The Team For Me

The Team for Me –Aaron Fraser

Confession time: Iʼm a born and bred Leither. But there was no question on what team I would be brought up to support. I have my dad to thank for that one, as he made sure that I was of a maroon persuasion from the day I was born. My dad got the exact same treatment from my grandad too, who was never going to let any son (or grandson for that matter) of his support any other team than Heart of Midlothian.

It may come as a surprise to those who know me now, but growing up I was never mad keen on football; I only started warming the bench at my local boys’ club at the age of 13. However, despite my initial lack of interest in the game itself, and various offers from my dad’s friends to take me along to that “much nicer green stadium up the road” (said offers were declined faster than you could say Arvydas Novikovas), I made my fi rst visit to Gorgie on the opening day of season 2010/11.

Everything was new and exciting; being carried on my old man’s shoulders down Gorgie Road and looking out onto the masses of people clad in maroon, having my fi rst programme bought for me, walking under the bridge before rounding the corner on McLeod Street and catching my maiden glimpse of “Tynecastle Stadium” as it was referred to back then.

Seven-year-old Aaron rather optimistically predicted Hearts to win 10-0. In the end a 1-1 draw had to suffi ce, with Calum Elliott scoring the fi rst ever goal that I would witness in person. Even though I didn’t understand fully how the game worked, the whole matchday experience really appealed to me and I loved talking to the people who sat around us in the old Main Stand enclosure. Hearts had just gained their newest fan.

I’ve been lucky enough to experience two Scottish Cup wins so far in my seventeenyear life. My dad was debating whether to take me to the Gretna game but decided against it given I was only three at the time! However, fast forward to 2012 and there was no question of me missing the all-Edinburgh showdown. I have vivid memories of the day; getting the supporters bus from the Bottom Shop pub, heading through to Glasgow (which at the time felt like a massive adventure), then to the Giffnock Bowling Club to sample the pre-game atmosphere and getting my face painted (half maroon and half white, I had great taste in my youth) before fi nally making my way to the game. Walking up those Hampden steps with my old man and watching Hearts hand out a good oldfashioned romping to the green half of the city, before big Zal held that cup aloft as maroon confetti swirled into the sky. Am I convinced that I had the best day of my life at eight years old? One thing is for sure, the 19th of May 2012 won’t be topped for a long time yet! Currently Hearts fi nd themselves in the Championship, which everyone can agree has been a bitter pill to swallow. However, if I cast my mind back to the 2014/15 campaign, our last season in the second tier, that was the season which really ignited my passion for football. During the previous season watching Hearts felt like a chore to me, given the team’s rapidly failing fortunes on the park. You’d fi nd that half the time I’d be sat on my seat reading the programme instead of paying attention to what was happening with the game. However, the Championship season changed everything. Seeing a winning Hearts team compared to the previous campaign actually had me paying attention, and for the fi rst time properly understanding the ins and outs of football. I didn’t want to miss a moment and began pestering my dad to take me to the away games more regularly. Trips to Easter Road, Almondvale, Stark’s Park, Cowdenbeath and Falkirk would follow that season, and I was captivated by the tremendous noise generated by the travelling Hearts support. My dad probably regrets that now, as I’ve had the away day bug ever since, and they now leave his bank account looking rather empty. Apologies Graeme, once I’m working I’ll maybe buy you a Killie pie and a pint to say thank you! That season was absolute perfection as Hearts cruised to the title, and I didn’t miss a single home game; aside from the day we lifted the trophy! Unfortunately, I had a wedding to attend that same day, but not even that could stop me from keeping up with the action. The ceremony was just ending, and the bride and groom were about to say their vows, when I let out a roar of celebration. Genero Zeefuik had just smashed in a late leveller against Rangers! Gutted as I was to not be there in person to see Hearts lift the trophy, the culinary delights at the afterparty helped ease the disappointment slightly. Maybe this season

I’ll fi nally see Hearts lift that Championship in person! There might be a few of you thinking you’ve seen my face somewhere before, and you’d probably be right; as I’ve been running my own YouTube channel for the last 5 years. I made my YouTube debut during the fi rst season after promotion back to the top fl ight. The fi rst ever game I ʻvlogged’ was a 1-0 win against Kilmarnock (fi lmed on an awful iPod camera). The video was uploaded later on that night and I was shocked to see that a few hundred people had actually clicked onto it. I’ve made some fantastic memories from YouTube. Interviewing Hearts greats such as John Colquhoun and Jim Jefferies has been a major highlight, as well as appearing as a co-commentator on Hearts TV. I’ve also appeared on ʻA View from the Terrace’ and Sportscene. Given my dream job is to work in football media, to have been on such popular shows is something I’m very proud of. I’ve actually been invited back onto Sportscene for the upcoming season, and I can’t wait to get started again! My fi rst big hit online was a documentary I made on the old Main Stand, which is a video I look back on with great fondness. My favourite game that I’ve captured on fi lm has to be the 4-0 demolition of Celtic, another video that I’ll be able to reminisce on in years to come.

I still fi nd it incredible that almost 5,000 people have decided to subscribe to my channel and at the time of writing just short of 1,000,000 people have viewed my videos, a mind-boggling number which I’m very proud of.

Although what I do may seem a strange concept to some I’m still having lots of fun creating content, and don’t plan on stopping any time soon!

Heart of Midlothian Football Club means everything to me, and I never realised just how much I took going to games for granted until it was taken away from me (and everyone else) by the pandemic. It seems a lifetime ago since that fateful night in Paisley; little did I know that would be the last time I’d be seeing Hearts in the fl esh for such a long period. Over the last two years as I’ve been going to the majority of away games, I’ve met so many new people my age who just like me are Hearts-daft and I’m now lucky enough to call them all friends. Once we’re allowed back into stadiums I can’t wait to get back on the road again and make more memories following the boys in maroon and white. Football’s more than just a game, it’s a massive family, and there’s nowhere I feel more at home than in the stands with the people I care about the most. It’s hard to tell when we’ll be back right now, as our world has been turned upside down, but that fi rst trip back to Gorgie can’t come quickly enough.