Ask any Hearts fan when the wheels began to actually fall off the Vladimir Romanov wagon, they usually’d probably level to a chilly October morning in 2006.
This was nothing to do with the revolving door of managers, a door which stored turning regardless of league positions.
This was a dressing room revolution, uncovered and laid naked by essentially the most highly effective among the many squad, in opposition to the person on the high.
“Chaps, simply to make you conscious that I will make an announcement and we’ll reply no questions,” captain Steven Pressley informed the assembled journalists as he walked in beside midfielder Paul Hartley and goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
As they took their seats behind a bit of desk, busy with microphones and cables, and cameras flashing simply inches from their noses, the Riccarton Three had their second.
This was not going to be your run of the mill information convention. It took nearly all gathered there, together with these working for the membership, by full shock.
Nicely, everybody besides BBC Scotland’s Brian McLauchlin…
“That morning, I obtained a textual content from a participant asking me if I used to be attending the media convention,” McLauchlin remembers. “I mentioned ‘sure’. He mentioned ‘get there early, get a entrance seat, this’ll be enjoyable.’
“It was dynamite.”