p0ab2 Hibs 0 Hearts 3 - First Edinburgh Derby after Wallace Mercer Takeover Attempt

15th September 1990.

The summer of 1990 was one of the most intense Edinburgh football has ever had. The Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer attempted to takeover city rivals Hibernian.

This was met with a strong protest from both sides of the city and eventually his takeover attempt failed when he was unable to purchase the necessary number of shares to force the takeover.

The game took place with a heavy police presence along with extra security that Hibs had brought in for that day. Hearts were led by interim manager Sandy Clark, shortly before Joe Jordan's arrival.

Hearts opened the scoring through a Pat McGinley own goal (which was later credited to John Robertson of Hearts). At that moment several fans invaded the pitch which eventually led to the players having to leave the field.

On the players return Hearts would score two more goals courtesy of Craig Levein and John Robertson which would see Hearts go in with a three goal half time lead.

The second half was a much tamer affair with no goals and thankfully much less trouble.

In this video we see the highlights of that action packed first half which saw pitch invasions, crowd trouble, players having to leave the field and three goals from Hearts.

Copyright SFA, STV Group

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Hearts
• FC
• Hibs
• Edinburgh
• Derby
• Easter
• Road
• Tynecastle
• Wallace
• Mercer
• Summer
• 1990
• Takeover
• Aborted
• Merger
• Heart
• of
• Midlothian
• Hibernian
• Scottish
• Football
• League
• Leith
• John
• Robertson.

[edamsleez]

3rd force...dont make me laugh when you have same trophy haul as aberdeen come back and state that...if your a true 3rd force you win the league title mabey even a european trophy like the dons...

[p0ab2]

@edamsleez Aberdeen's achievements in the 80's were outstanding. To win the league and a European trophy was phenomenol. Sadly, I do not think any club outside the old firm will ever again be able to replicate what Aberdeen (and to a lesser extent - Dundee United) achieved in that period. I would love to be wrong.

[edamsleez]

@p0ab2 ...yes i know..i was just mocking hearts new role of the spls third force..i do agree with you though...uefa are a bunch of crooks...they dont give a dam about the teams outside the big 3 or 4 across europe well top 2 in our shit league..if its the national game the nation are being cheated every season..people should stop going to games until it becomes a more even playing field otherwise whats the point its the same garbage every season....

[p0ab2]

@edamsleez absolutely agree with you there.

[Gonzoidzz]

Nae second half?

[p0ab2]

@Gonzoidzz will stick it on at some point but nothing much happened.

[solefthanded2]

Wasn't Robertson a Hibby as a kid, lol, therer's nothing worse than being FUTA by one of your ain...

[martoman75]

can onyone explain to me why hibs are so utterly shite?

[utrapzab]

@bipedalame no, its the whole scottish game - the level playing field is primarily FAIRNESS ON THE FIELD, you ask any supporter and they will tell you - the old firm get more than their fair share of decisions, its always happened that way, thats why scottish football is now a joke, itll bite the old firms arse when the others all go out of business and they only have themselves to play with, 4 old firm games a season, thatll be yer league - shortsightedness thats beyond a joke

[bipedalame]

@utrapzab so the edinburgh sides want glaswegians to subsidise their clubs inability to raise finances?

[utrapzab]

@kilomeister and the last time the top league in scotland was fought on a fair level playing feild without giving either a sporting or financial advantage to the old firm was when? never happened - its oh so easy to gloat in te old firm, see you all desert when it doesnt go your way, its easy to follow a winning team, real supporters just follow their team no matter what