Bargain buy proves winner

WILLIAM HUNTER

28 Oct 1991

THAT Hearts share occupancy of the penthouse of the league is especially upwardly mobile for how little key money they have shelled out to get there.

Since all connected with the club like to go on (even to boast) about how short of the readies they are, not much choice is left but to make thrift an extra member of the squad.

But of necessity has been made a shining virtue.

The knack Hearts have shown for unostentatious but shrewd shopping in the cheaper arcades of the transfer market has become a source of their success thus far.

There must be more to it than a nose for a bargain.

Cheap (at £100,000) was the tag worn with pride on Saturday by Ian Ferguson (another one), the most recent recruit who had his first full outing.

With a beefy header he scored the only goal in a lop-sided game against Motherwell.

Although Ferguson was given a trot only because Ian Baird is injured, he did not look out of place.

He has a gangly style.

About all his work, however, there was a spindly confidence.

He did not rush about madly in all directions because of any anxiety to please.

Cool economy was this Ferguson's style.

As is the way of premier managers, Joe Jordan, the Tynecastle boss, said afterwards that the fitness of the newcomer from Raith Rovers had a bit to go.

He was not yet in full-time training.

Just so, but there were signs in Ferguson's debut that he may be more than the usual efficient, robotic performer.

There could be an individual talent there that it will be tricky to nurture for the premier power game without muscling it out of the player.

While praising the strong quality of Ferguson's winning header, Joe Jordan applauded more the position he had taken to meet a spot-on cross by Tosh McKinlay.

Although the mobility of Hearts is a strength, their neatness may be more telling.

Every man knows his place.

They have what it has become fashionable to call "shape."

Presumably, it means how well a team continues to play its own game however excited it becomes when it believes it is winning or however much it is made to suffer by the other side.

Because of the speed at which Hearts can play, it is hard to analyse their formation when attacking but their pattern is obvious when they deploy themselves at kick-outs.

How they arranged themselves on Saturday was always the same.

It was as if the players had marked their places on the pitch in the way that actors chalk the stage during rehearsals.

Such orderliness takes good discipline.

With Hearts it has become second nature.

Their satisfaction with their win included that with it went no luck.

Garry Mackay struck the crossbar and John Robertson a post.

Scott Crabbe had a shot scraped off the line by Jim Griffin.

It might have been a rout when in only four minutes Derek Ferguson, with a short high ball, caused all sorts of alarmed palpitations in Motherwell breasts.

Fortunately for them, the danger was cleared by the sturdy alertness of John Philliben and the agility of Billy Thomson, whose continuing new lease of life is one of Fir Park's few bright hopes.

Taken from the Herald