JIM Jefferies tells a story about the 1996 Scottish Cup final which would melt the heart of even the biggest Hibee in Leith.

Well, maybe not.

After losing 5-1 to Rangers on an afternoon when Gary Locke badly injured his knee after a few minutes, the drive back was bad enough until as they were about to come into Edinburgh and Jefferies spotted the open top bus booked by the club and, of course, never used. Ouch.

There were some right good players in that team who never got to win a trophy wearing the famous maroon. These days do not come about too often for clubs such as this one.

Two years later, Jefferies did win the Scottish Cup, a revenge victory over Rangers. Similar triumphs followed for Hearts in 2006 and 2010 and the mere mention of the players who brought the trophy back to Gorgie gives Jambs everywhere goosebumps.

Craig Levein has never got to do it as either player or manager. This is why he has made sure his team know that they will go down in Hearts history should they beat Celtic at Hampden Park on Saturday.

“I think the players do know they could be legends,” said the Hearts manager. “I think they do, yeah. I don’t think there will be any question about realising how important it is.

“It’s a great opportunity. I probably got closer to winning the cup at Dundee United than I did at Hearts. I played in a semi at Hearts and at United we played in a semi and a final and then of course Peter Houston won it with united after I had left.

“I had better successes there, if you call it success. That team at Dundee United, I kind of knew what they were going to do.

“Our performances this season have varied so much that it gives me hope because every know and then we throw in a performance. When we’re at a low ebb and low in confidence, we turn up. We’ve got a lot of players who are making their way in the game and are erratic and if they play well we play very well.

"That’s the thing that I’ve got in my mind that we’ve got one big performance in us and if we’re all good on that day then I think we’ve got a great chance.”

The closest Levein has come to winning a trophy came in 2008 when his Dundee United side were beaten by Rangers on penalties in the League cup final despite having led twice.

United were better on the day and were denied a clear-cut penalty. Best not to mention that, though.

Levein said "Don’t get me started. That game, I remember being one I was really proud of them after the game because we turned up and did everything we could to win.

"I felt the circumstances went against us a little bit and we’ve get a similar type of performance on the 25th of May I’ll be happy. It gives us a chance of winning and that’s what we need, a chance to win the game and that comes down…some of our players have varied in performance this year from a five out of ten to a ten out of ten, quite a lot of them actually, hence inconsistency has crept in recently.

"But the big thing for me is that I know we have a good chance if I can get everybody prepared properly."

And how is the manager feeling after what has been some season, highs, lows, a heart attack?

He said "Pretty good. We have had a very topsy-turvy season but the bit thing for me is that we still have that huge ball of excitement on the horizon.

"I feel there’s a level of excitement creeping in. We are doing some work for Sunday’s game but some parts will involve looking at the game the next week. I feel a sense they know the two things are related.”

"From that point of view there’s a lot for folk to think about, there is optimism around the club at the moment. Bring it on."