In celebration of Hearts’ 150th year, the Gorgie outfit are set to welcome English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur to Tynecastle for a glamour friendly on this evening.
It will be the first time the sides have met for 13 years, when the two sides were drawn against each other in the UEFA Europa League. It was a tie which Spurs won 5-0 on aggregate, thanks to a first-leg demolition in Edinburgh.
Goals from Rafeal Van der Vaart, Jermain Defoe and Jake Livermore put the visitors into a commanding lead after just 30 minutes before strikes from Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon ensured the North London side would qualify for the next stage with consummate ease. Hearts would perform admirably in the second leg, drawing 0-0 at White Hart Lane - but the damage was already done by that stage.
While the 2011/2012 season started with the this heavy defeat, it would end in glory for Hearts as they lifted the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park, defeating rivals Hibs 5-1 at the home of Scottish football.
9. Danny Grainger - Hearts
After departing Tynecastle, Grainger had stints at St Mirren and Dunfermline before moving south to play for Carlisle, where he spent five seasons. Following his retirement in 2019, he took up the role of player/manager at Northern Premier League Workington, before he left to join Falkirk as assistant head coach under manager Paul Sheerin - where he was briefly caretaker manager. After his spell with the Bairns didn't work out, he returned to Workington as manager once again. Currently the assistant manager to Derek Adams at Morecambe in EFL League Two, where he joined last month. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602
10. Benoit Assou-Ekotto - Spurs
Famously quoted as he saying football was not his passion, it may shock you to discover that he admits he "misses the intensity" of the game and still watches EPL games on TV. Now 40, the Cameroonian full-back retired in 2018 at Metz but has taken up amateur football, where he plays for free. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602
11. Ian Black - Hearts
A controversial move to Rangers came a year after the 5-0 defeat to Spurs. Moving to the Gers after they were demoted to the fourth tier of Scottish football, the move did not work out. He departed for Shrewsbury Town in 2017 and gradually fell down the leagues, before retirement in 2021 following spells in England's lower leagues before spells with Tranent and Dunbar United. Was last reported to have changed careers and has began work as a tiler. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602
12. Aaron Lennon - Spurs
Capped by England 13 times, the pacey winger hung up his boots in 2022 after spells with Spurs, Everton, Kayserispor and Burnley. Lennon, now 37, was reported to be close to the completion of his UEFA B Licences recently. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602