Sunshine On Leith - At Long Last

 Match-winner David Gray raises the Scottish Cup at Hampden

LIKE their late mother before them, my daughters have never “got” football; the emotional part of watching 22 grown men kicking a ball around has passed them bye. My only grand-daughter was a history-maker when, in Primary Six, she became the first girl to play for the village's primary school football team, but, her interest waned – she briefly was a sprinter, now, at 18 and about to go to university, she allows young men to chase her.

So, when I screamed: “No, get off the park you stupid bastards”, yesterday at the end of the Scottish Cup Final, they – two daughters plus grand-daughter merely raised a collective eyebrow – the “Auld Yin” had gone off on one again, for no apparent reason.

OK, I witnessed on TV, the mass invasion of the playing area at Lisbon's National Stadium back in 1967, and the break-in at the Camp Nou in Barcelona n 1972. Like these two mass outpourings of joy, yesterday's Hibs' invasion of Hampden was just that, fans celebrating something wonderful – in Hibs' case, the end of those well-documented 114-years of Scottish Cup torment.

At the moment, I cannot see a single one of the Hibs' history makers from yesterday, any time soon, joining Pat Stanton, Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull, Willie Ormond and Joe Baker in the ranks of the All-Time Hibernian XI, but, match-winning skipper David Gray and his men achieved something which eluded these Easter Road titans of the past – they won the Scottish Cup.

Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull and Ormond - the Famous Five

However, as the vanguard of the citizens of Leith brushed aside that puny line of stewards, I just knew a bad thing had ripped the feel-good factor from the moment. Of course, the vast majority of the celebrating Hibs' fans were simply allowing their outpouring of joy at the end of “Hibs' cup hoodoo” overtake them, but, those stupid wee erses who decided it was a good idea to go up the other end and goad the followers of the Rangers Tribute Act, perhaps the heirs to Begbie & Co from 'Trainspotting' – well, they managed to shite on arguably their club's greatest day.

Because, you simply do not, under any circumstances, over-celebrate when you beat Rangers – Ra Peepul (or at least a sizeable minority of them) do not do dignity in defeat.

Have a look at this list:

1. Scottish Cup Final, Hampden Park, 1909 – Celtic v Rangers: post-game riot
2. UEFA Cup semi-final, St James's Park Newcastle – Newcastle United v Rangers: in-game riot
3. European Cup-Winners Cup Final, Camp Nou Barcelona – Rangers v Moscow Dynamo: post-game riot
4. Scottish Cup Final, Hampden Park, 1980 – Celtic v Rangers: post-game riot
5. UEFA Cup Final, Manchester, 2008 – Zenit St Petersborg v Rangers: post-game riot
6. Scottish Cup Final, Hampden Park, 21 May, 2016 – Hibernian v Rangers Tribute Act: post-game riot

I would not, indeed could not, say it was all their fault, but, there is a common thread running through these examples of terrible behaviour at football matches: Ra Peepul were involved in some way.

What will happen next? SFA Honcho Stewart Regan has already assured us: “There will be an inquiry”. Aye Stewart, so there will be, and that pile of badness swept under the SFA boardroom carpet will just get bigger. I have been chronicling the affairs of Scottish football for over 40-years, and I have absolutely no confidence in the Hampden “blazers” getting it right, when they convene to consider yesterday's events.

The RTA and their apologists in the Lap Top Loyal will milk it for all they are worth. There is, unfortunately for Hibs, evidence of several of the Leith Loonies interacting with Rangers players on the park. The RTA are claiming several players and staff were assaulted. I have only seen shaky, grainy footage, probably filmed on a mobile telephone, but, from first glance, the RTA may have a case. This is potentially bad news for Hibs.

There have been plenty of newspaper photographs of rival fans fighting on the park, which is bad for both clubs, although the fact the fans were on the park in the first place was already bad news for Hibs and the RTA. I wait with interest, to see what happens next.

The match itself was a cracking cup tie. I was watching the Saracens v Leicester English rugby match before hand, so switched over just before the kick-off yesterday. The game began at 100 mph and in just over two minutes, Anthony Stokes fired Hibs in front, to briefly silence the first rendition of a wee Rangers ditty which in any sane society would qualify as Offensive Behaviour at Football.

Thereafter the action never let-up, we had woodwork shaking at both ends, four cracking goals, then, just when we were thinking of extra time and perhaps penalties, David Gray popped up to ensure, he will never have to buy another drink in certain Leith pubs as long as he lives, by winning the Cup for his team.

Now, we await the outcome of the SFA inquiry. I do not now how that will pan-out and what will be decided at its conclusion, far-less what punishment, if any, is meeted-out.

But, this I do now – whatever they decide to do, the members of any SFA-led inquiry are almost certain – TO GET IT WRONG.

I DIPPED in and out of the FA Cup Final – my main focus was on the Connacht v Glasgow Warriors Pro12 sei-final. But, I did watch the highlights on Match of the Day. The players at Wembley were technically better than those at Hampden, however, as a spectacle, the Wembley game lacked the passion we saw at Hampden.

Jesse Lingard - definitely scored the Goal of the Day

Mind you, I thought Jesse Lingard's winner for Manchester United, was the Goal of the Day – marvellous technique, reminiscent of Sir Bobby Charlton's debut goal for England, at Hampden in 1958.

FINALLY, what happened after the final whistle at Hampden has, unfortunately, taken a lot of heat off the disgraceful singing of the RTA's followers during the game. The much-debated OBFA has not forced RA Peepul to clean-up their act. Today, there are newspaper reports to the effect, the attitude of certain RTA directors, following the recent Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic persuaded Celtic Honcho Dermott Desmond to up the ante.

His first instinct was to try to find another cheaper option – a Ronnie Deila Mark Two if you like – to succeed the Norwegian. After noting the arrogance of the men in suits on the other side of the posh seats at Hampden, DD apparently allowed Peter Lawwell to recruit a big-name, big-hitter manager, hence the appointment of Brendan Rodgers.

If the men at the top of the marble staircase are that stupid, what chance of common sense and dignified behaviour breaking-out among Ra Peepul.