Ron Gordon is ready to welcome Hearts back to the Scottish Premiership - provided they stay below Hibs.
The Edinburgh derby is back on the fixture calendar after a season-long absence thanks to the Jambos winning the Championship at the first time of asking.
That’s not to say they’ve been complete strangers. The 2020 Scottish Cup semi-final between the two took place last October, with Hearts inflicting a bitter blow on their top flight opponents with a 2-1 extra-time win at Hampden.
Gordon has now seen four Edinburgh derbies while at the helm of the Hibees and has seen them win only once.
The club’s official season ticket tag line of “This is our city” has caused some amusement on the maroon half of the capital
But Gordon can’t wait for the rivalry to be renewed properly, having been raised on the Peruvian Clasico between Allianz Lima and his believed Universitario.
“I loved my first experience of the [Edinburgh] derby and I think it is great they are back,” he said. “ Hearts are a huge club and it is good for Edinburgh, and the city is excited, so having them back will be a wonderful thing from a business perspective and from a competitor perspective.
“At the end of the day, I will only enjoy having them back so long as we are sitting above them near the top of the table. That will be perfect.
“But derbies are good for the game. Having Dundee United back this season and then Hearts and Dundee. We could have a very solid Premiership next year with the biggest clubs in Scotland back in the league.
“Having big city derbies again is great. They generate that passion and the battle for the bragging rights. That’s very important and it’s good for our game.
“When I was growing up, the two biggest teams in Peru were La U and Allianz Lima… those were always packed stadiums and there was lots of rivalry and excitement, and good games. I think it’s the same with the Edinburgh derby or the Old Firm match. It gets everybody excited because it has so much meaning.
“I think you see that in every country, El Clasico in Spain, the Boca Juniors and River Plate, in Argentina. In football countries those big matches create an excitement that is well beyond the game itself so having Hearts back will be great for Edinburgh, we look forward to having the derby again.
"I know it has only been one year so it hasn’t been too bad but it will be good for the city.”
