Heart of Midlothian
Formed 1874
Founder member of the Scottish Football League 1890
Kit History
1873-1876 a b k
1876-1877 b k o
1877-1878 a b k o
1878-1883 k
1885-1889 k
1889-1891 k o
1895-1900 a
1900-1910 a k w
1910-1911 a k
1911-1912 a k
1912-1919 a k
1919-aug1920 a k
sept1920-1923 a k
1923-1935 a k w
1927-1929 away k
1935-1937 a k
1937-1940 a w
1945-1946 k
1946-1948 k w
1948-1951 a w
1951-1958 a k
1957-1959 alt k w
1958-1959 a k
1959-1965 a k
1965-1966 a k
1966-1967 a k
1967-1968 a k
1968-1969 a k
Aug-Dec 1969 a k
Jan-Apr 1970 a k
early1970-1971 a k
late 1970-1971 a k
1971-1972 a k
1972-1973 a
1973-1974 a
1974-1977 a
1977-1982 a
1982-1983 a u
1983-1984 u
1984-1985 a u
1985-1986 a u
1986-1987 a q
1987-1988 a q
1988-1989 a i q
1989-1990 a j q
1990-1991 a q t
1991-1992 a q t
1992-1993 a q t
1993-1995 a q r t v
1995-1997 a q
1997-1998 a
1998-1999 l q
1999-2000 h q s
2000-2001 d q
2001-2002 h q
2002-2004 d g q t
2004-2005 d f n t
2005-2006 d e n t
2006-2007 c t
2007-2008 c p
2008-2009 c p
2009-2010 c
2010-2011 c
2011-2012 c
2012-2013 c
Background
The original "Heart of Midlothian" was the old Tolbooth Prison in Edinburgh, made famous in the eponymous novel by Sir Walter Scott. Tempting as it to imagine that the founders of Edinburgh's oldest senior club were inspired by Scotland's great romantic novelist, the truth is that the founders took the name from a dance hall they used to frequent. The club's famous badge is based on a mosaic to be found on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. There is a legend that the founders played football in the street, using the mosaic as a centre spot.
Players originally turned out in all white shirts and trousers with maroon trimmings and a heart sewn into the shirt. In 1876 they adopted red, white and navy hoops with the letters MFBC (Mid Lothian Foot Ball) but these were unpopular with the players, presumably because they were more expensive than the plain jerseys available from local gentlemen's outfitters, so in 1877, the lettering was removed and the shirts dyed a deep maroon: photographs show that the old hoops showed through the dye. Hearts have been associated with maroon shirts ever since.
After a nomadic early existence, the club settled into the Gorgie area of the city in 1881, moving to their present Tynecastle site in 1886. Hearts’ traditional rivals are Hibernian. Hibs were initially ostracised by the presbyterian dominated Edinburgh FA, but Hearts played a fixture against the catholic team, breaking the official boycott. After this supportive gesture, relationships between the two clubs descended into bitter rivalry.
Hearts became the only east coast club to join the Scottish Football League on its formation in 1890, by which time they were the strongest side in the city. They were champions in 1895 and 1897 and won the Scottish FA Cup four times between 1891 and 1906, including a 2-1 victory over Hibernian in 1896, played in Edinburgh, the only time this match has been hosted away from Glasgow.
During the Great War, the entire playing staff joined up en masse. Seven of their number were killed and a Remembrance Service is held every year at Haymarket, where their memorial stands.
Between 1906 and 1954, Hearts failed to win a single trophy and the balance of power shifted firmly to Glasgow. The mid-1950s however brought a change of fortune, with victories in the Scottish League Cup (1955, 1959, 1960 and 1963), Scottish FA Cup wins in 1956 and League championships in 1958 and 1960. Inevitably their best players were tempted away to play in England and the club went into decline.
In 1972 the club broke with tradition to adopt an all-white kit with a broad maroon panel, a style obviously borrowed from Ajax. *(This strip was used mainly in the Texaco Cup, a short-lived competition for English, Scottish and Irish teams that had not qualified for one of the major European tournaments. Hearts' supporters often refer to it as "The Texaco strip."). They returned to a more traditional outfit for their centenary season.
When the Premier Division was formed in 1975, Hearts struggled to retain their position and were relegated to the First Division three times. They have remained in the top flight since 1983. In 1986 they narrowly missed out on the championship, losing out on goal difference on the final day of the season and were Scottish Cup finalists - a heartbreaking experience. Hearts became established at the top of the Premier League, regularly finishing in third place and competing in the UEFA Cup (without, it must be said making much impression). In 1998 they beat Rangers to win the Scottish Cup for the sixth time.
A new era arrived when Lithuanian banker Vladimir Romanov became the club’s major shareholder and appointed his son, Roman as CEO and Chairman. The Romanov's wealth enabled the club to mount a serious challenge to the Old Firm. In came new stars, including several east European internationals and for a while it seemed as if Hearts might win the Premier League. In the end they could not quite manage it but they did win the Scottish Cup once again in 2006. The Romanov’s regime was punctuated by repeated allegations of interference with team selection, and high-profile departures.
The club are often known as the "Jambos" from the rhyming slang, "Jam Tarts" = "Hearts."
Sources
- (a) London Hearts - an excellent site run by exiled Hearts fans with a comprehensive photograph archive.
- (b) Brian McColl
- (c) Hearts Official Site
- (d) Colours of Football
- (e) FC Update
- (f) Stravaiging.com
- (g) The Scotsman
- (h) Classic Kits
- (i) Ayr United FC - Images of Sport (Duncan Carmichael 2002)
- (j) Bob Jamieson
- (k) Alick Milne
- (l) Craig McGregor
- (m) Raith Rovers FC 1991/92 - 1995/96 Images of Sport (Tony Finister 2002)
- (n) Malcolm Lunn
- (o) John Small
- (p) Football Shirt Culture
- (q) SNS Pix
- (r) Classic Football Shirts
- (s) Alister Aitken
- (t) Old Football Shirts
- (u) Ragnar Lochen
- (v) Donald Gellatly
- (w) Keith Elis