I'm just a bit too young to remember that infamous Texaco Cup semi final from 1970, as I would only have been three at the time, but I've heard all about it, especially from my auld man and many others. There's no doubt that there's been some tasy encounters between the clubs down the years. But I just don't buy into this 'rivalry' thing, because in my experience, Hearts fans don't give a shit about us, and I've enountered many of them through living and working in Edinburgh alongside them for the best part of my life. It's like the way our fans feel about Hamilton Accies - they hate us, but we don't care enough about them to hate them in the way they do us.
And as for the comment about them being as bad as *banned word*? That's way off the mark I'm afraid, way off. Hearts, like Motherwell, have a small contingent in their support who let their club down with some songs and behaviour at certain games, but they are nowhere near as bad as Rangers fans. I wouldn't go shouting that around Gorgie way I can tell you. Believe me, they hate the *banned word* as much as anyone else does and are embarrassed - just as we are - to be labelled in the same sentence as them. When I started going to games with my dad when I was a wee boy, games against the Old Firm were terrifying affairs as we were completely outnumbered, even in our own ground by them, and they were alot worse then than they are now I can tell you. You spent the entire game dodging flying objects, flying fists and had to listen to their usual sectarian crap right through. Hearts were no angels, but they were never in the same league as Rangers, or Celtic fans for that matter and still aren't.
The only time I've ever really disliked Hearts was when Jim Jeffries was there during the mid nineties. His greetin' face coupled with his team of John Robertson & John Colquohoun(two of the worst diving cheats in the history of Scottish football) and the likes of Steve Fulton, Neil Pointon and Neil Berry, Gary Locke and that big French keeper, Rousset. They were just a really detestable team at that time, and we couldn't for the life of us beat them either! Since then though, they've not really bothered me as much although I always enjoy beating them and winding up my Jambo mates.