Kitted Out

The shirt featured in today’s programme is the Asics yellow custard 3rd kit from season 1993/94. This particular shirt has quite literally taken on a mythical status amongst Hearts fans. Supporters will often recall with delight or horror exactly when they first set eyes on the controversial shirt in the flesh, which for the record was only worn twice against Dundee at Dens Park.

Until very recently a match shirt from either game was believed to have been lost forever. Recently, perhaps due to the lockdown boredom factor, a few have surfaced from dusty attics. Some supporters have been lucky enough to get their hands on one of these shirts. The unofficial story is that the club donated the only two sets of both long sleeve and short sleeve versions of the shirts to a local Sunday league team. As a result, a few have survived but inevitably others are sadly no longer with us. The kit only made two outings and, on both occasions, graced the field at Dens Park. Firstly, on the 2nd of October 1993 with an attendance of 4386, Hearts suffered a 2-0 defeat. Secondly, on the 1st of

March 1994 with 3965 paying customers, Hearts managed to reverse the previous score line thanks to two goals from Maurice Johnston. Given it was worn twice in front of a relatively small crowd the likelihood is that roughly only a maximum of 2000 Hearts fans have ever clapped eyes on the shirt during a game. The shirt pictured is the shortsleeved version worn by Alan Maclaren. Alan made his Hearts debut coming off the bench against Falkirk on the 24th of April 1988 in the Andrew Nicol testimonial match at Brockville. He would go on to play 219 games for the club scoring 9 goals. Alan’s quality and leadership was recognised early on. He would captain the team for the first time just four months short of his twentieth birthday. The club had just sacked Alex MacDonald after three defeats in the space of eight days to Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Rangers. They appointed Sandy Clarke as the interim manager. He decided that young Alan had shown him enough to stand in as captain for an injured Dave McPherson in the upcoming derby at Easter Road on the 15th September 1990. Hearts would win 3-0 thanks to two goals from John Robertson and one from Craig Levein. Alan went from strength to strength and would go on to be a regular fixture for Hearts as well as gaining caps for his country. McLaren would eventually leave for Rangers in October 1994

for £1,250,000 with the popular Dave McPherson heading back to Gorgie for a second stint. The shirt itself was manufactured by Asics who would provide shirts for seasons 1993/94 & 1994/95. It had a dark maroon collar with a straight and standard placket featuring two large black buttons. The main body and sleeves were a custard yellow colour and featured a tonal fabric swirl effect throughout. The short sleeve version was only ever worn in both games. The long sleeve version which does exist had long maroon tube cuffs that matched the collar. The sponsor would remain as Strongbow. The sponsor logo was heat pressed flock and would appear centrally on the shirt and was also maroon in colour. The number was stitched felt and was a very striking dark maroon colour. Both the logo and club badge were embroidered.

Grant Young is a Hearts shirt collector and is currently writing a book. He can be contacted at jambojim190512@yahoo. com or via twitter @ heartsshirts