onthisdateinHIBSTORY (Happy 6th Birthday Shaun Farrow)

[Seven Tattoos]

6 years ago today: Sunday 5th November 2000, Dundee 1-2 Hibs. Sky Soccer Sunday chose this match and so we were treated to Ian COCKer's irritating, excitable home counties tones. Why do they do that? Why do they have a feckin' Englander commentatin' on Scottish games? Mind you, he's better that Shredded Wheat and COCK Brown I suppose.

Me and the old man sat and watched this in his front room, gas fire roaring, cup of tea and honey and toast. Ahhhhh, where my folks stay is like something out of that song 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' by the Monkees. And even though they don't actually live in the Valleys the Hibs performance that day made it a very pleasant Sunday!

Hibs would feature in several Sky matches that season and I think I'm right in saying the only one we lost was the feckin' Cup Final. Anyway, it was pleasant viewing for exiled Hibbies everywhere.

We wore that season's white away top, green shorts and socks for this match and the only other occasion I can recall us donning that strip for a competitive feature was that disappointing occasion on the 26th of May. Hibs started brightly and it was no shock when a good move ended with John O'Neil putting us a goal up. It was scored at the old Cowshed end of Dens (where we were sat in the cup semi against the sheep on 5th April 86).

Now, my mammary isn't always as good as I like to think it is but I'm sure Dundee equalised against the run of play with a header by Tweedie. This goal was scored at the traditional Albert Kidd end of Dens Park!

Into the second half and Hibs pressed for the winner and it was provided by an absolutely spectacular overhead kick by David Zitelli! What a feckin' screamer! Oh, I had a rare wee dance round the front room then! Almost knocked the coffee table over then! And that would have landed me in shite with Cathy!

So, the three points were achieved and Hibs were still second in the table and looking good for a CL place. It's funny looking back and thinking is that really SIX YEARS AGO! Especially when you think of all the things that have happened since: 9/11, 7/7, two more feckin' elections for Tory Blur, the Queen Mum's snuffed it, Jade feckin' Goody and the emergence of the best British band since The Stone Roses, the Arctic Monkeys.

However, tangent men is rambling again, Hibs league form between August 2000 and February 2001 was the best I have ever known. We really were in contention for second place. When we lost at Ibrox on the Saturday before Christmas (O'Neil got sent off) it was only our third defeat of the season. As an aside, a guy who used to drink in the boozer I worked at had been up in Scotland and attended that game with a hun mate. He said Hibs brought a big noisy support through and the atmosphere was nasty as phuck. He seemed shocked at the raw bigotry pouring from the stands (he was in the Broomloan above us) and commented on the missiles and bovrils filled with gob and pish being chucked down on the Hibbies whilst Strathclyde's finest did their Three Wise Monkeys act.

Anyway, that sabbath, that Guy Fawkes night was a wonderful day for another reason, i.e. my very good friend Michael Farrow became a father that day! His good lady, the lovely Teresa Weir gave birth to Shaun Farrow and what a good wee laddie he is! I must admit I was surprised at how normal the name was, as only a fortnight earlier when I'd been up for that epic 6-2 game Mikey telt everyone in the Vicky that the bairn would be called Mixu David John Russell Farrow! Think Teresa might've had something to do with it. Mind you, Teresa's Hibs daft as well!

GOD BLESS WEE SHAUN!

[BellBoy1]

great post mate

[Tortolinzi]

I always enjoy reading your posts Sweary.....nice to be reminded of days gone by, to recall good (and bad) games, scorelines, heroes and villains of the hour and to find out about games before my Hibby lifetime as well as reading your amusing anecdotes.......


But you don't half talk some guff sometimes.......I mean, the Arctic Monkeys!?!!! You're having a laugh.....

[Johnny Vegas]

great post as usual

though i think we lost another game on sky v celtic at ER just before the cup final IIRC it finished 5-3 or 5-2

[Seven Tattoos]

JV - 5-2 at ER. We were five down til Marc Libbra scored twice in the last five minutes. It was Sunday 6th May 2001.

Linzi - bugger off! The Arctic Monkeys are cool as phuck! Their debut album is shithot!

[Smurf]

We had a real winning mentality around then but it wasn't to last very long.. As soon as we hit 2001..

[Lix]

I remember that Dens park game... the one and only time the TV s have shown me at a game.. got to work on Monday and everyone had seen me!

Luckily I wasn't doing anything embarrassing ...

And what a goal that was by Zitelli ....