It is becoming increasingly common, this spectacle of grown men weeping at football matches. But enough of Rangers' problems. Let's concentrate on Hearts and the day they were at last rewarded for their efforts in pursuing class football on a low budget.

For the neutral, the cup final was a rich and colourful experience. A bunch of Jambos unfurled the longest banner I've ever seen at Celtic Park. But then your banner has to be long to get on the words ''Hearts of Midlothian Linlithgow & District Supporters Club''.

As a Celtic neutral, there was a certain amount of pride that this still unfinished stadium provides such a monumental setting. And a sense of embarrassment at the ineptitude of the Celtic Park services.

Fans queued for up to half-an- hour for a cool, soft drink on a sweltering day and the public areas of the stadium are filthy during matches. This is something Mr Super Efficient Businessman Fergus McCann may like to turn his attention to if he really wants to take Celtic Park all the way into the future.

The game? Fascinating. Rangers presumably put Ian Ferguson in to nullify any Hearts midfield creativity. In a matter of 30 seconds he had upended Steve Fulton near the halfway line and scythed him down in the penalty box. The plan had gone wrong and little else would go right for Rangers. Ian Davidson, MP for Ibrox and a fellow spectator, used some unparliamentary, but entirely appropriate, language to characterise some of the shapeless play served up by both teams.

But there was enough in the match to satisfy the neutral - from that breathtakingly early penalty to the strength-sapping five or six minutes of injury time.

It was refreshing, as with Kilmarnock's cup victory last year, to see a team outwith the Old Firm lift a trophy.

So Rangers suffered a third sorrowful Saturday.

The Rangers fans are often criticised for irritability and failure to hang around when their team is down. On Saturday they were magnificent. They stayed on to cheer their team, some departing heroes, some fallen heroes, and some men in blue who never will be heroes.

One consolation is that Rangers should get a slightly easier start in Europe next season. They might even draw that Charlie Chaplin pub team from Andorra who have apparently qualified again for the UEFA Cup. If so, my suggestion is to follow, follow in great numbers. I was there with Dundee United last year. The duty free shops are brilliant.