What a day! What a start to the day I had! I had arranged to meet Martin Longland in the Four in Hand at 12.30 to pick up 100 fanzines to sell before the game. As soon as I went in   Pat Stanton recognised me from the Burns Night a few months ago. We had a chat before he left for the ground and again said what a good time he'd had at our Burns Night.

I then met Martin and family in the lounge and commenced my pub crawl down Easter Road selling fanzines. My first stop (and also the furthest!) was the Persevere . Members Dave McBain, David and Mark Smith and Dave Shanks were there.

Mike Inglis, Mark & David Smith with their dad Ian, and Dave McBain

Gregor Anderson, Donaldo Nova (trying to get out of the picture) and Dave Shanks

After the Cooper's Rest, I managed to sell a few fanzines in Tamson's Bar, including one to Willie & Eric Oliver who definitely looked the part

Willie & Eric Oliver

He looks better from the back!

From Tamson's, I headed to Dizzies in Iona Street where Dino Rafferty, Simon Wallace and Irvine Welsh were getting in the mood through the back in the lounge. Meanwhile, in the front bar, this lady was "performing" in a large Hibees top hat. She was too busy to buy a fanzine!! (and she had nowhere to put it!)

This is the sort of pre-match entertainment I like!

After a final stop in the Iona Bar, I made my way up St Clair Street and sold the rest of the fanzines there. Martin and Lesley were selling their fanzines in the ground when I arrived. He's definitely got the voice for it - "Buy your London Hibs Fanzines" in a Cockney accent!

See Page 2 for more photos and Alex McLeish's speech in Real Audio format.