was another I've kept, and his deputy is 26 year old Cypriot international Giorgos Pelagias from, of course, Forfar at the cost of £100,000. Giorgos can also play as a centre back.

At centre back, in comes another player whom I'd only recently taken to Forfar, 24 year old Spaniard Jesus Collado. Jesus comes in at a cost of £100,000. Burkina Faso legend Lamine Traore (28) will partner Jesus at the back after arriving from Peterborough in a £550,000 deal. Dean Keenan (25), comes in from Partick - to whom I sold him from Forfar - for £12,000 and 26 year old Bulgarian international Adrian Olegov, who arrived on a free after being released by CSKA Sofia, are the back ups at the back.

As you know by now - or damn well should do if you've been reading as you said you said you had - I like to play a player sitting in front of the defence and that role will be taken this season by 24 year old Pole Lukasz Mozes, a £300,000 signing from Amica. Jiri Bilek, 27 year old Czech from Blasny at £250,000 is the back up and could well challenge for a regular start, I haven't decided yet.

In the middle of the midfield, in comes a player who refused to come to Forfar for me, former Rangers starlet Charlie Adam, now 25. After all, its the Hearts way to sign Rangers rejects and I felt the need to keep up that tradition. Adam cost £300,000 from Luton and will be partnered by a player from the other side of the Glasgow fence, former Celtic and of course Forfar player, David Burke (25) who cost me half of one million pound coins. Thirty one year old Bolivian Ronald Gutierrez and 29 year old Fergus Tiernan were both at the club when I arrived and have been deemed good enough to stay. For now.

Another player deemed good enough to stay, and who will play behind the strikers, is former Forfar player Peter Ferris (22), whom Hearts signed from Dundee last season for three quarters of a million pound notes. Peter has fulfilled his early potential by breaking into the Welsh national side and now has 10 full caps. Hungarian international Daniel Tozser (26), comes in from Ferencvaros on a free transfer.

Up front, another player I failed to lure to Forfar suddenly seems happy enough when its Hearts who are calling. Former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor (28), signs on a free transfer and he should be partnered up front by promising Forfar youth product John Burns who is still just eighteen. Billy Davies didn't seem to rate John and allowed me to have him for £100,000 but I'm hopeful that the striker can fulfil the potential I believe he has - even if he did only manage 7 goals in 32 games last season. Former Raith Rovers player Craig O'Reilly (23), is yet another bastard who thought he was too good for Forfar, but is happy to sign on for Hearts. Mark McCusker (21) and Gary Moffat (19) are the last remaining remnants from last seasons Hearts side and are allowed to stay - as long as they make the tea.

retired_trainer

"...excuse me Mark, Gary.....Bring that tea trolley over here will you lads.....Cheers....White with 2 sugars thanks....oh and pass me a couple of those Jaffa Cakes."

:thup:

retired_jgirl87

Great career with Forfar, now let's see what you can do with Hearts.

shannon2007

Thanks guys

shannon2007

The end of last season probably hadn't instilled a lot of confidence in the Hearts support as regards the abilities of their new manager. Their wait to see how the new faces would fit in would have to wait a bit longer - all three of our pre season games took place away from Tynecastle. Narrow wins over Partick, Brighton and Bristol City did little to raise expectations, and ten minutes into the opening league match at home to Gretna, there were no doubt a portion of the home supporters who were wishing I would GTF. Neil Mellor and Craig O'Reilly though seemed to have set us up with a win, but in injury time Gretna snatched a point. Bastards.

With our next match at Ibrox, few were expecting anything there, and they weren't to be dissapointed as we went down by 2-0. There was still little to be excited about as a Hearts fan, even when Ferris and Mellor gave us a decent 2-0 home win over Dundee United. A 5-1 gubbing of newly promoted Clyde and then a competant 3-0 destruction of Falkirk set us up nicely for the first Edinburgh derby if the season, at Easter Road. Rather stupidly, the Hearts fans seemed to have gained an air of confidence, but in a dour game a 26th minute McManus goal gave the Hibbees the win.

There were signs though that the new players were starting to fit in, and Peter Ferris was revelling in the role I had given him. A brace from the Welshman gave us all three points at Dens Park, and then scored the only goal of the game at Rugby Park in the League Cup, and suddenly Hearts were right up there challenging. The tune had changed as the doubters became believers once more. The Forfar came to Tynecastle.

Forfar had started the season badly, as predicted by a certain journalist from Ayr. An opening day win over Clyde had been their only success, and even their UEFA Cup sojourn was over as they crashed out to Polish side Wisla. The stage was set for them to come to Tynecastle and upset my new team. But they didn't. Three goals in the first half hour from Ferris, Burns and Mellor secured an easy win, and it was all too obvious that Billy Davis didn't have a clue what he was doing.

That wasn't my problem though, as next up we had struggling Champions Celtic, who lay down in 7th place. I still hadn't experienced victory against either Old Firm side in my managerial career, but that was about to dramatically change. It took an own goal from former Hearts player Neil Janczyk to give us the lead on the hour, before Craig O'Reilly wrapped up the win three minutes from time. I had broken my Old Firm duck, and we moved to the top of the table, suddenly people were talking about Hearts as title challengers.

Wins over Motherwell and Aberdeen, by 4-0 and 2-0 respectively, saw us go six games without conceding and with having played everyone once, we now sat proudly atop the SP a point clear of Dundee United, with Rangers and Celtic in 3rd and 5th place. Poor Forfar lay 11th, and already their fans were starting to turn on Billy Davis.

shannon2007

This though wasn't going to be a runaway title triumph for the Hearts. Or indeed for anyone. A defeat at Tannadice ended our winning streak, and indeed seemed to severely dent our confidence as we went on to lose at home to Clyde, and it would be another five games before we would finally win in the league again. A 2-1 home defeat from a Hibs side who wouldn't even finish in the top six was particularly galling. Indeed, two draws at Easter Road meant I was still waiting for my first derby win.

Three games in eleven days in March against Celtic, would go a long way to shaping our season. A 1-0 loss at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final ended our interest in that competition, and then at Hampden Park we battled out a goalless draw in the League Cup Final, only to lose out on a dreadful penalty shoot out. Another 0-0 draw in the League at Tynecastle was uninspiring, but at least kept both sides title aspirations alive.

Indeed, the title race was turning into something of an electrifying experience as, come the ludicrous split, all of the top six teams were in with a shout of winning, only 10 points seperating 1st from 6th. The reality though was that sixth placed Dundee were probably just too far out of the running. Nevertheless, with Dundee United leading the way on 62 points, Celtic on 60, ourselves on 59, Aberdeen on 57 and Rangers on 56 it was shaping up for perhaps the greatest title race ever seen. As long as we won.

shannon2007

With two home matches, followed by three away, our quest for the title was going to be a tough one. We would start at home to Celtic, then Dundee United and be away to Rangers, Aberdeen and finally in the match that could win us the title – Dundee. Erm I seem to remember that scenario. Whilst we would be attempting to keep ourselves in the title race with a win over Celtic, Rangers would be hosting Aberdeen and the Dundee derby would be at Dens Park. It promised to be a hugely exciting afternoon of football.

With the relegation issue already decided – Clyde having totally failed to make any impact, and so saving Billy Davies neck at Forfar, all the focus was, as it should be, on the Championship race. There were still the minor issues like, who would win the First Division, but those were ignored for now. There was one issue of note in the First Division though, as Ayrshire rivals Kilmarnock and Ayr United for once joined forces and came out in sympathy for each other – both were relegated to the Second Division. There was something ironically funny about that.

As the Celtic game came round, we had no injury or suspension worries, and so it was my strongest eleven that took the field. January signing Glenn Morris (28), had come in from Hull at a cost of £925k. The keeper had been a key part in our recovery over the past few months, and had helped keep us in the title race. Vytas Vytautus had taken over from Sicot Cedric at right back when the Frenchman had gotten injured, and had played so well that he couldn't be dropped again. At Left back, Darren Thomson has had a quiet but effective season and in the middle Jesus Collado returns from suspension to captain the side and is partnered by Lamine Traore. The midfield quartet of Lukasz Mozes, David Burke, Charlie Adam and Daniel Tozser have done very well for us recently, Tozser finally getting a chance of a run in the team after the January sale of Peter Ferris to Rangers. Up front has been a struggle at times, as none of the strikers have been outstanding – even if we are the top scorers in the SPL. Craig O'Reilly with 10 goals from 33 matches and Neil Mellor with 13 from 28 appear to be our most effective partnership.

On the bench is rookie keeper Mark Graham, defenders Gutierrez and Olegov, young teenage midfielder Gary Sim who forced his way into first team reckoning even though he was only 16. Having just turned 17, Gary has signed a three year professional contract and is a player who looks to have a great future in the game. Gary Moffat and the so far dissapointing John Burns complete the make up on the bench. Clearly, there will be a lot of excitement around the ground, with both sets of fans also keeping an ear on the scores at the other two games that matter.

With just six minutes gone, Dundee United's hopes took a dent at Dens Park, and four minutes later Rangers were ahead at Ibrox. That lead though didn't last long as Aberdeen fought back, their own title aspirations needing to be kept alive. No sooner had Aberdeen pulled level at Ibrox, than Dundee went 2-0 up, and suddenly Tynecastle erupted as David Burke sent us into the lead. As blood pressures rose across the country, Daniel Tozser sent us 2-0 ahead after 21 minutes, and it seemed we had finally cured our scoring problems against the Celtic. A couple of minutes later United pulled a goal back at Dens, and Pearson gave battling Celtic a lifeline. All our good work was undone four minutes from halftime, when when we allowed Celtic to pull level, and as the half time whistles blew around the country, the title race was getting that bit tighter.

Charlie Adam had picked up a bit of a knock, and so I decided to replace him with John Burns. Perhaps the occasion would help him finally deliver the promise he had so far failed to fulfill. Just seconds after the restart, news came through that Dundee United had copied Celtic in pulling back a two goal deficit, but that news was quickly forgotten as Burns delivered a spectacular goal on 51 minutes to restore our lead, and a few minutes later, as news came through that Rangers were back in front at Ibrox via an own goal, Burns set up Craig O'Reilly and we were back in command of this match once more. The thrilling title race shifted once more, as on 68 minutes Dundee United took the lead at Dens, and if it stayed that way then Dundee's slim hopes would surely be finally buried.

On 77 minutes, Kris Boyd surely wrapped up the points for Rangers, and just seconds later, Celtic broke through our defence to make it 4-3 now, and once more it was nail biting time for the Tynecastle faithful. This was turning into an incredible game and from the restart we raced up the field and won a corner. David Burke floated it in, and it was Daniel Tozser who placed a fine shot behind the helpless Celtic keeper, and after a series of games between these clubs that had produced very few goals, now we had eight and there was still twelve or so minutes left to play. That goal though finally seemed to break Celtic resistance, and we managed to control what was left of play, and hold on for an excellent win. With Dundee United and Rangers both winning, Dundee were now officially out of the race, being 13 points behind with four to play. United were of course still top on 65 points, then ourselves on 62, Celtic on 60 Rangers with 59 and Aberdeen trying desperately to maintain an interest with 57. Four matches to go, and if the drama got anymore intense, it would be a wonder if anyone survived.