Heartfelt

by Aidan Smith (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2006

  $3.60

  Wrong. What if you were to change sides, sleep with the enemy, sup Bovril from the devil's cup? A lifelong Hibs fan takes on the challenge that TV's Faking It and Wifeswap were too scared to even contemplate - he tries to follow hated Edinburgh rivals Hearts for an entire season. Of course, he would have to pick one of the bleakest seasons in which to become a 'Jambo'. Hearts lose their manager and their best players ...their stadium and their very reason for being could be next. Meanwhile, across the city, he's missing Hibs playing their best football for more than 30 years and threatening to do something never achieved since Buffalo Bill was still alive ...win the Scottish Cup. Convinced that Hibs are from Mars and Hearts are from Uranus, the author embarks on the seemingly straightforward task of proving that Hibs are superior in every department - passing game, pies, the lot. He studies Jambo culture in all its forms, for Hearts fans dress differently and the world as viewed through maroon-tinted spectacles is not the one he knows. And then, as his old friends desert him and he gains new ones, as his adopted team start to play a bit, Dr Hibby starts to experience difficulty in turning back from Mr Jambo. Why isn't the green potion working anymore? ...

• Used

  Paperback
  2007

  $4.03

  A lifelong Hibs fan takes on the challenge that TV's Faking It and Wifeswap were too scared to even contemplate as he tries to follow his team's hated rivals Hearts for an entire season. With gritty realism and riveting detail, Aidan Smith demonstrates the importance of loyalty in being a fan. Going undercover, he swaps his colours, drinks in rivals' pubs and even sings their songs, trying to get under the skin of the opposition. His personal accounts of match days with his father and his affectionate appreciation of fan culture are as absorbing and insightful as Gary Imlach's My Father and Other Working-Class Football Heroes . Like Imlach's book, Heartfelt reveals the source of a fan's passion for their team and is a must-read for every football fan dedicated to the beautiful game.