World is watching Hibs v Hearts after Sky Sports takeover and iconic pub opening

No one had heard of Super Sundays. Sky Sports was not established. There was only one game to accommodate. Arthur Montford introduced the live action from Tynecastle on STV and Grampian. The game was squeezed in between a news magazine programme titled Platform and an international boxing bout between Michael Spinks and Larry Holmes from the Las Vegas Hilton.

Such Sunday staples as Farming Outlook remained unaffected. It’s very different now, of course. Football is everywhere. Favourite programmes are shunted around. Slots are arranged in order of the fixture's appeal.

Most people are in the habit of switching on Sky Sports on Sundays at 4.30pm for the main dish of the weekend. Last weekend it was Manchester City v Arsenal, this weekend it’s Hibernian v Heart of Midlothian on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. Okay, it’s FA Cup semi-final weekend, including a classic-sounding Chelsea v Leeds United encounter, but attention will be fixed on Easter Road.

Despite the blanket coverage, any Hearts fan worth their salt will want to be inside the stadium. The 91-loyalty points threshold for fans wanting tickets left many despairing. It was later reduced to 81 and the tickets were all gone within the hour.

There’s an argument that the game is the most consequential Edinburgh derby of modern times – and that includes the Scottish Cup final of 2012. If the visitors win, they will have taken a major step towards their first Scottish league title since 1960. If they lose? Well, that might feel like a cup final win for Hibs supporters. If not quite revenge for That defeat 14 years ago, then at least an adequate rejoinder to all the tiresome 5-1 gestures.

Not all of them are adopting the Andy Murray line that Hearts lifting the league crown and becoming the first non-Old Firm side to do so since 1985 is a “good thing for Scottish football”. Judging by the reaction, Hibs fans seemed to enjoy inflicting some damage on their rivals in December, although it was far from terminal. That’s why they are getting worried, along with Aberdeen fans and supporters of other clubs who realise that seeing someone other than Rangers and Celtic winning the league might not be as welcome in reality as they had imagined.

Once upon a time it was a more regular occurrence. It was 40 Springtimes ago when Hearts were bidding to follow consecutive title wins by Dundee United and Aberdeen (twice). Alex Ferguson's Pittodrie side were due at Tynecastle for the landmark television game on 20 April, 1986.

Hearts striker John Robertson was among those who feared live cameras could cut the crowd by at least 10,000. “There is not the same buzz about the city on a Sunday and the fans seem to make less noise,” he said. In the event, a healthy crowd of 20,000 gathered to watch John Colquhoun score a late equaliser for the hosts to keep them just about in charge of their own destiny.

Which brings us here. The ‘hell freezes over’ Edinburgh derby. Or the ‘Diggers will open in Leith before Hearts win the league again’ climax to the league season. Right on cue, in February this year, a branch of said bar, also known as the Athletic Arms and synonymous with Hearts, opened its doors on the north-east edge of Edinburgh. “Celebrating Leith is what we’re all about,” they say in a mission statement posted on Facebook. A special "Pat Stanton Edition" bottle of a 12-year-old Rare Find Highland Park (55.2 per cent) is being advertised for customers to try.

The history of Diggers in Edinburgh

What in the name of Dave Mackay is going on here? “To say that Diggers is a Hearts pub is maybe a bit misleading,” explains owner Kevin McGhee, although he might well say that – perhaps surprisingly, he’s a Hibs fan. “Certainly it is a Hearts pub on a matchday, but it is more than that to more people.”

There are portraits of the likes of Robertson and Willie Bauld in the back snug in the original Diggers, which is situated between two graveyards – hence the name - on the corner of Angle Park Terrace and Gorgie Road. “With all due respect to the (nearby) Tynecastle Arms, you know that it’s a Hearts pub because there is Hearts memorabilia everywhere,” says McGhee. “Meanwhile a tourist coming in here (Diggers) would have to look for a Hearts link.”

His uncle Alex – also McGhee – played for Hibs in the late 1970s, so he really is of Hibs stock. They toyed with names for the new site, which is located between Pierinos, a fish and chip shop, and a “sconery café” – yes, really – called Sweet October at the junction of Bernard Street and Constitution Street. With a nod to the Athletic Arms, “The Muscly Legs” was considered.

“It is probably a bit too far away to be classed as a Hibs pub,” says McGhee. “Diggers in Gorgie is on the way to the ground for a lot of fans. It is a longer walk from the Athletic Arms to Tynecastle. We do seem to get fans in after games.”

McGhee is still negotiating with Sky Sports to show sports channels on the TV in the pub. They want more money than they charge the Athletic Arms, which has far more floorspace. As it stands, Sunday's Edinburgh derby won't be shown. “Hopefully we can sort something out,” he says.

McGhee has not had his troubles to seek. As reported in the local press, a window at the new green-fronted premises was smashed by some youths earlier this month.

“About 99 per cent of the feedback has been positive,” he says. “There have been a few negatives, obviously people associating us with Hearts. Some point out that there is no graveyard next door so why is it called Diggers Leith? But there is one not a million miles away just up the street. Diggers is a concept rather than having to have the history of gravediggers drinking in the pub.”

Gravediggers or otherwise, the conversation in both pubs on Friday afternoon revolved around one event towards the end of a season that has already given us far more than anyone dared anticipate. Was it really only eight months ago when Hearts kicked off their season with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen on a Monday night, with TV cameras again in situ? Rangers had already dropped points against Motherwell and Celtic, then under Brendan Rodgers – remember him? – had started their title defence with a workaday 1-0 win over St Mirren.

Crisis quickly engulfed both Old Firm clubs. Hearts have kept on keeping on, showing an impressive ability to bounce back from stutters, such as the 2-2 draw against Livingston earlier this month.

The nerves of Hearts fans, never mind players, are being tested. Speaking following what he described as the “great television experiment” forty years ago, Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer stressed it was not a success. “We won’t readily agree to it again,” he said. He reckoned additional pressure had been put on the players due to an “unreal atmosphere”. Mercer added: “We are playing for the highest prize in Scottish football and that could have been put at an enormous risk”.

There were just two games left. Although Hearts remained on course with a 1-0 win over Clydebank in their penultimate outing, we all know what happened at Dens Park seven days later.

Some Hearts supporters lament the dropped point against Aberdeen as pivotal. This weekend’s Edinburgh derby might not be decisive. But it’s hard to overemphasise its importance. It does feel like the world is watching.