Hearts 1967

The 1960s were a decade of fluctuation for Heart of Midlothian — a period that began in the shadow of great success, moved through renewal and near-triumph, and ended with the gradual close of the Tommy Walker era.

Walker, the architect of Hearts’ golden years in the 1950s, entered the new decade attempting to evolve with the game. Tactical changes were sweeping through football, and Hearts sought to adapt by adopting a more expansive 4–2–4 system. Yet this period of adjustment coincided with the break-up of a great side. Key figures began to depart — most notably Alex Young and Bobby Thomson, who moved to Everton in November 1960. Young would go on to become known as “The Golden Vision,” another product of Walker’s remarkable production line of full Scotland internationalists. Elsewhere, Willie Bauld — one of the club’s greatest ever forwards — would leave in 1962, having scored an extraordinary 355 goals in 510 appearances.

Despite these changes, Hearts remained highly competitive in the early part of the decade. The 1960–61 and 1961–62 seasons saw a side still capable of high-quality football, though increasingly marked by inconsistency. They came close to silverware in the 1961 Scottish League Cup, drawing 1–1 with Rangers in the final — Cumming converting a deserved penalty equaliser — before losing 3–1 in the replay, with Norrie Davidson scoring for Hearts.

The following season, however, brought reward. The arrival of players such as Willie Wallace and David Holt strengthened the side, while Willie Hamilton would also emerge as an important figure. Hearts’ League Cup campaign in 1962–63 gathered momentum impressively, culminating in a 1–0 victory over Willie Waddell’s outstanding Kilmarnock team in the Hampden final. Davidson’s goal proved decisive, securing the trophy for the fourth time. Notably, Hearts had again eliminated Celtic en route, echoing their earlier triumph in 1954–55.

If that success reaffirmed Hearts’ quality, the middle of the decade delivered both their greatest opportunity and their most agonising disappointment.

The 1964–65 season saw Hearts locked in a fierce title race with Kilmarnock. In the era of two points for a win, Hearts held a three-point advantage with just two games remaining and appeared firm favourites to secure the championship. A draw with Dundee United, however, meant the title would be decided on the final day at Tynecastle — fittingly against their closest challengers.

The equation was simple: Kilmarnock needed to win by two clear goals. Hearts, with home advantage and a formidable record in decisive matches under Walker, seemed well placed. They had won five of the six senior cup finals they had contested during his tenure, and even their sole defeat had come only after a replay.

Yet football can be cruel. After Roald Jensen struck the post early on, Kilmarnock seized control, scoring twice in quick succession through Davie Sneddon and Brian McIlroy. Hearts pushed desperately for a response, and in the dying moments Alan Gordon came within inches of securing the title, only to be denied by a remarkable save from Bobby Ferguson. The match ended 2–0, and with it the championship slipped away — lost on goal average by the narrowest of margins, just 0.042.

The manner of the defeat left a lasting mark. In its aftermath, Hearts played a key role in advocating for the adoption of goal difference rather than goal average to separate teams level on points — a change that would reshape the game, albeit one that would later bring its own cruel irony.

That near-miss proved to be the high-water mark of Hearts’ decade. Results declined in the seasons that followed, and in September 1966 Tommy Walker resigned, bringing to an end one of the most successful managerial reigns in Scottish football history. Under his guidance, Hearts had won seven major trophies and finished runners-up five times — an extraordinary legacy. Shortly afterwards, club stalwart Dave Mackay had long gone, and Jim Cumming would also step away from playing duties, moving into coaching.

The latter part of the decade offered fewer highlights, though there remained moments of promise. The most notable came in 1968, when Hearts reached the Scottish Cup Final. Hopes of a first Scottish Cup triumph since 1956 were high, but they were ultimately defeated 3–1 by Dunfermline Athletic.

Even so, the period continued to produce players of quality. Jim Cruickshank, Alan Anderson and Donald Ford were among the most prominent figures of the late 1960s, with Drew Busby soon joining them as the club moved into a new era.

Taken as a whole, the 1960s for Heart of Midlothian were a decade of transition and near-misses. There were moments of genuine success — most notably the League Cup triumph of 1962–63 — and periods when the club stood on the brink of reclaiming its place at the summit of Scottish football. Yet just as often, they fell short by the finest of margins.

It was a decade that began with the echoes of greatness and ended with the closing of a remarkable chapter — the Walker era — leaving behind a legacy that would continue to shape the club for generations.