Edinburgh derby
[2] The matches that established the two clubs as the principal sides in Edinburgh was the five game struggle for the EFA Cup later that season, which Hearts won 3–2 after four previous attempts ended in draws.Hibs soon resumed operations and Hearts won 10–2 in a friendly match at Easter Road which marked their return.[6] The clubs contested the 1896 Scottish Cup final, which Hearts won 3–1 at Logie Green in Edinburgh.Hibs regained top division status in 1933–34, but all league football was suspended from 1939–40 to 1945–46 due to the Second World War.During this period, Hearts owner Wallace Mercer attempted to force through a merger of the two clubs by acquiring a majority shareholding in Hibs.[11] The match was played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, despite some fans proposing that it should be moved to Murrayfield Stadium, the largest venue in Edinburgh.Hibs gained some revenge for this defeat six months later by knocking Hearts out of the 2012–13 Scottish Cup, winning 1–0 in a fourth round tie at Easter Road.This meant that the city of Edinburgh was left without representation in the top tier of the Scottish league system for the first time in its history.[20] In the semi-finals of the 2019–20 Scottish Cup, which were delayed until the autumn by the pandemic,[21] Hearts won 2–1 after extra time against Hibs.The East of Scotland Shield is the only one of the local competitions that is contested by Hearts and Hibs today, albeit by young reserve teams.[30][31] In 1985, an Edinburgh select team composing of players from Hearts, Hibs and Meadowbank Thistle played Bayern Munich in a "Festival Cup" challenge match at Tynecastle.[33][34] Eventually, the clubs settled for playing a single derby match on the last Saturday before the start of the 2003–04 Scottish Premier League season.[39][40] Of the 94 Edinburgh derbies played at New Year, Hibs hold a slight lead of 32 to 30 wins by Hearts.[42][43] This was later described in The Scotsman as "Fawlty Towers ahead of itself" and adapted into a BBC Radio Four play by Scottish playwright, Andrew Dallmeyer.[43] Hearts have the better record in derbies, with 149 to 88 wins by Hibs in 340 matches played in the three main Scottish competitions.Smith played for Hearts and Dundee later in his career and became the only player to have won the Scottish league championship with three different clubs.