Even making special trips up to Edinburgh for the derby match I was not guaranteed any greater excitement, as this game proved. In fact, Hibs-Hearts games at this time entered a phase of negative, foul-ridden antagonism that rarely produced much great football, and not a great many goals.
Luckily there was the new style programme with which to while away the afternoon. Full colour cover and A4 in format (the old one and most other clubs' were A5). Much the same content inside, though the larger size allowed for a poster size player profile in the centre pages. And the design was a class above most other clubs' efforts.
The news page informed us that John Collins and Gordon Hunter had been included in the Scotland Under-21 squad for a UEFA Championship quarter-final second leg against England. Other members of the squad included future full internationalists Gordon Durie, Tom Boyd, Ian Ferguson, Stuart McCall and Kevin Gallacher. Believe it or not, Rab Shannon was also in the squad. Well, even Benny Brazil won an Under-21 cap once...
