To coincide with the launch of Ted Brack's latest book, The Game On New Year's Day (now available to purchase from the Hibernian Clubstore), which chronicles the famous 7-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle in 1973, www.hibernianfc.co.uk also rewinds the clock and focuses on that big victory, almost 40 years after the full time whistle.

An Edinburgh Derby is always a demanding proposition, but on 1 January, 1973 something extraordinary happened when 'Turnbull's Tornadoes' blew into Tynecastle and the result has since become part of Hibernian folklore.

Before kick-off, Hibernian had chalked up an impressive seven successive wins - including the League Cup Final triumph over Celtic.

But not one of the 35, 989 crowd could have predicted the spellbinding brilliance conjured up by the men in green over the course of the ensuing 90 minutes.

In front of an expectant home support, Hearts created some early chances, but failed to seriously trouble Jim Herriot in the Hibernian goal.

Then the visitors broke the deadlock on nine minutes when Erich Schaedler's long throw caused confusion in the Hearts goalmouth and Jimmy O'Rourke hammered a beautifully-struck shot into the roof of the net.

Buoyant and upbeat, Hibernian attacked again with Alex Edwards dispatching a measured throughball which sliced open the Hearts defence and Alan Gordon slipped past his marker before tucking his shot into the net.

Leading by a two-goal margin after just 15 minutes, Hibernian were at their irresistible best and Arthur Duncan exploited a defensive mistake to make it three 12 minutes later.

Then 10 minutes before the half-time break, Alex Cropley broke Hearts with a full-blooded volley drilled into the bottom corner of the net; arguably the pick of the bunch.

Rather than resting on their laurels, Hibernian continued to press forward and, after a well-worked short corner, Duncan's glancing header slipping into the net to make it five before the interval.

Almost 11 minutes into the second half, Hibernian cranked up the pressure even further when Pat Stanton's surge from midfield left a trail of bewildered defenders in his wake and his low cross was nudged over the line by O'Rourke.

Popular full-back Schaedler ignited the final goal when his lung-bursting run and tackle freed Duncan on the left wing.

Then Gordon met the resulting cross with a phenomenal header that flew into the Hearts' net; finishing off an incredible display.

Now 37 years on, Stanton remembers that it was a tougher match than the scoreline suggests, although acknowledges it was a special day to be a Hibee.

Stanton said: "I remember Hearts had a couple of good chances to go head early on, but they snatched at both of them.

"Then Hibs started to get going and the goals just started to come.

"Some people say that the Hibs-Hearts match is just another game and it certainly is if you are just looking at it as league points.

"But you tell the people of Edinburgh that it is just another game. The game brings with it a unique rivalry and level of competition.

"It was hard at stages, but the goals came easy in the first half and you never thought you'd be sitting at half-time being five goals up.

"I can remember at half-time one of the coaches saying: This is what you dream about when you're a kid; to be five goals up at Tynecastle on New Year's Day.

"But then Eddie Turnbull said: Forget about five-nothing - you've got to go out and do it all again in the second half.

"He was right because we needed to go out there with the right attitude.

"In the second half, Hearts did come at us, but Eddie had told us that if we sat tight then we would get other opportunities to score and that is exactly what we did.

"Usually after a game, Jimmy (O'Rourke), Alan Gordon and I would find some quiet wee bar for a couple of pints, but I think that after that game we were too excited to go out, so we just went home."

In the relentless pursuit for on-field perfection, some teams never get anywhere near reaching their optimum collective performance, but there is no disputing that day Hibernian scaled the heights and rose to the occasion with imperious excellence.

Hibernian: Jim Herriot, John Brownlie, Erich Schaedler, Pat Stanton, Jim Black, John Blackley, Alex Edwards, Jimmy O'Rourke, Alan Gordon, Alex Cropley, Arthur Duncan.

To read an in depth account of Turnbull's Tornadoes' most celebrated result, please get your hands on a copy of The Game on New Year's Day (the perfect Christmas gift for your favourite Hibby).