Stephen Kingsley exclusive: Hearts hero welcomes Celtic draw, reflects on 2020 Scottish Cup penalty miss and reveals determination within squad

Drawing Celtic in the Scottish Cup is never ideal, but in order to win the tournament you typically have to go through one of the Glasgow giants and what better opportunity to do so than on your own patch?

That’s the mindset of the Hearts squad after drawing the reigning champions and league leaders in the quarter finals of Scotland’s premier knockout competition this past Monday.

"It's a great draw for us,” insisted experienced defender Stephen Kingsley. “I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that. It's at home. It's a really exciting fixture that we're all looking forward to. We're going into it full of belief. We know that if we want to go all the way to the final and do one better than last year by winning the tournament then we're going to have to play the big two at some point. So to have them come to Tynecastle, it's going to be a great occasion.

“We've talked about it here and there but we've not had a full-on conversation about it. It's just a bit of excitement from everyone. Everyone thought it was a great time in the competition to get them. You get them at home and then if you win you're back to Hampden. It'll be a packed and bouncing Tynecastle and a great carrot for everyone. The fans will be absolutely buzzing for it as well.”

Hearts players claim for a penalty during the 4-3 defeat to Celtic at Tynecastle Park earlier in the season. Picture: SNS

The match will represent the first time the two clubs have faced each other in the Scottish Cup since the final in 2020. Hearts, seeing as they were playing in a division below at the time, were huge underdogs going into the game as Celtic chased a fourth consecutive treble. Things looked lost at the break with Neil Lennon’s men 2-0 up but a spirited fightback saw the match go to extra-time and then penalties. Kingsley had scored and assisted in the 3-3 draw, but after Craig Gordon saved from Ryan Christie the set-piece specialist failed to take advantage, seeing his spot-kick repelled by Conor Hazard. The Northern Irish custodian then stopped Craig Wighton’s effort, allowing Celtic to win through Kristoffer Ajer.

It’s something Kingsley admits has prayed on his mind a bit since then, so is there a sense of revenge running through this Hearts team going into the encounter on March 11?

"I wouldn't call it revenge. In that game we weren't happy with how we played in the first half but we came out after the break with a big reaction,” said the 28-year-old.

"That was my first season at Hearts and only in, like, the second or third month I was here. Obviously it's bitterly disappointing how it ended. But for the boys to put on the performance in the second half and extra-time, it's something we can be proud of, especially with where the club were at the time.

Stephen Kingsley's penalty is saved by Conor Hazard in the 2020 Scottish Cup final penalty shoot-out as Celtic go on to defeat Hearts. Picture: SNS

“Getting that close and having your penalty saved, obviously it's gutting. There will always be frustration there for me. I got a goal and an assist to help send us through to penalties, but for it to end that way it's disappointing.

"I'm sure it will always be a source of disappointment but that's football. You just need to move on and try and put it right the next time. And hopefully when this game comes round it will be a different ending.”

Results against the Old Firm this campaign don’t make for particularly promising reading going into the quarter final. Hearts have lost all five occasions, including a couple of hammerings by Rangers in Gorgie. However, against Celtic they’ve acquitted themselves well in both narrow defeats. The first saw a change Hearts side hold Celtic to a single goal in Glasgow until injury-time after having two men sent off; the second a thrilling contest at Tynecastle where a Hearts side, ravaged by injury and low on confidence amid poor form, went toe-to-toe with Ange Postecoglou’s men in a 4-3 defeat.

It provides an extra source of confidence that they can cause an upset and stop the much-revered Australian manager from getting his hands on the Scottish Cup for another season.

Stephen Kingsley celebrates after scoring against Celtic earlier in the 2020 Scottish Cup final. Picture: SNS

"You've got to go into every game and make sure the performances are right. But compared with the game earlier in the season we've got a few players back from injury and we're on a good run of form. If the performance is right then we've got full confidence,” said Kingsley.

“It was a great game last time, especially for the neutral. We believe in what we've got and hopefully we'll be in an even better position to get the win this time.”

It feels like there’s something special brewing at Hearts, which the fans are completely buying into. Tynecastle is constantly sold out, there’s a waiting list of over 3,500 for season tickets and they are currently on course to get eight guaranteed games in European football next season.

That being said, truly special teams are remembered as such for winning things. Hearts have fallen just short in three of the last four Scottish Cup finals. The players themselves know to reach legendary status they need to clear that final hurdle.

"We've been very good in the Scottish Cup since I joined and even the years prior to that with the boys getting to the 2019 final and then the semis again before the season was stopped,” said Kingsley.

"We've said it many times, but we really do want to take it one step further and win the trophy. It's something we talk about at the beginning of every season. It's something that as a club we've been so close to, we just need to take the next step.”

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