Hardie Happy to beat Hoops

Martin Hardie: "I must have a word with Davie Moyes, I expected to play 90 minutes!"

Martin Hardie enjoyed his return to East End Park on Sunday to play in the Jock Stein 30th anniversary charity match. He told the website how it was good to beat Celtic after failing in nine previous attempts while at Partick Thistle, Kilmarnock, St Johnstone and Dunfermline:-

"It is good to be back at East End. It was a great crowd for a special occasion and great obviously to get a win over Celtic considering I don't think I ever beat them in my career. That was pleasing."

With Martin on for the second half and the Pars attacking the goal at the McCathie Stand end where his goal against Raith Rovers had made him a lifetime in his own playing career, the East End Park crowd encouraged him to shoot at every opportunity. Eventually the 39 year old got the chance to try something special:-

"I had a wee side foot volley. I just saw the chance and thought 'och it's a charity game I will just have a go.' I was expecting it to land up in row Z as they say, but it hit the junction of post and crossbar."

Martin was brought up as a Celtic fan and has taken in video after video of Celtic achievements under Jock Stein. He was only eight when the Scotland manager died at Cardiff. Martin continued:-

"It is a great occasion to come and play with real Dunfermline Legends. These were guys that I watched on Sportscene when I was a kid and then playing against some fantastic Celtic players.

"We are not as quick and fast as we used to be but the brain still works. I thought stand outs in the Celtic team were Simon Donnelly and wee Mark Burchill, you could tell that they still keep fit.

"For us you could see that they still have quality only not as fit as we used to be. I never played with Andrius Skerla, he played for his country and it was great for me to play alongside someone like him."

Pre match and changing room banter was just like the old days with the same old jokes. Martin had his own line:-

"I must have a word with Davie Moyes, I expected to play 90 minutes!"

Martin Hardie is now the Assistant Manager at Yoker juniors who are based in Clydebank He played fifteen minutes on Saturday having come on as a late sub and believe it or not scored from a free kick.

"My brother in law asked me to come in and help him. I thought why not. I take the training and he still plays as a centre half. I am more on the touchline but still come on for twenty minutes or so."