Utterly Biased View: A warm welcome to Jim Jefferies
February 4, 2010 by Stewart Kirkpatrick · 43 Comments
Introducing the Utterly Biased View, a column by Stewart Kirkpatrick writing as an individual – not as Editor of the Caledonian Mercury. Any opinions expressed here are not those of the paper – and probably not his either.
(A Hearts fan has written a response to this piece, which you can read here.)
Break open the bubbly and especially the pies. Jim Jefferies has returned to Tynecastle.
The Hearts hero is a footballing legend. He has played a vital part in making Scottish football exciting. Without the new HoMFC manager, many of the key games that bring joy to the heart would not have happened.
I write, of course, as a Hibee.
Strewth, am I glad to see the back of Csaba László. Intelligent, insightful, strong minded and capable of independent thought, he was precisely the kind of manager you do not want your city rivals to have. I haven’t felt this relieved since George Burley got his jotters from Vladimir Romanov.
However, I am very comfortable with Jim Jefferies and not just because he was picked up out of the bargain bucket after being rejected by Killie.
Jim Jefferies is every Hibee’s favourite Jambo for three very good reasons.
He was, lest we forget, captain of the Hearts team that strode out onto their home pitch on 1 January, 1973, innocently unaware they were about to make history. I wonder what went through his mind as the seventh Hibs goal went in? (Interestingly, the Hearts mascot that day was one Darren Jackson.)
I’m not going to pretend I was there. Tynecastle’s capacity must have been close to 500,000 judging by quite how many people claim to have seen the game. And they were all on Sean Connery’s milk round as well…
I was, however, at Easter Road on 22 October, 2000. I had become a father a few days before and when Andy Kirk scored for the Jambos I turned to my mate Mark and said: “I really don’t care how this finishes.” Parenthood had put things into perspective – a perspective that Mika Matti Petteri Paatelainen squashed with a hat trick, accompanied by goals from David Zitelli, John O’Neil and Russell Latapy. I remember the sweetly bitter taste of my Cohiba panatella as we in the East Terracing applauded Hearts’ second goal. The generous cries of “well played” live with me to this day.
Hearts were, of course, managed by Jim Jefferies. I wonder what went through his mind as the sixth Hibs goal went in? (Interestingly, Darren Jackson started the game on the Hearts bench.)
Flash forward to 18 March, 2007, Kilmarnock meet Hibs in the CIS Cup Final at Hampden. Now, Hampden is not a happy hunting ground for Hibees – as one hundred and umpteen years of dismal Scottish Cup failure attest.
As I went through to the game on the HibeesBounce.com bus, I was not optimistic. When Rob Jones scored for us I realised it was just fate being especially cruel and I braced myself for the Killie fightback, which would no doubt be aided by comedy defending.
When we were 3-0 up, I allowed myself to relax and dared to think we might hold out for a draw in regulation time. On 77 minutes I thought: “Ah, here it comes,” as Killie scored. But the storm did not strike, instead Abdessalam Benjelloun did.
I only really enjoyed the last few minutes of the game, especially when we scored our last goal and everybody started hugging each other in a Sunshine on Leith version of Woodstock. (If memory serves, there was a very long queue waiting to hug the shapely and utterly hogwhimpering young lady dancing on the seat in front of me.)
Jim Jefferies was, of course, the Kilmarnock manager at the time. I wonder what went through his mind as the fifth Hibs goal went in? (Sadly, Darren Jackson was not involved.)
Now, the prodigal has returned. He has made a promising start: a league defeat and Hearts getting dumped out of the league cup. I know it’s a diddy trophy but it’s a diddy trophy the Yams haven’t won in nearly 50 years.
I don’t know how much power Jim has over picking the backroom staff (or indeed the team) but I’d strongly urge him to hire Darren Jackson as a matter of priority. They’ve done great work together.
(A Hearts fan has written a response to this piece, which you can read here.)
Related posts:
Suppose Hibs fans have to take their pleasure on those rare occasions when they can …
;¬)
Or take advantage of the fact that they have a new online newspaper to use as a platform for their own self-indulgence…and no editor telling them it’s a bad idea. It’s a shame, I expected better. The rest of the paper isn’t bad at all.
True. Though at least CallMerc has now tried to balance the equation. But how many Jambos will be dismayed to find the future of Scottish media is led by a Hibee? Could be worse though – a Haddington Athletic stalwart at the helm would surely … (cont’d p94)
If I wanted to read poorly written football related bias I could find it on any given online forum. Grant Stott gives a better account of himself than this in the EEN for goodness sake. This isn’t journalism, it’s a self-indulgent and utterly pointless rant.
@Lee,
I’d argue that it’s quite well written. Note the way I kept coming back to the chorus of “I wonder what went through his mind.”
But “biased” and “rant”? Yup, you got me bang to rights. That’s why I’m not allowed anywhere near our sports coverage. I’m incapable of objectivity when it comes to Hibs. I guess if I was capable of objectivity I wouldn’t go to see them…
Made me laugh. And I’m not a Hibs fan.
Fantastic piece of journalism and spot on reasons why Jumbo Jim’s appointment caused more than a few celebrations for the Hibees
0-7
6-2
5-1
And let’s not forget his magnificent record so far at Hearts. Played 2 Lost 2, knocked out the League Cup and over seen the end of Hearts season in February.
Keep up the good work Agent Jefferies.
Cheer-up is the only manager to get put out, of the same cup twice,whilst managing with different teams in the same season, by the same team well done JJ
We could alway hope that he is invited to manage Rangers for the cup final.
Ah, the luxury of being an editor, the power to have a pop at at the Yams with impunity.
Keep up the good work Stu, look forward to seeing you at the Leith San Siro on Saturday.
I will be expecting you to start up a campaign for a statue of Yogi at the Fit o the Walk if we do the unmentionable.
Sssshhhhhh. Don’t mention *it*. You’ll jinx us for another 100 years.
Never mind all those goals going in on the YouTube. What about that brilliant line-up of old-style disabled cars parked along the touchline? When were any of those last seen inside in a football ground? When were any of those last seen out on the street, for that matter?
Lovely stuff.
Hopefully the Honey Monster can have the wee jambos trying to get into the 1st Division top six next season.
This article is hilarious! I write as a life-long Killie fan who suffered 8 seasons of JJ. He aspired to mediocrity. He dumbed-down expectation of top six finishes by his shrewed, selfish media apologias. The manager he’d suceeded gave us Europe, the Scottish Cup and Killie players pulling on Scotland dark blue on a fairly regular basis…..but then “JJ didn’t have the same money..” Just a wage pot of £2m a year…his record against the Twisted Sisters was revealing…played 51, won 1 and drew 5. The media apologias were being made before the games this time…..
…and he continues, now, with the Jambos where he left off at Killie…3 year contract??? Oh how I laughed !!!!
I thought it was good. Good on ye Stewart. And for those moaning, not everything has to be serious or highbrow.
I’m a Celtic fan and always enjoy seeing Hearts suffer. I doubt anyone will ever forget Albert Kidd Day 1986. :-)
Notwithstanding the many “achievments” listed above, I`m afraid I carry a bit of a long-standing grudge against Mr. Jeffries.
Many many years ago, my team, Dunfermline Athletic, had a very promising youngster, Jim Leishman. Alas, that promise was never to be fulfilled because of a completely unnecessary and outrageous tackle [read assault] from the new Jambos manager.
This shocker of a challenge trajically ended young Jim`s playing career.
I think everyone knows what a tremendous servant “Leish” turned out to be for football in general and the Pars in particular. I just wish he`d stuck in a bit more at school and he might have been a bit better at filling the forms in correctly :)
Ach well, you’re the man of the moment on the Hibs message boards if not much else. If that’s the lofty heights you were aiming for with this paper then congratulations. Some of us just expected it to be a little more than a vehicle for things you would never have managed to get away with at a real paper. Unless I have it completely wrong and you’ll be redressing the balance in future articles? No, thought not. If nothing else, I’m sure the advertisers will like the revenue generated by tabloid-esque nonsense like this. You should get Ewen and Roughy to show you how it’s done…
At this early a stage in your launch, the article above seems like a remarkably stupid item to have been published.
I love a good bit of biased football thinking. Some people try so hard to remain decidedly neutral that they end up covering themselves in all kinds of accusations of partisanship. Methinks this is a smart move, Stewart. It’s very well written as well.
Also – hogwhimpering. An outstanding word I shall hereafter endeavour to use every day. Thanks!
I am not a footie fan, especially of the Old Firm variety that has not only poisoned sport, but much of our society as well. It is refreshing to see a journo or academic write on something with no “objective” pretensions when the opposite is evident to all and sundry with half a brain.
I would suggest that alienating thousands of potential readers within a week of starting up this project was probably not the best idea.
There is no way I can take Caledonian Mercury seriously after reading this article. Why would you refer to Hearts supporters as Yams? I have never heard or seen this ridiculous term used outside of a certain Hibs forum, even by friends that use the messageboard in question regularly.
I guess Hibs fans greatest success is Hearts failure.
Hibs might be 3rd this season. Whoopy Doo. Hearts were 3rd last. Swings and Roundabouts. “The Hibs” will be a middle of the table team next season as history dictates it.
Pathetic 10-11,000 crowds every week while they are 3rd while “pishy” Hearts manage 13-14,000 against dross like Hamilton or Falkirk while they are fighting it mid-table. Hibs have a lot of going to do before they are Edinburgh’s finest. One season doesn’t do it.
I see that pathetic attempt failed to mention 3 cup finals, with one being successful ending a trophy drought of 42 years, not quite 108 though eh?
Haha hibees crack me up like! toooo funny
Bravo! In one fell swoop you have managed to undermine any claim the Caledonian Mercury might have made to “difference” in approach to newspaper journalism in Scotland and own goals are the last thing a fledgling newspaper needs – especially when it is one that was showing such early promise.
Very poor judgement indeed Stewart.
Spot on
Its nice to see that you’ve already alienated any fans of one club who may have read this ‘paper’.Youra classic Hibs fan, a terrible terrible loser and an even worse winner. Hibs can never do anything with grace. A few wins, 1 good season and Hibs fins think there the greatest team there ever was. Stuart Crosgrove got it spot on when he said Hibs have the most romantisied view of themselves.
As a fan of football and a true neutral of Edinburgh teams, I watch whoever is at home at each week and if they are unavailable I’ll travel to watch Livingston, I find this article rather bemusing. At the very best it is a poorly constructed attempt at a light hearted dig at the writers favoured team to hate and at it’s worst it is an extremely bad piece of journalism poorly judged and without thought for the readership. This is as bad a piece of rambling I have ever seen in any paper and it would appear to be more at home in a fans forum than here.
Not the first piece of shoddy writing in this new venture so in the words of Duncan Bannatyne I’m out.
Please can my fellow jambos and morrissey please develop a sense of humour. This is a pee-take and I (season ticket holder at Tynecastle) find it amusing. If the roles were reversed we would do exactly the same.
I do, however, look forward to Mr. Kirkpatrick’s commentary next season when normal service had been resumed!
The catalyst for humour is normally something funny. Either way, I didn’t think the Caledonian Mercury was set up to be a vehicle for ‘pee takes’ – guess you learn something new every day. I’m sure the editor’s colleagues will be delighted with your assessment of their new venture.
Not bad for a first effort, if a little predictable.
Seriously though, on the subject of JJ I’m sanguine. His swift appointment was surely tactical, a way to stop any momentum growing behind the anti-Vlad sentiment that’s always bubbling under at Tynie. On the other hand, the Hearts teams I saw playing under him were some of the best I’ve seen in the Maroon and the atmosphere at Tynie was always fantastic. Compared to how Levein set us out to play – defensive, boring, safe – things were always interesting under JJ. And we won the cup, remember?
Hibs fans should be flattered that JJ’s back: Vlad’s obviously taken note of how Hibs are thriving under a manager who cares about the club as well as the team.
Finally, with regard to the Killie fans on here who are glad to see the back of JJ, I know a few Falkirk fans who were saying the same things about Bingo six months ago.
Anyway, best of luck to Lochend United for the rest of the season. I genuinely hope you get second place though I’ll obviously have mixed feelings IF YOU WIN THE SCOTTISH CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1902.
Out of interest, who was the last Hibs manager to take them to three cup finals, (winning the Scottish cup while their ‘rivals’ were relegated) and split the old firm?
No need to reply because this is my first visit here and undoubtedly my last.
Oh such sharp wit will be missed hugely I’m sure.
Jambos really are the whiniest people in the universe. If it’s not refs out to get them, it’s the SFA. If it’s not the SFA, it’s the big bad media. If it’s not the media, it’s the mafia.
What is particularly amusing in this case is that there’s dozens of them clicking onto a link for an article from a self confessed Hibby so that they can be offended by it and say “I’m no coming back”. I’m guessing there’s something on Kickback?
Hibees and their selective memories should really be studied. If John Swinney didn’t have such a tight budget this time, I would’ve suggested a grant to the University of Edinburgh to undertake an investigative study.
Hibs – Forever in our shadow
Aye, the two cups in the last 47 years has really put us in our place with us only having won 3 during that time period.
To be honest this is the kind of P**h Hibs fans spout all the time. So much glory in the failure of Hearts, you can almost taste the self pity,the inferiority complex.
Hibs are doing very well this season and Hughes has built a very good squad. History tells us that this happens about once in every decade before Hibs revert back to selling players and mid table mediocrity. Enjoy it while you can Stewart, I assume this online venture is self funded and you are the major shareholder? If not then I think your self indulgence and obvious ommisions regarding JJ’s time at Hearts are at best ill advised and at worste, the work of a man who has the business acumen of Willie Miller.
Good luck with the venture, but alienating a large part of your potential readership is stupid in the extreme, maybe you should have just started up another Hibs fanzine.
Enjoyed this article.
Lighthearted, yet well written.
Some commenters above need to have a real look at themselves considering the nature in which they post. It’s fairly clear who’s taken the hump because of their own football loyalties; at least the author of the article was open in his bias.
I remember in the wake of the 2007 League Cup final, the excellent Ian Bell wrote an article in the Herald as a Hibs fan. It was in the comment section rather than the Sports one, and was similar to this article in that he made no pretensions over partisanship. Yet accusations such as those above (Lee, Morrisey, JohnB) that a paper cannot have articles in this vein without undermining the pedigree of the publication were not directed at Ian Bell nor the Herald, indeed his work, as always, was met with plaudits whether they be Hibs, Hearts, neutral, or fans of any football team.
The notion that this article will “alienate thousands of readers” is laughable. Perhaps a bitter handful, but in the most part this article will have been enjoyed in good spirit as it was intended.
Most of us are football fans of a particular team, surely it breaks the mould that one wears his colours on his sleeve when writing, rather than snake-in-the-grass types that are so prevelant in certain wings of the Scottish media? Not in match report and analysis, but in a column entitled “Utterly Biased View”: definately.
As well as the many comments above taking issue with my piece, we’ve had a story submitted by a Hearts fan pointing out why Jim Jefferies is a great signing for Hearts. You can read it here.
Fair do’s with the Hearts fans story. That balances it up a bit.
Still dont agree that this is a good idea though Stewart, bad for business and over indulgent, especially for the Editor.
I agree with Andy. The “riposte” would appear to be an admission by the editor that he was perhaps misguided in publishing the original piece, but the gesture is welcome nonetheless.
A classic example of the underdog mentality of the supporters of Hibernian.
Brilliant, I could read stuff like this all day. Keep up the good work Stewart.
I think some of the comments provide a classic example of football fans who place following their team above any and all other priorities, L`ammer.
Anyone who feels “alienated” by the article should try listening to themselves and if they can manage that, they should try to get over themselves.
Shankly was only joking, you know.