Hearts big interview: Julien Brellier speaks on why he wants to return to Tynecastle - but why he'll do it quietly

Thirteen years have lapsed since that ‘Le Juge’ flag appeared regularly at Tynecastle Park. The most exhilarating two seasons of Julien Brellier’s career were in Edinburgh and he is overdue a return. The first thing he will do when travel restrictions lift is book a trip to Scotland to show friends the Capital city – and the stadium where he became a cult hero.

Coronavirus forced football into shutdown earlier this month and reminded Brellier how much he misses the game. He retired more than a decade ago and now sells electric wheelchairs for the disabled in south-east France. He is not an avid fan of football on television but certain clubs tug at the heartstrings. Pun fully intended.

It is 13 years since that No.28 shirt trimmed with Hummel arrows and Ukio Bankas logo hung out the front of his shorts. Thirteen years since Brellier patrolled midfield with authority using his own simple but effective style. Thirteen years since he endeared himself to Hearts supporters for life. Thirteen years too long.

"I had a chat the other day with two of my good friends who live close to me,” he tells the Evening News. “We are planning to go to Edinburgh later this year. I have not been back since 2007.

“We would like to spend three or four days there and maybe watch a game - a Hearts game, not Hibs. I had a look on the internet and I saw the new stand at Tynecastle.

"Edinburgh is a nice city but my friends don't know it. I told them it is a very good place. I told them about the football and they know my two favourite years in football were spent in Edinburgh. When I speak about the city, I can tell them the people are very nice and friendly. More friendly than in France. French people are not very friendly.”

This one is an exception. Many fans would love to see Brellier back, even just for one day, but he would prefer to slip in and out of Gorgie quietly. "I don't know if people will recognise me because I am old now," he laughs. He is only 38. "I have a lot more white hair."

They will recognise him no problem. While he won’t contact Hearts in advance to volunteer for a half-time appearance on the Tynecastle pitch, he is guaranteed to be noticed wherever he sits in the stadium.

"I will not call Hearts to tell them I am coming. I will just go to the stadium and watch a game. I don't really like to go and say: 'Julien is coming.' I don't like the attention. I liked being in Edinburgh when people would recognise me and they would be very friendly. But, to go to the stadium and go on the pitch, I don't know if I would like it.”

There will be no fixtures for Brellier and his mates to attend at Hearts or anywhere else for the foreseeable future. The current global pandemic has brought most of Europe to a standstill and left thousands of people dead. Football pales into insignificance by comparison.

The hope is that games might return in June, although it is difficult to predict whether coronavirus will have regressed sufficiently in time for that to happen. For now, Brellier is following government guidelines and staying indoors like everyone else.

"I'm on my own because I'm single now,” he explains. “My daughter is 18 so she is older. I'm quite a quiet person and I'm okay being alone. I don't think I'm in the worst situation, I think other people will find it more difficult. I spend time in the garden and I'm happy with that at this moment. I use FaceTime to speak with my friends, my parents and my grandparents.

"I'm not in contact with anyone in football. I had a lot of friends in football when I was playing but it's been more than ten years now since I stopped. I was in contact with two Italians I used to play with and life is very bad there. I don't usually watch a lot of football but now I will appreciate it more when it comes back.”

He will encounter a whole range of emotions when he finally walks back into Tynecastle. He can only hope it is still a top-flight venue when that time comes. "I saw Hearts are bottom of the league now but hopefully they will come back,” says Brellier.

"The best memory there was Paul Hartley's goal against Aberdeen on the night we qualified for the Champions League. It is difficult to choose one memory, though. I have so many memories and so many happy times in this stadium. We won a lot of games. It was two good years for me and everybody in the team.”

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