Tomorrow Celtic will attempt to clinch the SPFL title by beating Hearts at Tynecastle.
It’s a long running grudge match which has the shadow of the tarnished ‘Old Firm’ tag over it with a strong element of the Hearts support sharing the ethics of the Rangers (IL) support.
Numerous incidents have surrounded the fixture down the years highlighted by the touchline attack on Neil Lennon in 2011 by a Hearts fan.
After the police finally got involved and led John Wilson away he was cheered by the bulk of the fans at Tynecastle.
Apologies to Lennon and condemnation of Wilson and the Hearts support was slow to follow as the Celtic boss was reminded that he brought it on himself by various apologists trying to mask their hatred of the Irishman.
Incidents like that made it understandable why Celtic fans refer to their Hearts counterparts as minis or cousins in reference to their shared Ibrox philosophy.
Since that match six years ago things have changed in many areas at Tynecastle although it would be wrong to say that there has been too much cultural alteration to the support.
In one area however there is clear blue water between the two ends of the M8- debt.
While the deluded on the west coast look elsewhere and keep their hands in their pocket Hearts fans took a different approach- they decided to take responsibility, suffer the pain and cough up to rescue their club from the shame of liquidation.
Four years on from being in administration, more than 10,000 Hearts fans are paying monthly subscriptions to cancel out the debts ran up by Vladimir Romanov. Ann Budge took on the CVA, trusted the fans and they responded.
There has been turbulent times, Ian Cathro being the current issue but despite that the fans have stood by their club buying up season tickets and putting their trust in the current owners.
Sunday’s match will have plenty of flashpoints, some Ibrox type songs no doubt but is it now time to give Hearts fans a break and drop the references to minis and cousins?
