The Hearts contrast: From fan unrest and board protests to the Gorgie boys going to Europe

It seems entirely apt that Hearts can achieve third place in the Premiership and its accompanying rewards at Rugby Park of all places. Not only is that where the club’s head coach Steven Naismith developed into a professional footballer, it is also where supporters protested against the Tynecastle board just six months ago. The transformation in mood from then to now is rather striking.

Before September’s League Cup quarter-final at Kilmarnock, Hearts fans in the away end unfurled a banner which read: ‘Funded by fans, ran by clowns. We deserve better.’ It was a pointed message to their club’s directors as five losses in six games underlined an unconvincing start to the season. Naismith was just weeks into his current job and aware of the pressure, even if he wasn’t the direct target for supporters’ ire.

Hearts won that tie 2-1 thanks largely to Naismith’s substitutions as Odel Offiah helped tee up Alex Lowry’s 89th-minute winning goal. They have scarcely looked back since. That night began a run of 24 wins over the next 33 games in all competitions which has propelled the Edinburgh club to the cusp of an enormous achievement. Win at Rugby Park again on Saturday - which would be their third success there this season including December’s league victory - and third place is theirs. As is guaranteed European league-stage football next season. As is an extra £5m in income.

“It is a contrast. It’s football,” said Naismith, philosophically. “I think at that time it was unnecessary and harsh on the club and the board. As much as I wasn’t getting it, there was pressure there and you could tell. But there was a calmness internally. What I was saying to the players, the board, everyone trusted and believed in it. There were signs of it – maybe not blossoming like flowers in the summer – but there were shoots. And over time we have continued to build.

“For me, there’s still loads to go. If you look back at this season and reflect on it, this is the first season this squad has been together. Our starting team throughout the season is the second-youngest in the league, we reached two semi-finals, and we have the points tally that we have at the moment. It’s been a really good season. There was a lot of unrest at the start, then there was adversity that we had to deal with and be stronger. It’s good.

“We have been knocked out of two semi-finals and we are disappointed, but if we were four years down the line and had a squad that had been together for a long period, and expectation is really high, then you might say it has been a failure. For our first year, getting to these points and being where we are, it has been a really good season – with hopefully European group-stage football to come.”

There is good reason, therefore, to look back on the goal that night as a defining moment of Hearts’ campaign. They are already guaranteed to play European football in 2024/25. There is also good reason for Naismith to feel content at proving detractors wrong. He isn’t smug about it but he knows his work and that of his coaching staff has paid off.

“It was a big moment and a big game,” he admitted. “For Kilmarnock to score at the time they did, it was: ‘Right, what’s going to happen here? Are we going to lose momentum and give up chances or are we going to fight?’ We made a couple of subs that impacted the game well and changed the shape of the team, and it had an impact. It was a big moment but I don’t know if it was a defining one.”

Confirming third spot with four league games remaining would be testament to the progression at Riccarton in recent months. It would also give Hearts some breathing space and a chance to relax before the end of the season. Although not too much.

"I think we can hit 70 points, that's something we have talked about,” said Naismith, whose team are on 62 at the moment. “I'm not going to make it a target but I think it's realistic that we could do it. Being in football for 20 years, there are not many times when you can get a good month where you can just play with freedom, enjoyment and no pressure. We've got to enjoy that but with us being a driven group you will still have those targets.

“It's not about trying to drive every last ounce out of the players at this moment, it's about enjoying being comfortable and trying to get that freedom when you play. Then you can try risky passes and try some of the danger things we want to do and get to where it's comfortable. You also look at the squad and, if anybody is carrying wee niggles, you can effectively give them time to make sure they are healing. We have a drive, I think 70 points is reasonable and realistic.”

Zander Clark will return in goal against Kilmarnock after Craig Gordon played Hearts’ last two matches. "Yeah, Zander will play because it's an important game and we go back to the way we have worked all season,” was Naismith’s reasoning. The prospect of two Tynecastle goalkeepers being named in Scotland’s European Championship finals squad this summer is realistic.

“It would be incredible, but I thin we are only in this position because the two goalies have pushed each other. From the different circumstances of Craigy being a long-term injury to coming back at a certain time, they’ve pushed each other, and that’s been the drive. It would be some achievement getting the two of them there.”