GLASS OF 92
HEARTS SPIRIT SHINES THROUGH Joe toasts table-toppers and hopes they can emulate his Tynie side despite boss scare
HEARTS fans will be hoping Craig Levein makes a speedy recovery after getting their club back on its feet.
And former boss Joe Jordan believes there’s shades of the much-feted 1991-92 season to be found after watching them motor to the top of the Premiership table.
Tynecastle gaffer Levein was recovering from a heart scare in hospital yesterday after medical treatment.
His No.2 Austin MacPhee will take the reins until he returns with Hearts having won their first three games.
Compare that to a year ago today when Levein accepted the challenge of repairing the damage from Ian Cathro’s shambolic reign with Hearts sitting eighth.
It’s a reversal in fortunes that has Jordan thinking back 27 years to when the BY GORDON PARKS club topped the table for six months after going on a 15-game unbeaten run.
Hearts finished second to Rangers but gave their fans a season to remember.
Jordan, 66, admits it’s premature to start getting carried away. But with the Jambos facing St Mirren, Motherwell, Livingston and St Johnstone before Rangers, he insists it’s not beyond possibility to head to Ibrox on October 6 with seven wins from seven.
He said: “With Hearts starting the way they have, they now have a different look about them. When you look at the league table you now have to look at it twice and that can only be good for Scottish football.
“It’s always dangerous to look any further ahead than where Hearts are now. But they look like a side that is ready to build on something – a momentum and a sense they can achieve something.
“What we had in 1991-92 was momentum for a large part of the season and there was a lot of work put in to achieving that.
“I remember seeing the confidence gained by the players once we managed to achieve result after result.
“That all starts with a successful pre-season and clearly Hearts are benefiting from the work they’ve done.
“We went to Rangers and beat them 1-0 – that did a huge amount to build the belief in the team.
“My team had good, experienced defenders. We had a creative midfield with dig and drive as well as a potent partnership in attack with John Robertson and Scott Crabbe. We also had John Millar and Ian Baird who scored goals.
“Craig has assembled the group he wants and he’s managed to get them fit for the start of the season.
“They look capable of getting a result from every game they go into.” Celtic are looking to make it eight in a row but the Jambos beat them 1-0 in Gorgie to lay down a marker.
And Jordan believes a host of clubs look ready to give the Hoops a run for their money at last.
He said: “You get a sense it’s not going to be the same as previous seasons where Celtic head out of sight as a matter of course.
“Celtic have slipped up, Rangers have started well and Hearts have started exceptionally well.
“It may only be the start to a new season but nobody should underplay the importance of getting off to a good start.”