May the 19th 2012 is a day that will live with Heart of Midlothian fans for the rest of their lives.

It was the day that they watched their side tear Edinburgh rivals Hibs apart at Hampden to secure the Jambos their eighth Scottish Cup triumph. Obviously the other team in Edinburgh will also never forget the game but for very different reasons! Imagine the money you could’ve win if you had predicted that score… Take that as a motivation to try some more football bets.

The 5-1 result was simply fantastic for the side in maroon but what’s happened to the starting line-up and the manager who guided them to that famous victory?

JAMIE MACDONALD

The cup win came on the back of MacDonald getting more first team opportunities at Tynecastle after previously being a long-term standby. He also made a Scottish Cup final appearance in 2008 while on loan at Queen of the South.

He’d keep the number one spot for the next two seasons and would stick with the club during administration in the 2013-14 campaign, taking a pay-cut. His performances that season won him the fans player of the year award but it wasn’t enough to earn a new deal under the new regime.

In total Jamie MacDonald made 137 appearances between the sticks for the Jambos.

He had a successful season with Falkirk in the Scottish Championship and once again made another start in a Scottish Cup final (losing to Inverness Caley Thistle).

Now back in the Premiership starring for Kilmarnock. He managed to keep a clean-sheet against his former side back in October.

RYAN MCGOWAN 

The right-back became a Australian international while still a Jambo after the Scottish Cup win. Always eager to get up and down the wing. He nodded home from close range to score his sides fourth in the 5-1 final.

Cemented his status as a fan favourite when he rejected a move to Rangers in August 2012. Would depart Edinburgh six months later in a £400k move to Chinese side Shandong Luneng Taishan. He would grab a late winner to secure the Chinese FA Cup in 2014. After two seasons in the far east, McGowan would return to Scotland and turn out for Dundee Utd.

But following the Tangerines relegation in May, McGowan would once again head for the Chinese Super League, signing for Henan Jianye.

Now has eighteen caps for the Socceroos and played in the 2014 World Cup. His brother Dylan also played for Hearts before heading back to Oz. His father is awaiting trial for murder in Scotland.

DANNY GRAINGER 

The Englishman started his career at Gretna, before moves to Dundee Utd and St Johnstone.

Would sign for Hearts in the summer of 2011 and soon established himself as the replacement for Lee Wallace. Could deliver a fine ball and would help with a few assists playing under boss Paulo Sergio. He was also a danger from set-pieces and scored a penalty in the cup win over Hibs.

After his successful debut season, that ended with the famous 5-1 Hampden win, Grainger’s career at Hearts would stall due to injuries. He wouldn’t be retained after his contract ran out in 2013 due to those injuries and the club’s poor financial state.

After average spells with St Mirren and Dunfermline, Grainger is now captaining his hometown club Carlisle Utd in England’s League Two. He’s made ninety league appearances for the Cumbrians scoring an impressive 11 goals.

ANDY WEBSTER

Webster had already played for the club before and won the Scottish Cup back in 2006. Actually the 2012 victory was his third success in the competition as he had also won it with Dundee Utd.

Won twenty-eight caps for Scotland but didn’t realise the potential that he showed during his first spell at Tynecastle. Was decent and would give his all but people were always expecting better from him.

After leaving Hearts in 2013, Webster would play under former Jambos teammate Steven Pressley at Coventry City. After two season’s in League One, Andy would join St Mirren in the Championship.

His career could be remembered more for the circumstances that lead to his first departure at the capital rather than his triumphs.

MARIUS ŽALIUKAS 

One of many Lithuanians that played for the club during Vladimir Romanov’s time as Hearts owner.

Žaliūkas was the man with the captain’s armband for the final and lifted the cup in front of the jubilant Jambos. Decent pace and strong in the challenge, he could also fill-in at right-back. Would get sent-off a few times during his time in Scotland’s capital, including a dismissal for punching a Falkirk player.

After seven seasons at Tynecastle, Marius left after playing 212 times and scoring 14 goals for the side.

Would then find himself in the English Championship, signing for Leeds Utd. After limited game time down south, he would join Rangers in the Scottish Championship but left Glasgow after just one season, with Mark Warburton not fancying him.

The international defender would return to his homeland with FK Zalgiris providing his new home. Would win the Lithuanian league and cup double with Žaliai Balti. Now a free agent after leaving Zalgiris at the end of their last campaign.

Here he is enjoying last Christmas with his partner.

SUSO SANTANA 

The Spanish right winger impressed in his first season for Hearts in 2009/10, where he’d bag six league goals. He managed to score against both sides of the Old Firm during his time at Gorgie.

Like many other wingers Suso would often provide inconsistent performances and he’d also succumb to quite a few injuries.

Started the cup final, in what would be his last match for Hearts, and won a penalty for his team after a great run down the right flank.

After three years in Scotland, Suso Santana would rejoin his first club CD Tenerife. He is still there and now proudly captains the Chicharreros and wears their number ten jersey.

You can follow Suso on Twitter.

RUDI SKACEL 

Another player in the team playing in their second stint at the club.

Skácel’s goals and his passion to do his upmost for this team made him an instant hero and the love he enjoyed from the Tynecastle support only grew after his double against Hibs on cup final day.

An extremely talented player, the Czech maestro had also played for Slavia Prague, Marseille, Hertha Berlin and Southampton.

In total he’d score 48 times while playing 109 times in maroon.

Rudi would then play a season for Dundee Utd before returning to Slavia Prague for his third spell there. A third stay in Gorgie was made impossible due to a transfer embargo.

Last summer it was announced that Skácel was joining Raith Rovers in Scotland’s second tier. He’d make the 5-1 sign gesture at the Hibs fans during Raith’s game with the Hibees.

DARREN BARR

A versatile defender who then became a useful defensive midfielder.

Barr’s acceptance to play anywhere is testament to a player who would give his all to become a professional footballer.

After coming to the fore at Falkirk, Barr joined the Jambos in 2010. He would leave after three years there, playing 72 games and scoring twice. One of those goals was the 14th minute opener at Hampden against Hibs.

After two stop-start spells at Killie and Ross County, Barr is now a regular at Dumbarton and captains them in Scotland’s Championship division.

IAN BLACK

Black has always been a love or hate kind of guy.

He’d always give his all for Hearts as they were his boyhood club. Tough tackler and constant moaner, he’d be noticed in the Tynecastle engine room. Picked up his fair share of cards, showing refs also noticed him.

In 2011, with Romanov struggling to pay the players wages, a Scottish newspaper reported that Ian was working part-time as a painter decorator while still playing for the Jambos.

The cup final appearance would be his last for the club as he left on a free soon afterwards. It was then confirmed that Black would join Rangers in the bottom flight of Scottish football, where he’d win his first and only cap for Scotland (he was booed by some Scots fans at Hibs Easter Road Stadium).

After three years in the Scottish lower leagues, Black left Ibrox and is now turning out for English League One side Shrewsbury Town. Although he has been linked with a move away this month.

ANDREW DRIVER

Driver was meant to be the next big thing. Good enough during his early days at Hearts to merit a place in Stuart Pearce’s England Under-21 squad alongside the likes of Theo Walcott, James Milner and Joe Hart.

But things just didn’t work out for Andy the way they were meant to. He didn’t seem fast enough to really make it at an elite club.

He possibly stayed in Scotland a year or so too long. He would make 168 appearances for Hearts.

With all the turmoil that then surrounded the Edinburgh side, Driver made the move to MLS side Houston Dynamo. He’d spend two seasons in the States, playing 78 times. A short term deal at Aberdeen ended miserably in 2015.

Currently plying his trade at Dutch second division side De Graafschap.

STEPHEN ELLIOT

Irish forward Elliot had a successful time at Sunderland while the side where in the English Championship in 2005 and that was enough to get him international recognition.

But unfortunately for the striker he couldn’t replicate that kind of form again in his career. It was actually his two years at Hearts that he managed to really get amongst the goals again but even then it wasn’t as regular as he’d have liked.

Elliot would’t score in the 2012 cup final but he did net in his first Edinburgh derby fixture against Hibs.

Had a year at Coventry under former Hearts captain Steven Pressley and then had a poor scoring year at Carlisle.

Stephen spent a few months in 2016 at Shelbourne. Today he announced he had joined League of Ireland Premier Division new-boys Drogheda United. He also does a bit of football writing!

MANAGER: PAULO SERGIO

The manager hadn’t managed outside his home country before his spell in Scotland. Sérgio’s last post before the Hearts appointment was at Sporting Lisbon.

Enjoyed a 42.5% winning record in his only season in charge at Tynecastle. His side would finish in fifth place in the SPL and he recorded victories over Rangers and Celtic. In Europe Sergio would oversee his side’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham in London.

But it was against Hibs that Paulo Sergio enjoyed his greatest successes. As well as the thumping cup final win, Sergio also saw his squad beat their city rivals in their three league fixtures.

Spent a year in Romania with CFR Cluj. He would guide his side into the Champions League groups stages, where they would finish third behind Man United and Galatasaray. They won home and away against Portuguese side Braga and also triumphed famously away at Old Trafford against Man Utd during that run.

Cluj sacked Paulo after a poor start to 2013.

Sergio narrowly missed out on a Champions League return with Cypriot side APOEL. He’d only last five months in Cyprus after disappointing results saw him released in October 2013. A return to Portugal followed with Paulo taking the reins at Academica. He’d last a year there and is currently managing Dibba Al-Fujairah in the UAE.

Posted on January 20th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article