Freeze frame: Roman Bednar v Rangers, 24/09/05

EVEN at Tynecastle, a stadium well known for its ability to foster an electric atmosphere, seldom has there been a noise encountered quite like the decibel levels reached in the seconds after Roman Bednar curled a run away from his marker and planted a header into the back of the Rangers net.
The Hearts forward scored the game's only goal. Picture: SNSThe Hearts forward scored the game's only goal. Picture: SNS
The Hearts forward scored the game's only goal. Picture: SNS

The home fans screamed in unison. Aside from the usual joy associated with cathartic football outpourings there was another emotion fuelling the Edinburgh crowd. It was vindication.

George Burley’s Hearts were a Scottish football juggernaut, though they weren’t fully appreciated at the time. Revisionism has led fans to conclude that had Burley not been forced out by egomaniacal owner Vladimir Romanov then Hearts would have taken the 2005/06 Scottish Premier League title. Aside from being a simplistic view which ignores the many obstacles which stood in their path, it also contrasts heavily with the vocal doubters who, at the time, dismissed successive victories over Kilmarnock, Hibs, Dundee United, Aberdeen, Motherwell, Livingston and Inverness as evidence of a genuine title challenge. This team hadn’t been tested, they said, and Rangers, who couldn’t afford not to win, would return the top flight to the status quo. Of course, it didn’t quite work out like that.

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Rangers’ back three - containing Marvin Andrews, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Julien Rodriguez - were torn apart in the early going by a Hearts attack which pulled them each way and every way in the opening 35 minutes. Hearts may have survived a late penalty claim but the 1-0 scoreline didn’t reflect the comfort which the hosts enjoyed for long periods.

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The only goal arrived 14 minutes in. Paul Hartley swung in the corner which Roman Bednar rose and met. The 6ft 3in Czech striker then he wheeled away in celebration, clutching his shirt and planting a prolonged kiss on the Hearts badge, before he was mobbed by teammates near the halfway line.

Little would he, his fellow players or the capacity crowd know, this was to be the peak of the Burley team. Bednar himself saw his association with the beloved first team manager end only minutes later when a hard, but fair, Andrews slide tackle severely injured the striker’s knee. After an aborted comeback in the winter he wouldn’t play again regularly until the following spring.

By that point Burley was long gone. He lasted two further matches, both away draws at Falkirk and Celtic, before his position became untenable working for Romanov. Graham Rix was his controversial replacement and Hearts eventually finished a full 17 points behind Celtic. Though they did earn some consolation by picking up the Scottish Cup after a penalties victory over Gretna under the guidance of Valdas Ivanauskas.

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