FORMER Hearts midfielder Kenny Black believes Calum Elliot can win over the club's supporters in the same way he did over two decades ago.
Elliot has come in for criticism in recent months from Jambos fans who have been left frustrated by under-par performances from their side.
However, caretaker boss Stephen Frail has publicly backed the youngster and called on those in the stand to
get right behind him in the remaining games of the season and Black is convinced that the striker can silence his doubters in the best way possible.
Black, now Airdrie manager, believes that the 20-year-old has suffered from an extra weight of pressure on his young shoulders because he is one of the only local boys in the Hearts line-up.
But he has no doubt that the striker has what it takes to make the grade in the SPL and said: "He was put out on loan to Motherwell last season and I think that maybe knocked him back a little bit in terms of confidence.
"There's no doubting the fact that he has huge potential though.
"He's not had much luck recently and he was sent off a few weeks ago, which didn't really help him because he was struggling to get into the starting line-up at that time.
"There are a few foreigners at Tynecastle right now so whenever a local young player comes in people at the club and in the stands are always willing him to do well.
"When that's the case you really need your own identity and when things are not going your way then it can be difficult and his performances have maybe not been what they could have.
"But I'm sure he'll get there."
If anyone should know how Elliot feels right now, it is Black, pictured below, as he also found himself singled out for criticism.
He was part of the side which lost the league on the final day of the 1985/86 season and in the Scottish Cup final which followed just a week later, and knows only too well how Elliot and co feel when frustrations boil over in the stands.
However he believes that the young striker can handle the pressure – and that he could even turn it into something of a positive.
"A similar thing happened with me when I was at Tynecastle," Black revealed. "I was there for five years and fans always have their favourites and because of the type of player I was, I always wanted to get on the ball.
"That meant that if we gave the ball away they sometimes took their frustrations out on me and you have got to work out a way of blanking that out. There are two ways that you can look at it. You can either let the boos get on top of you and you become nervous and retreat into your shell, or you can take it on the chin and let it make you more determined to go out and show people what you can do.
"If you're nervous then things can just go from bad to worse because you're always aware of the crowd maybe getting on your back.
"I was determined not to let it affect me and I think Calum can do the same. He has certainly got the work ethic and people know that he is giving 100 per cent for the club.
"If he can continue to work hard then the supporters will see that and hopefully he can get a few goals under his belt and get back to enjoying his football again."
While Black believes Elliot can overcome the difficulties he has faced so far this season, he also feels that Hearts have begun to resurrect their campaign.
The Jambos have won their last three games on the bounce and have kept three clean sheets in the process, a source of much pleasure for caretaker boss and former defender Frail.
"Hearts have certainly picked themselves up in the last few weeks," added Black.
"I looked at the league table towards the end of the year and I couldn't believe the position they were sitting in at the time.
"But they seem to have turned things around a bit, they've won their last three league games in a row and with that comes confidence. That will be good for the players and it will have them looking forward to games again and going into matches believing that they can win them.
"There's not a lot in it in terms of points and it is amazing how quickly things can turn round for you.
"If Hearts can just keep this run going then it is more than possible for them to completely turn it on its head within the space of just a few weeks."
Black believes that a key component in Hearts' turnaround has been the appointment of Frail as caretaker manager – and the decision to give him sole control over team matters during his time in charge. Since then Hearts have looked a different proposition altogether and Black is keen for Vladimir Romanov to offer Frail the position on a permanent basis at least until the end of the season.
He added: "I think that the sensible option is to offer the job to Stephen Frail, even if it is until the end of the season initially.
"He is a good man, he knows what he is talking about and the players obviously like him.
"When they were going through their really torrid spell he got the players going again and it's to such an extent that they all really want to be playing and going into training every day.
"That filters through to the supporters and before you know it you have a good buzz about the place again and a good atmosphere at the ground. The players really seem to be playing for the jersey again and that's how it should be."
Hearts travel to Parkhead this weekend knowing that a victory could see them into the top six, if results elsewhere go their way.
The Glasgow side have already been defeated by Hearts on their home patch and Black wouldn't be surprised if Andrius Velicka, who scored twice that day, hits the back of the net again on Saturday.
"He clearly knows where the goal is and he's done really well for Hearts so far this season whenever he has played.
"He's really endeared himself to the supporters with his goals and with his attitude because he really just goes out there and gets on with it.
"Hearts have already won at Parkhead this season and Velicka has already scored there this season too so there's no reason why they can't go there and do the same again this time." Black's Airdrie side are riding high in the Second Division this season, sitting in second place behind leaders Ross County.
They face Brechin in the league this weekend and he's hoping for a victory that would keep them on course for something to celebrate this time round after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last season.
He added: "We're in second place right now, despite a really inconsistent start to the season.
"There were games that we were losing in the latter stages but we have managed to cut that out and we are reaping the benefits.
"The three teams at the top are the three full-time teams so I think it has probably panned out the way that most people would have imagined so far, but hopefully we will be in a different order come the final day of the season.
"We were really disappointed with the way that it finished up last season with the play-offs but we've won 11 of our last 13 games and hopefully we can keep that up. We play Ross County in a few weeks' time and that really will be the big one for us.
"They are the form team in the league right now and they have a bigger squad than us but we want it just as much as them and the boys are working really hard in training and in games for us.
"All we can do though is take it one game at a time, keep our heads down and working hard and hopefully it will pay off for us come the end of the season."
A VITAL COG IN THE DOUBLE ASSAULT ON GLORY IN 1985-86KENNY BLACK played more than 250 matches for the Jambos in a little under five years at Tynecastle.
The former midfielder made his first appearance for the club in July 1984 and was a first-team regular until he was sold to Portsmouth for £350,000 in 1989. He played alongside the likes of John Roberston, Gary Mackay, Walter Kidd and Henry Smith and was an integral part of the team that came within a whisker of winning a league and Scottish Cup double in the 1985/86 season.
The Jambos needed only a point away to Dundee on the final match of the season to pip Celtic to the title but agonisingly lost two goals in the final seven minutes to lose out.
Just a week later a shattered Hearts squad were beaten 3-0 in the Scottish Cup final by Aberdeen to end one of the most exciting seasons in their history with nothing to show for their efforts.
