27TH December 1993.

A bitterly cold Monday afternoon saw Hibs take on John Lambie’s Partick Thistle at Easter Road. Hibs had started season 93/94 rather well, initially putting together a great run of results and reaching the league cup final, which we narrowly lost to Walter Smith’s all conquering Rangers. Since losing that match in October however the stuffing had been knocked out of the team a bit and our usual winter slide into mediocrity had begun in earnest.

When the Jags came to Easter road on Monday 27th December 1993 there were more than just premier league points up for grabs as far as Hibs were concerned, as the following week saw the new year derby between Hibs and Hearts at Tynecastle. There were places up for grabs. We had already played Thistle three times in that season, a nil-nil opening day bore-fest at Easter road, a thrilling league cup quarter final at Firhill which we had won on penalties thanks to the heroics of our ‘keeper Jim Leighton and another nil-nil bore-fest , this time at Firhill, shortly after the league cup tie.

The game started off somewhat dully, Hibs having the better of play but not looking like world beaters in any sense. Midfield donkey Brian Hamilton gave us a one nil half time lead and as we jumped up and down to keep warm on the terracing at half time many of us expected to see more of the same in the second half.. How wrong we were.

Thistle equalised not long after the restart thanks to a stunning overhead kick from Grant Tierney. All this seemed to do was inject more passion and urgency into Hibs play though. After a few attempts in previous games, David Farrell showed us he really could shoot, by not only thumping in our second goal from long range but also by forcing two world class saves from Thistle keeper Andy Murdoch. Hibs were walking and passing their way through the Jag’s defence as if it wasn’t there. Michael O’neil and Kevin McAllister were tormenting their full backs. Darren Jackson put us 3-1 up from the penalty spot then “crunchie” McAllister made it 4 with a low shot. Hibs were unstoppable. It was a joy to watch. Keith Wright rounded off the scoring with our fifth goal late on so the match finished Hibs 5 Partick thistle 1.

Rampant Hibs had given us much cause for optimism for next week’s derby. In fact, when the final whistle went, we wanted Hearts to come on and play us there and then. The team left the field to a jubilant rousing chorus of “Bring on the Jam tarts” and we left Easter Road confident after seeing not only five goals, but five goals scored by different players. With this team and another such display we would surely win the derby and end Hearts 19 match unbeaten run in the fixture.

Alas, aware of how well Hibs had played and unwilling to pay treble time police charges, Heart’s chairman Wallace Mercer made sure that the new year game was cancelled , ensuring that his own injury ravaged team had a chance to recover before they faced us.
His tactics worked, the derby eventually ending 1-1 when it was played, Keith Wright giving us the lead before John Millar levelled it for Hearts. The unbeaten run wasn’t to last much longer in any case.

David Farrell, who had scored his first ever Hibs goal in the ‘Thistle game, asked manager Alex Miller for the match ball to celebrate his strike, and was promptly chased by Miller for his cheek, this privilege of course being the reserve of hat trick heroes, not players who have just scored their first goal in years at the club.