Andrew-Henry Bowie - Two Miles to Tynecastle

Title Page

TWO MILES TO TYNECASTLE

Andrew-Henry Bowie

Publisher Information

First published in 2008 by

Apex Publishing Ltd

PO Box 7086, Clacton on Sea, Essex, CO15 5WN

www.apexpublishing.co.uk

Digital version converted and published in 2011 by

Andrews UK Limited

www.andrewsuk.com

Copyright 2008 by Andrew-Henry Bowie

The author has asserted his moral rights

All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition, that no part of this book is to be reproduced, in any shape or form. Or by way of trade, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser, without prior permission of the copyright holder.

Production Manager: Chris Cowlin

Cover Design: Andrew Macey

The author has his own website: www.AndrewHenryBowie.co.uk

In memory of Allan, 1974-2003

Preface

28th June 2006

*Opens new Word document*

So, today is a hot Wednesday and Im at home in Edinburgh; not long in from work. A short while ago, my wife Lesley walked through the front door with two pregnancy-testing kits. Within about two minutes, the first one was flashing pregnant. The second test said pretty much the same as the first and that was an hour ago now. I thought about heading to Tesco to buy a third kit, and maybe this time Id pee on it myself. Otherwise, the first gift I have for my unborn child is this book.

This is the book of my life, and man has my life just changed! Whoever pops out in a little under nine months, I promise to love him or her forever. This book is dedicated and written for you (although Ill be making you wait a few years before you can read it). I would also like to devote these pages to my brother, Robert James Bowie, and my dear friends Lewis Thompson and Kevin English; all of whom encouraged me to write in the first place. Indeed, it was Kevin who suggested that Brian Blessed do the audio version of the book; perhaps hinting at his expectation of what sort of story lies ahead. But most of all, Id like to offer this humble publication to my beautiful wife Lesley, who has put up with me typing away like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Without her, Id be nothing but a bum.

Acknowledgements

Before I started writing this book, I knew I had to try encapsulate the passion and the deep-rooted love that I have for Heart of Midlothian FC. I hope I succeeded. I tried to balance the Hearts content with the non-Hearts content; after discovering that there really are only so many ways to describe celebrating a goal! It was quite emotional remembering the old games, but I think it was the memories surrounding them, and the feelings involving them that gave each story its soul. Sometimes, Id lie awake at night (as a hopeless insomniac) and think of an idea. Usually things were written on my hand, or on ripped pieces of paper. I also wanted to share my experiences with people, in order to feel comfortable writing about them. I feel bad for all the times I left Les sitting on the sofa, as Id be hammering away at my lap-top, writing about stuff that happened twenty-five years ago. Im lucky to have one of those anorak memories for dates, and Borthers was always on hand for grammatical assistance.

To find the photograph, I went round to my mums house, and spent hours in the attic, just as I had done all those years ago holding the Argos punch bag steady for Bobby. Its like the Museum of Childhood up there, but I never did find that bastard 1982 World Cup sticker book!

There were places Id go for inspiration for the book. I went back to the States via Toronto in the summer of 2006, and there I met up with Gary Hereward and Ron Maple Leaf from JambosKickback, and they gave me the encouragement and counsel that I needed at a difficult stage in the book. Sometimes Id walk along the Water of Leith, bouncing ideas off (poor) Les. Its not an attractive river, but it has a sort of intrinsic charm. It takes about three hours to get to Leith from my house in Corstorphine. Similarly, wed sometimes go to Almondell; where again, Id think about the book, and ask Les her opinion, as the bridges criss-cross the river. I love the walk too, that runs along Braidburn Valley, from Greenbank to Liberton.

All these places gave me time to think and time to angst. Im writing this sentence in my favourite seat, at the top of the stairs by the Paolozzi picture, at Starbucks in Stockbridge.

The walk here, by the river gave me more time to think. Whether I wandered alone, or talked to Les, the entire process involved me worrying over every last detail of the books content, which inadvertently turned Les into a counsellor and a psychologist. For that I am grateful and the therapy is now over. From Roseburn to Dean Village, from Stockbridge to Cannonmills and onto Powderhall, where Id imagine the Hearts and Hibs fans of the 1896 Scottish Cup Final; to Newhaven and finally to Leith, and the old restaurant boat where I washed dishes for two miserable nights all those years ago. Its good talking to Les, and there the river ends, all gone out to sea.

The following people provided me with help, advice and encouragement during the writing of my book. I would also like to thank people for being such good friends to me over the years, and putting up with me!

Callum Eadie, Mableann Fraser, Alison Mitchell, Ray French @movingstills, Nelson & Pricilla Fernandes, Ross Brown, Scott Moore, Bertha Molet, Jamie Borthers Borthwick, Nigel Smith, Ron Butlin, Paul Hartman, Rennie and Maria Robertson, Steve Jones, Mike Smith, Gary Hereward, Ron Maple Leaf , Anne Sutherland, Murray Lyons, Colin Roe, Shona & SJ, Lewis Thompson, Kevin English, Scotty Forsyth, Dale the laugh Irvine, David Gilbert, Paul Aylott, Jonny Yeoman, Scott Reilly, Kieran McLachlan, Stuart Connelly, Gavin Teesdale, Laura Johnson, Melvin Hart, Jackie Murphy, Tricia Lamb, Damien Burakowski, Paddy and Joe Barry, Jamie Stobie, Chris Moffat, Paul Jamieson, Michael Burns, Panda, Paul Laird, Bob Laird, Simon Laird, Mark Fairbairn, Will Page, Tom Page, Graeme Baxter (big time thanks), Sean Japp, Cat Young, Auld Jock, Pete Therapist, Andy Ahmed, Ian Porterfield, Sir James, Barbara Young, Jonny Marshall, Mr Cunningham, Gail Stevenson, Helen Garton, Boris, Portobello Jambo, Colin J.M Barrett, all @ The Diggers Bar, Scott Hughes, DD, Derek Hook, Franco, Nicky Cull, Craig Campbell, Catriona Peat and Sinead Healy. Also, Brian, Penny, Joanna, Morag and Claudia Barron (two of whom made the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, much to my disgust), Frank & Cheryl Taylor (hope to see you soon), Fran & Simon, Gary & Elly, Gordon & Diane, Alan McNaught, Yolanda Wringe, John and Pam, Estelle Liebenberg, Ian Bowie, Das Root, Lovecraft, Tynecastle Terrace, Robert James, Denise & Rebecca Bowie, Stuart, Louise, Emily, Cameron, Kayleigh & the entire Wallace family, Paul Taylor, Pat, Donald Henderson and Andrew Henderson, Sarah Gardiner, Kerrin, Fiona & Joe Lumsden, my mum, JambosKickback.co.uk; boysinmaroon.co.uk; ATB; The splendid londonhearts.com website; and not least, Apex Publishing.

...and to Lesley, Jude-Lauren and Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

Foreword

When I was asked to write the foreword for this book, I thought I was introducing a simple story of an ordinary guy supporting a football team. But this is much more than that. It is a story, but one written with passion and comedy, not only about the Hearts, but growing up in the housing schemes of Edinburgh too. This story is an affectionate account of the highs and lows of following Edinburghs oldest and greatest football club, but in a way Ive never read before. There is real life in this book; real sadness and real laughter. Ive known the authors brother, Bobby for years and youll laugh out loud when you read about these two brothers being forced into sharing the same post code! I grew up not far from Tynecastle, and I recognised the places and streets, as well as some of the people that Andrew writes about in his book. Those of us who know and love Heart of Midlothian FC; and what the club means to the supporters; and who have lived their lives in the outlying areas from Gorgie will be in for a real treat. But no matter where youre from, and no matter what team you support, if any at all; youll find this book to be a moving and humorous journey through life in the 80s, 90s and beyond. This is a story of an ordinary Hearts supporter, but whose talent for telling his story is anything but ordinary.