IT’S a phrase which could easily be spoken by a Game of Thrones character just before they head into battle.

“Fire in the belly, and ice in the brain.”

This is what the players of Hearts and Hibernian will require come Wednesday when the 336th Edinburgh derby takes place at Tynecastle. Whether these wise words will be heeded after the whistle is blown remains highly debatable.

However, Billy Brown does know this game as well as most, having twice been assistant to Jim Jefferies at Hearts, and then he moved across the Capital to Easter Road for a spell as coach.

There is nothing he hasn’t experienced in a fixture which Brown admitted makes him want to be back on the touchline again, just a yard of so from the madness.

“A few weeks ago I would have said Hibs were favourites but what with Hearts winning a few games, and with Hibs losing to Aberdeen so badly last week, I’m now not so sure,” said Brown. “It’s close to call and I’m really looking forward to it. They were brilliant games to be involved in.

“The key is not getting caught up in the occasion, which is easier said than done. The best players Jim and I had at Hearts were able to rise above it all, and we won far more derbies than we lost. Although my record in the games wasn’t so good at Hibs.

“I’ve watched many an experienced player get lost in the moment. It’s vitally important they play with their heads as much as anything. That’s what Jim and I would always tell them. Sometimes the message got in!

“I always loved the New Year Day game, which isn’t a thing any more. That was extra special but these games always are. I’ve heard a few people say that this now tops even the Old Firm. I’m not going to argue with that.”

Craig Levein, obviously, gets this fixture. He never lost many as a player or manager for that matter. Neil Lennon has already beaten Hearts this season, a 1-0 win at Easter Road, and was victorious in the Scottish Cup in the previous campaign.

“I like the fact there are two passionate managers,” said Brown. “I like both. Neil and Craig will make sure the players know what is at stake.

“They are great games when you win. It’s just awful to lose and I’ve had one or two mishaps down the years.”

That may be so but the Jefferies/Brown partnership had the hex over Hibs for most of their time at Tynecastle. It helped that they had a certain small striker to call upon who grew up a Hibee, only to score 27 derby goals for Hearts.

“What big Craig would give to have someone like John Robertson,” said Brown. “The wee man was incredible. He was born to play in this game. His record is phenomenal.

“When we went back to Hearts for a second time, I even suggested to Jim that we bring Robbo back for the week before we played Hibs as a striking coach. I actually just wanted to see the look on the Hibs faces when they saw him standing on the touchline.

“Stevie Fulton was great for us as well, and then Hibs started signing some good players such as Russell Latapy and Franck Sauzee. They started to give us more trouble.”

One such troublesome encounter came in Leith in 2000 when Hibs won 6-2. A tricky day for the Hearts bench.

“We are 2-1 up and playing really well, they score before half-time and then everything that could have gone wrong for us did,” recalled Brown. “That was the worst. You feel as if you’ve let people down.

“The game that really sticks out for me, funnily enough, wasn’t a win. It was actually a disappointing day but one in which we went through every emotion.

“We are 2-0 up at Tynecastle, Stevie got both, and Colin Cameron of all people misses a great chance to make it 3-0. Jim and I said to one another ‘this could be anything’ because we were playing so well.

“Honestly, if Colin had scored we would have got four, five six.

“Then from nowhere, Hibs get two goals and leave with a draw. That was a New Year day game. It had a bit of everything. We went through every emotion. I can’t recall another game in which I was on such a high and then feeling so deflated at the end.”

The first Edinburgh derby took place at East Meadows in the city on Christmas Day 1985, a 1-0 win to Hearts who 280 wins to Hibs’ 144.

As Brown said: “There are few other fixtures with the history and tradition. This is where players can become legends for their respective clubs. Score a winner in the derby and that’s you a favourite for life.

“Look, there have been dull games. The teams can cancel on another out; however, I have a feeling Wednesday is going to be a classic.

“Hearts were outstanding against Celtic. Good on Craig for putting in the young players such as Harry Cochrane who was superb. Neil has got some seriously good players we well like John McGinn. I can’t see it being a 0-0.

“Both managers will want their team to take the right to the other, to get the ball down and play their usual game and keep a cool head. The side which controls their emotions tends to win.

“I do miss them. The run-up, the tension, the games themselves. I’m jealous of everyone who is going to be involved on Wednesday.”