Are there still any fans that follow both Hibs and Hearts?

[Joe6-2]

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Not sure anyone actually 'supported' both clubs in the sense that they liked both equally. Most will have been Hibs or Hearts supporters, but I think it was more the case that travelling to away games was less common and that there was something of a tradition that pals would go together to Easter Road one week and Tynecastle the next.

Based on what my older relatives have told me (and we're talking about games back in the 1950s here) the big difference was that the hatred we have now didn't exist. Rivalry yes but there was no segregation and folk just enjoyed having a game of football to go to. Probably helped that both teams had some terrific players in that era.

As far as I'm aware the venom and fighting didn't come in until the 70s. Hibs utterly dominated the yams in that era mind you so maybe they couldn't hack it...

There was a cartoon which ran for many years in the Evening News called Fitba' Daft which featured a couple of old pals who went to ER one week and Tynecastle the next. It became Boolin' Green in the close season IIRC.

That takes me back!
And no, never ever liked herts far less follow them!

[TelaStella]

Billy Brown is a frequent face at both grounds still to this day taking his grandson to Easter road one week, bus shelter the next. Hopefully the kid makes the right decision when he’s old enough.


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[Scouse Hibee]

Due to a friends illness I had the use of his Everton ST for nearly a whole season in the eighties so it was Anfield one week, Goodson the next. Thoroughly enjoyed it as Everton were also a top team then and most of my mates are Blues anyway. Everton won the league, I stayed away from the trophy presentation game 😁

[Since90+2]

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Due to a friends illness I had the use of his Everton ST for nearly a whole season in the eighties so it was Anfield one week, Goodson the next. Thoroughly enjoyed it as Everton were also a top team then and most of my mates are Blues anyway. Everton won the league, I stayed away from the trophy presentation game 😁

Is the Everton v Liverpool derby not fairly friendly in general? It's obviously a game both sets of fans hate to lose but would I be right in thinking it doesn't have the venom of say Celtic v Rangers or a Millwall v West Ham?

[FilipinoHibs]

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Is the Everton v Liverpool derby not fairly friendly in general? It's obviously a game both sets of fans hate to lose but would I be right in thinking it doesn't have the venom of say Celtic v Rangers or a Millwall v West Ham?

Remember Everton fans singing he ain't heavy he's my brother after the Hillsborough disaster.

[brog]

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Brog, my auld man used to tell me that the fighting in the 60s only really got bad when the Huns came; especially if they tried to 'change ends at half time' and attempted to enter the Cave. The amount of cairry oots (and therefore a ready supply of weapons in the shape of empty beer bottles) could make it a dangerous situation, he would say!

You're correct that there was much more trouble with the Huns than anyone else but it wasn't confined to them. I remember heading home from a Hibs Celtc cup tie, we lost 1-0 in extra time in front of about 50k+ & there was a pitched battle of about 60 people in Albert St. Everyone of them was a Celtc supporter!

[Keith_M]

In the 40s, 50s and 60s, my Grandad used to alternate between Easter Road and Tynecastle most weekends. He was a Hearts Fan but just enjoyed watching football in general.

He said that he never had the option of going to away games, as people used to work Mon-Fri then Saturday until about twelve. So Easter Road was the next best option, and he enjoyed watching the best Hibs team ever.

In fact, his first ever match was at Easter Road, where he was taken in the 1920s as a small child by a Hibs supporting relative.

He said he stopped going in the early 70s because of the sectarianism that had creeped in to some of the Hearts support (ER was not immune either), as it totally disgusted him.

[Valencia]

I posted before that I met two elderly gentlemen at the Meadowbank v Fort William a few years ago who had season tickets for both Hibs and Hearts. Told me they were Hibs fans and suspected the Hearts fans they sat beside knew they were Hibbies I saw them at the start of the season at one of the league cup games and one of them was relying on the other to help him along. Hope they are keeping well two nice guys

[Scouse Hibee]

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Is the Everton v Liverpool derby not fairly friendly in general? It's obviously a game both sets of fans hate to lose but would I be right in thinking it doesn't have the venom of say Celtic v Rangers or a Millwall v West Ham?

Nowhere near as friendly as it used to be in eighties early nineties but I guess society has changed and a whole new level of thuggery has evolved since then. However you still see the odd groups of mix n match supporters which you would never see at an Old Firm game so relatively speaking yes.

[Pagan Hibernia]

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Nowhere near as friendly as it used to be in eighties early nineties but I guess society has changed and a whole new level of thuggery has evolved since then. However you still see the odd groups of mix n match supporters which you would never see at an Old Firm game so relatively speaking yes.

I love the city of Liverpool and I can’t imagine the same level of vitriol there as you get elsewhere. They’re good, working, family people. I can’t imagine Everton fans for example mocking Hillsborough the same way as Manchester City fans mock Munich. Or the same sort of nonsense you get in Glasgow for that matter.

Edinburgh to me is a different kettle of fish as hearts actively tried to close down my club in 1990. That changed the derby forever in my opinion. I can’t ever forget it.

[ancient hibee]

When I was 8/9 I went to Hearts more than Hibs because the dad of a school pal was a Hearts supporter.We could get the train just round the corner from Prince Regent Street where we lived.My mum was happy because I would get looked after in the big crowds.What she didn't know was that we didn't see his dad from the time we got on the train until we got off it back in Leith.When I eventually confessed she let me start going to Easter Road with other pals and I didn't go nearly so often to Tynecastle and often went to the reserves at Easter Road instead.My dad had no interest in football but went with me a couple of times.We went once to see Hearts v Third Lanark as he was intrigued by the name.at half time he said that Hearts supporters were very fair minded as they'd lost five goals and were taking it very well.I told him it was Third Lanark in the red-Hearts were wearing their candy stripes.Think it finished 8-3 with Willie Bauld getting five.

[lord bunberry]

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One of my first derby games At Easter Road I travelled with a bunch of Hearts fans in the back of a furniture removal van from the Longstone Hearts Club where my much older brother was a member. All the other travellers were decked out in maroon scarves, whilst I wore my green and white one which I had woven at primary school.
As I remember it, Hearts won that day so I wasn’t thrown out of the back of a moving vehicle on the return journey.

Have you still got that scarf?

[Yorkshire HFC]

When I was at school and uni, a friend of mines dad was the Hearts team doctor and I often went to Tynecastle with him - free main stand tickets and I quite enjoyed watching as a neutral.

[SideBurns]

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You're correct that there was much more trouble with the Huns than anyone else but it wasn't confined to them. I remember heading home from a Hibs Celtc cup tie, we lost 1-0 in extra time in front of about 50k+ & there was a pitched battle of about 60 people in Albert St. Everyone of them was a Celtc supporter!

Ha ha! That wisnae the cup tie when Celtic fans were using gravestones uprooted from the cemetery to batter down the doors in the Cave, was it? Another one i recall hearing from the auld man (I'd ask him but he cannae speak for himself these days).

[Valencia]

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I posted before that I met two elderly gentlemen at the Meadowbank v Fort William a few years ago who had season tickets for both Hibs and Hearts. Told me they were Hibs fans and suspected the Hearts fans they sat beside knew they were Hibbies I saw them at the start of the season at one of the league cup games and one of them was relying on the other to help him along. Hope they are keeping well two nice guys

It was at Meadowbank but it was Spartans home game. It was only a few years ago.

[G B Young]

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When I was 8/9 I went to Hearts more than Hibs because the dad of a school pal was a Hearts supporter.We could get the train just round the corner from Prince Regent Street where we lived.My mum was happy because I would get looked after in the big crowds.What she didn't know was that we didn't see his dad from the time we got on the train until we got off it back in Leith.When I eventually confessed she let me start going to Easter Road with other pals and I didn't go nearly so often to Tynecastle and often went to the reserves at Easter Road instead.My dad had no interest in football but went with me a couple of times.We went once to see Hearts v Third Lanark as he was intrigued by the name.at half time he said that Hearts supporters were very fair minded as they'd lost five goals and were taking it very well.I told him it was Third Lanark in the red-Hearts were wearing their candy stripes.Think it finished 8-3 with Willie Bauld getting five.

That always struck me as the more obvious thing to do rather than go to Tynecastle when Hibs were playing away. I imagine reserve games got reasonable crowds in the post-war years, especially as Hibs had a lot of good players who simply couldn't get into the first team because the Famous Five were so good. I recall reading that when Gordon Smith signed for Hearts more than 10k turned up for his first game in the reserves.

[JeMeSouviens]

One of the things that's always stuck with me from my first ever game, 1979, was the Hearts fans fighting among themselves. What was that all about?

[Killiehibbie]

My Uncle went week about, 40's and 50's, he classed himself as an Edinburgh supporter with a slight preference for Hearts. He took me to my first game at Easter Road in 1972 but never tried to take me to Tynecastle as he realised things had changed. Wish he'd taken me 1/1/73.

[Peevemor]

Nobody likes them. Even them.

[Keith_M]

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One of the things that's always stuck with me from my first ever game, 1979, was the Hearts fans fighting among themselves. What was that all about?

That's when I started going as well and, according to a Hearts supporting classmate of mine, the Livi punks used to fight with some Edinburgh punks in the home end at Tynecastle, so it seemed to be a regional gang thing.

[Glory Lurker]

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I know that there were a few people that followed both in the past. But are there any still today?

Magic thread, btw. Have really enjoyed folks' posts.

[Glory Lurker]

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Did the 'cairry-oot' start to become more of a thing post-1950s maybe? I might be completely wrong but in my mind's eye I see fans in the 50s as more likely to be carrying a wee whisky flask in their pockets to the game than cases of beer cans and bottles. You'd also be less likely to use your own flask as a missile!

Segregation, while designed to limit trouble, ultimately helped to fuel the tribal hatred IMHO. Nothing worse than seeing a stand full of yams/huns etc celebrating. It used to be even worse when it was terracing as there were more of them and the celebration looked much wilder. I don't mind admitting that in my younger days I'd imagine hurling a hand grenade into the midst of them!

I'd be interested to see how we'd all get on with each other now if segregation was scrapped.

What we've lost in basic human decency has been made up for in the atmosphere segregation gives :-)

I've been to the odd friendly in the wrong end, and a few non-segregated lower league games. I've enjoyed that, but they were games I wasn't anywhere near as invested in as I am at a competitive Hibs game. I couldn't do without segregation. I suppose really it's all I've ever known and maybe we're poorer for it (we probably are from a civility point of view!), but the tribalism was a huge part of what got me hooked.

[brog]

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Ha ha! That wisnae the cup tie when Celtic fans were using gravestones uprooted from the cemetery to batter down the doors in the Cave, was it? Another one i recall hearing from the auld man (I'd ask him but he cannae speak for himself these days).

Its quite possible, it was in 1961. Crowd is now shown as just under 40k but my memory at the time was it was over 50k with many locked out. It was only a month or so after the Barcelona game IIRC & at time that crowd was stated as 54k & its now shown as 45k. I do remember as a young boy being terrified at the dozens of Celtc fans battling each other with bottles etc. Horrendous!

[Liberal Hibby]

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What we've lost in basic human decency has been made up for in the atmosphere segregation gives :-)

I've been to the odd friendly in the wrong end, and a few non-segregated lower league games. I've enjoyed that, but they were games I wasn't anywhere near as invested in as I am at a competitive Hibs game. I couldn't do without segregation. I suppose really it's all I've ever known and maybe we're poorer for it (we probably are from a civility point of view!), but the tribalism was a huge part of what got me hooked.

It's an interesting thought getting rid of segregation. Like you I go to the occassional non-league game down here. Althought the games aren't officially segregated home and away fans gravitate to different ends (and cross over at half time like the old days at Easter Road). So there was always a degree of segregation before it was enforced.

I wonder if the thing that gives the atmosphere is the roof - the old massive open terraces could have three or four chants going on in different places before any one caught on (and even then I suspect most of the noise went skywards).

[oldbutdim]

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Have you still got that scarf?

No. It was pretty rubbish to be honest, and I went mainstream and got a shop bought one pretty quickly.
I’ve got quite a few now, limited edition ones as well as standard.

Funnily enough I just wear one when it’s really cold!

[LancsHibs]

I have a season ticket for both, looking forwards to seeing some different teams next season. Arbroath, Alloa etc bring it on. Can’t wait for the fitba to get started again.

[Pretty Boy]

Was going 'week about' ever as widespread as some claim?

I've asked my Grandad about it and he said it wasn't something that ever crossed his mind, his friendship group of the time was the same. They were Hibs fans, they went to Hibs games and when Hibs were away they might have taken in a junior game. I hear a lot of people talking about it but I can't say I've ever met anyone who admits to actually doing it.

Fwiw I love the tribalism of football. Standing with the 'other lot' and enjoying the game might seem a nice idea but it wouldn't be for me. It seems a bit romanticised. Being with your own tribe on Derby day is what it's all about.

[Lang Toun hibby]

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Nowhere near as friendly as it used to be in eighties early nineties but I guess society has changed and a whole new level of thuggery has evolved since then. However you still see the odd groups of mix n match supporters which you would never see at an Old Firm game so relatively speaking yes.

My Dad was brought up in Liverpool in a "mixed" family. However he was a blue and moved to Leith where thankfully he brought me up as a Hibby. HoweverI have a sft spot for Everton and have been down to a game there. Maybe being spat at by Liverpool fans near Annfield when Hibs played them in the early 70's put a seal on that. So I go on the Toffees website and the vitriol towards the Reds is unbelievable. Ifyou watch their derby now compared to years ago there is very little mixing now. Maybe society, media and keyboard wariors have a lot to answer.for

[Topographic Hibby]

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Was going 'week about' ever as widespread as some claim?

My dad's best man (Hibby) and his gang o' pals from school used to do week about. And a friends Dad (Jambo) said the same. Both would be a similar age and were teenagers in the 50s, where they just came out of WWII and had a little cash to go to a game each week, but not enough to get the train to follow "their team" away from home.

I've heard it from two different horses mouths, so I def think it was a thing.

[Scouse Hibee]

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My Dad was brought up in Liverpool in a "mixed" family. However he was a blue and moved to Leith where thankfully he brought me up as a Hibby. HoweverI have a sft spot for Everton and have been down to a game there. Maybe being spat at by Liverpool fans near Annfield when Hibs played them in the early 70's put a seal on that. So I go on the Toffees website and the vitriol towards the Reds is unbelievable. Ifyou watch their derby now compared to years ago there is very little mixing now. Maybe society, media and keyboard wariors have a lot to answer.for

It was easier for them to be friendlier in the eighties when for a few years they could actually compete with Liverpool, now they’re just bitter that they can’t.