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Player
of the Year 2008 The Association Player of the Year for 2008, voted for by the membership of the association, for the second year running, is: Christophe Berra
Player of the Year Dinner 2008
 Christophe
Berra - The Shareholders' Association Player of the Year 2007/08
Image copyright Edinburgh Evening News. Reproduced with permission. The Association’s final meeting of the season on 24 April was very well attended with two-hundred and five members and guests present in The Gorgie Suite to welcome captain Christophe Berra as he received his award as The Association’s Player of the Year for season 2007/08 from Chairman Alex Gowans. Christophe was accompanied by runner-up Steve Banks and team mate Ibrahim Tall. Third-placed Andy Driver will attend a meeting early in the new season. Christophe thanked everyone for the award as he greatly appreciated the honour of being chosen by the supporters. It had been a long hard season with a lot of disappointments but the team would work hard on building for next year. Hopefully there would be a good pre-season and the team could look forward to bringing success back to Tynecastle. Stephen Frail had changed a number of things since January and the good run of results since then with only defeats by Rangers and Celtic had shown what the team was capable of. Asked why the 4-2 victory over Rangers was light years ahead of all other performances this season, Christophe replied that all the players seemed to raise their game that day but unfortunately had not done it more often when they needed to. Steve agreed adding that he could not pinpoint why everything went so well during that game and not in other matches. There was a lengthy exchange on the issue of the players, including younger players, continually referred to Stephen Frail, even in interviews with the media, by his nickname “Shaggy” (after the cartoon character in “Scooby Doo”) rather than “boss” or “gaffer”. It was felt by some supporters that this familiarity conveyed the impression of a lack of respect within the squad for the caretaker manager and suggested a lack of discipline which reflected badly on the club to the outside world. Christophe replied that there was certainly no lack of respect for the manager shown by any member of the club and they all knew the disciplinary boundaries. Stephen Frail had said himself at a recent function when asked the same question that he had no problem with people referring to him by his nickname and actually encouraged others to address him that way. Both Steve and Ibby backed up Christophe on this issue. Asked about how close he had been to signing for Rangers in the latter part of the season Steve responded that an offer was made that was turned down by Hearts. He did not have any conversation with Rangers. Quizzed about the most difficult opponents they had come up against in their careers, Ibby picked Didier Drogba from when he played in France; Steve went for Shunsuke Nakamura of Celtic as his swerving free-kicks often gave him problems. Christophe chose no specific player but said that forwards from lower league teams were often a handful as they were always out to prove something against a bigger club. Ibby drew the winning raffle ticket for his own commemorative 'Poppy' signed shirt worn against Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Remembrance Sunday 2007 and personally presented the shirt there and then to the delighted winner Richard Lodge of Edinburgh. The guys answered a variety of questions from the audience, among them; the state of some SPL pitches, the all-in wrestling in the box at corner kicks and free-kicks (Christophe “I just get close to my opponent”), Hearts’ negative press, and the best young players coming through from the Academy.  Ibrahim Tall
presents his commemorative 'Poppy' shirt to winner Richard Lodge
Both at the beginning and end of the evening, Christophe, Ibby and Steve posed for pictures and signed numerous autographs. Thank you guys for coming along and giving those present another very enjoyable and entertaining evening. As The Association’s programme of meetings comes to an end for another season, the Committee would like to express our grateful thanks to the club, particularly the Commercial Department for their very generous assistance and support, all of our guest speakers, many of whom did not ask for a fee, and last, but certainly by no means least, to the Membership for their great support of The Association throughout the year. By attending the dinners in large numbers, bringing along guests, buying raffle tickets and donating prizes all helped to increase the funds of The Association which in turn results in a larger annual donation to Hearts Youth Development and other good cause associated with Hearts.  Christophe Berra, Steve
Banks, Chairman Alex Gowans and Ibrahim Tall.
Player of the Year Dinner 2007
26th April 2007 - HMSA Player of the Year Craig Gordon The Association’s final meeting of the season on 26 April was very well attended with two-hundred and twenty members and guests present in The Gorgie Suite to give a great ovation to Hearts and Scotland Number One Craig Gordon as he received his award as The Association’s Player of the Year for season 2006/07 from Chairman Alex Gowans. (Craig had requested gift vouchers in preference to a trophy this time.) He was accompanied by team mates Christophe Berra who was runner-up and Andy Driver who was third in the voting.  Chairman
Alex Gowans congratulates Craig Gordon on being voted The Shareholders'
Association
Player of the Year 2006/07 flanked by runner-up Christophe Berra and third-placed Andy Driver. Craig said he felt honoured to have been chosen as The Association’s Player of the Year for the second successive season as it was always special to be selected by your own supporters and he thanked everyone who voted for him. Taking questions from the audience, the players spoke of their pleasure and satisfaction with the recent away victory over Hibs and how the team had been even more determined to take all three points after the comments from the other side following the previous derby. The poor performance against Dundee United had been a turning point in the relationships in the dressing room and the result at Easter Road was not about spoiling their party, it was about getting pride back for the boys in maroon. When requested to name any young players who stood out at the Academy Gary Glen and Eggert Jonsson were among those tipped to have a great future before Craig, Christophe and Andy were put on the spot when asked to state what they felt were their own particular qualities as players. The boys were spared their own blushes by choosing to talk about each others’ skills and abilities instead. The inconsistency in referees’ decision-making in matches involving Hearts against both halves of the Old Firm was raised. Craig agreed it was a common occurrence and so very frustrating but just something that they had to accept. Inevitably in view of all the media speculation Craig was asked if he would be leaving Hearts. He replied that if he did he would certainly not be going to Russia as Laryea Kingston had told him his car had been shot at when he was there! Craig said he would eventually like to test himself at the highest level on a regular basis. He had played opposite Gianluigi Buffon of Italy and Spain’s Iker Cassilas, both of whom he greatly admired and felt he had competed on an equal footing in these games. He stressed that he did not see a move to either Rangers or Celtic as a step up in his career. (So the west coast media can forget any quotes about “the dream move to the team he has always wanted to play for”, because Craig is already with the club he always wanted to play for!) Responding to a question about playing matches at Murrayfield, Christophe said that it was a different atmosphere to Tynecastle and not as good. The players preferred Tynecastle as the supporters were closer to the pitch and it was a more intimidating venue for the opposition. Other issues discussed included: different coaches employing different tactics, inconsistent performances this season, particularly at home, the standard of the SPL and reaction to Dunfermline Athletic’s Jim McIntyre’s ‘dinked’ penalty in the Scottish Cup semi-final (which produced a big cheer from the audience).  Member
John Kerr is presented with Craig Gordon's signed jersey from Craig
himself ably assisted by team mates Andy Driver and Christophe Berra. Congratulations to Member John Kerr who won Craig’s signed shirt in the raffle; Craig personally handed over the top to John who must have the magic touch when it comes to picking tickets as he won two signed players’ shirts in a raffle at a previous Association dinner. The players received a standing ovation at the end of the evening and kindly stayed on to pose for photographs and sign autographs. Our thanks to the boys for giving up their time and making The Association’s final meeting of this season another night to remember. The Committee would like to express our grateful thanks to the club, particularly the Commercial Department for their very generous assistance this season and last, but certainly by no means least, to the Membership for their wonderful support of The Association throughout the year. By attending the dinners in large numbers, bringing along guests, buying raffle tickets and donating prizes all helped to increase the finances of The Association which in turn results in a larger annual donation to Hearts Youth Development and other good cause associated with Hearts. Player of the Year Dinner 2006
27th April 2006 - HMSA Player of the Year Craig Gordon plus guests Julien Brellier, Assistant Coach John McGlynn and Youth Academy Director John Murray. There was a magnificent turn out with almost 300 members and guests packed into The Gorgie Suite to see Chairman Alex Gowans present the Shareholders Association’s Player of the Year award for 2005/06 – a beautiful crystal football on a base – into the very safe hands of Scotland’s Number One, Craig Gordon. The Evening News sent along a photographer to capture the occasion. It was quite a week for Craig as just a few days earlier he received the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year award – a silver salver – and we were delighted that he brought it with him to the dinner.  John McGlynn, Julien Brellier, Alex Gowan, Craig Gordon and John Murray Julien Brellier, runner-up for the award is one of the most popular players at Tynecastle, judging by the reception he received as he stepped up to be presented with a set of champagne flute glasses. It was quite a productive evening for Julien as he also won a pair of Hearts crested whiskey glasses in the raffle. Treasurer Bill Alves handed over the Association’s annual donation to Hearts Youth Development in the form of cheque for £5,000 to Academy Director John Murray to fund the cost of producing a promotional brochure highlighting the facilities available to young players at Hearts Youth Academy at Riccarton, just outside Edinburgh. Craig Gordon is a product of the youth system and both John McGlynn and John Murray spoke of their pride in seeing how well he had progressed and developed into one of the finest goalkeepers in the game although Craig admitted he only became a goalkeeper because he could not run – and still cannot! The guests answered questions from the audience on a variety of subjects: the alternative physiotherapy and fitness methods employed at the club, the contribution made by Vladimir Romanov in restoring Hearts to the forefront of Scottish football, the standard of refereeing in games involving Hearts, how the team would prepare for the Cup Final and why Andy Webster and Julien had been omitted from the line-up to the inevitable “who picks the team?” question. At the end of the evening’s formal proceedings, lengthy queues formed at the top table as Craig and Julien stayed behind to sign autographs and pose for photographs. A big thank you to Craig, Julien and the two Johns for coming along and giving members such a memorable evening.
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