Best of 2010: We reveal the ten contenders in our Best Fans search

WITH tens of thousands of dedicated football fans making regular pilgrimages to Tynecastle and Easter Road every season, selecting the 10 finalists for the Evening News' Best Hibs and Hearts fan was not easy.

Today, we profile the contenders for our "Best of 2010" awards. Divided by their allegiances, five Hibbies and five Jambos are vying a chance to be crowned their club's Best Fan.

Harry MacDonald, 94, has been a season ticket holder at Hearts since the 1950s. A Hearts spokesman described Harry as a true fan of the boys in maroon. "We are delighted as one of Hearts' oldest supporters that he is still out there cheering the team," he said.

Hearts-mad Shirley Ruickbie is devoted to the club that she was prepared to sit with rival fans in the home end at Easter Road during a recent derby. Her enthusiasm has rubbed off on her son who now accompanies her to games.

Fiona Trainer, 36, is a passionate Jambo who even bought her regular plastic seat from the club - it has now been mounted in the hallway of her Dalry home.

Jean Bogue, 49, sacrificed her own season ticket to pay for her two sons to go to games.

The Newtongrange mum wanted to bring up her boys with the same love for the Jambos she had growing up, so she sat at home listening to radio commentaries while the pair went to Tynecastle without her.

Loyal fan Neil Galloway, 36, still followed his boyhood team when he spent a decade living in Majorca - he established his own Hearts supporters club there, and led a three-day expedition to Bosnia to watch a European away game.

Hibs-daft George Petrie attends home and away fixtures including friendlies, European matches, reserve games, and the under-21 and under-19 teams.

Fellow fan Emma Finlayson's enthusiasm for Hibs is so infectious that even her Jambo-supporting pals get swept along by her fervour. From injuries to transfer targets, Hibs is her favourite topic of conversation.

Veteran Hibbie David McDermott, 74, has barely missed a game in years. He follows the team all around Scotland and also enjoys watching youth games.

At the other end of the age scale, Hibs tot Mirren Espey has worn the green and white kit since she was three months old, thanks to dad Tom. At the age of two-and-a-half she is one of the youngest supporters to carry her own season ticket at Easter Road.

Finally, Kelly Tarbet, 28, managed to convert her Celtic-supporting partner into a Hibbie, and while she was pregnant she attended every game up until she gave birth. The mum-of-three proudly watched her son Declan stroll out onto Easter Road as a mascot in the last Edinburgh derby of the season.