Gloves taken off in praise of Kidd

IAN PAUL

20 Feb 1989

Hearts 2, Partick Thistle 0

IF HE is entitled to that youthful glow of anticipation as he sets out on what could be a thrilling career, young Alan McLaren also should take note of the professional stoicism which his experienced colleague, Walter Kidd, has to embrace as he endures noisy criticism from the terracings.

McLaren, who deservedly won the man-of-the-match award against Thistle, conducted his post-game interview with the scribblers with admirable modesty.

Had he joined the group a few minutes earlier, he would have heard his manager express annoyance at the treatment handed out to the 31-year-old Kidd.

Alex MacDonald is mystified at the barracking of Kidd, who has been almost 12 years at Tynecastle and whose commitment to the club never has been difficult to detect.

"I can't understand it," he said.

"I was 12 years at Ibrox and still get a welcome when I go back there.

Walter gets stick from some fans in the warm-up as well as during the game.

It's not very fair.

I pick him, and he does a job for me."

McLaren, the 18-year-old who has established a place in the first team, would be the first to support the value of Kidd as a player and leader.

"I didn't think I could get in the side while Walter was still playing so well," he said.

"And with Dave McPherson and Craig Levein in the middle, I couldn't see how I could get in there either.

I found it hard going when I came in at first, but the others have encouraged me and I am enjoying it now."

He has played ten games for the top team and, judging by Saturday's showing, is destined for a great deal more.

If he is blessed with good fortune and good health, he may well turn out to be the very good player MacDonald believes he can become.

Kidd, on the other hand, has nothing left to prove, other than that he can do his job well in any position.

His strength and awareness were important factors as Hearts struggled to find some form for a long period against the first division side.

They were rarely in any danger, but it would have needed only a mistake to induce panic in the ranks.

As it was, the Edinburgh defence contained what little aggression there was from the Firhill men and eventually got their own attacking act together.

John Colquhoun had been their most likely forward, but it was Eamonn Bannon who brought some cheer to the great majority of the 18,350 watchers when he shot past John Brough with the accuracy and power which have proved invaluable assets for his various teams.

Colquhoun did get some reward for his untiring running when he scored with a cheeky overhead kick ten minutes later.

By then, Thistle's chances had gone, however.

The first division lads had defended well, had been properly organised, and never were going to be thrashed.

Neither did they show any serious signs of winning.

The two front players, John Flood and Gerry McCoy, were not able to worry the Tynecastle defence, especially as the bulk of the service they received -- such as it was -- came through the air.

McCoy did manage one penetrating manoeuvre, when he slipped between two defenders, but unortunately for the former Hearts player, his shot was too weak to bother Henry Smith.

Otherwise, Thistle spent much of the time clearing their lines effectively.

On at least three occasions they had men on the goal-line at the right time, but sooner or later, they had to subside.

None the less, their performance against the last British representatives in Europe should convince them of their right to a higher place in the strata than down near the bottom of the first division.

Hearts have played better and lost, but the name of the exercise was to move into the quarter finals.

That much was achieved.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, McPherson, Kidd, Berry, Galloway, Mackay, Colquhoun, Robertson, Bannon.

Substitutes -- Black, Ferguson.

PARTICK THISTLE -- Brough, Dinnie, Kerr, Law, Dempsey, Collins, Mitchell, Peebles, Flood, McCoy, Charnley.

Substitutes -- Grant, Abercromby.

Referee -- D D Hope (Erskine).