Heart of Midlothian fans are on the edge of their seats as their team prepares for a historic title decider against Celtic on Saturday. The match, taking place at Celtic Park in Glasgow, could see Hearts clinch their first Scottish league championship since 1960.
Edinburgh Braces for Celebrations
Edinburgh, known for its festivals, is gearing up for a different kind of carnival this weekend. Roads will be closed, buses rerouted, and trams will stop running down Princes Street. Civic leaders are preparing a reception at the city chambers, all contingent on the result of the match.
If Hearts avoid defeat, they will be crowned champions, and a victory parade will be held in central Edinburgh on Sunday. Neutrals across Scotland and beyond are rallying behind Hearts, hoping to see the dominance of Celtic and Rangers challenged.
Fan Excitement and Overseas Support
Josh Mill, a 24-year-old Hearts season ticket holder living in Sydney, Australia, flew home for the match. He encountered five other Hearts fans on the same flight from Australia, and they gathered during a layover in Doha. Unable to get a ticket—only 752 seats are allocated to Hearts fans at Celtic Park—Mill will watch the game in Edinburgh with his family. "There was no doubt in my mind. I'm not going to miss this," he said, calling it a "once in a lifetime thing."
Dave McLaren, an administrator of the largest Hearts fan forum, Jambos Kickback, also missed out on a ticket. He recalls Hearts narrowly missing the title in 1965 and 1986. "To me, this is almost like last chance," he said, adding that a win would cause "mayhem" in the city.
Resentment Toward Old Firm Dominance
Many Scottish football fans resent the financial and political influence of Celtic and Rangers. Hearts fans believe referees are influenced by the Old Firm's power, citing a controversial penalty in Celtic's recent win over Motherwell. "It's why victory [for Hearts] would be a much bigger achievement as well," McLaren said.
Ian Murray, the Labour MP for Edinburgh South, who helped save Hearts from financial collapse in 2013, said there would be "tears from everyone" if Hearts win. "The raw emotion will be off the scale," he added.
A Chance to Break the Duopoly
Gerry Hassan, an academic who has watched games at 122 different grounds, noted that the Scottish league was once the most competitive in Europe. Now it is the joint-least competitive, alongside Ukraine's. He believes the Old Firm's dominance has been "suffocating."
Hassan, a lifelong Dundee United fan, is now a temporary Jambo (a nickname for Hearts fans). "Hearts have shown another Scotland is possible; they have shown physical and mental resilience and endurance," he said.
Val McDermid, the celebrated crime writer and former sponsor of Raith Rovers, is also backing Hearts. "It would be healthy for Scottish football if that duopoly was broken up," she said, adding that the dominance distorts the game's economics.
Mixed Emotions Among Rival Fans
Even some Celtic and Hibernian fans acknowledge the need for change. David Low, a Glaswegian businessman who helped save Celtic from bankruptcy in 1994, said, "I don't like the idea of Celtic dominating. Competition is a good thing."
Ben Macpherson, the Scottish National party MSP for Edinburgh and a former Celtic fan, believes Hearts winning would be "good for Scottish football." He admitted feeling conflicting emotions but said, "It's hard not to want the underdog to prevail in this instance."
