Hearts did not deserve Celtic ending - and 'this is only the beginning'
The pain will linger at Tynecastle but desire not to be one-hit wonders is strong
This was not the way it was supposed to end for Hearts, the cruellest, ugliest of denouements as the Premiership title was snatched away from them at the death.
Hearts have been the story of Scottish football and have breathed new life into the game. Their involvement at the sharp end of the table has been refreshing and brought global attention to this little corner of the world. Only a draw was required against Celtic - a team they had yet to lose to in the 2025/26 campaign - and for 87 minutes, it was a job well done.
Anyone who accuses Hearts of bottling it should be shot down. They have shown all throughout this campaign that they are worthy of being champions. It was just that they were toppled by Celtic side that never truly left their coattails and then hit top speed in the final furlong.
Sometimes you just get beaten. There are winners and losers. Unfortunately for Hearts, they fell on the wrong side of the line. This was not a team that mentally fell apart.
Hearts only lost six games this season and finished on 80 points, eight clear of third-placed Rangers. Those raking over the coals of the dying fire may point to eight draws and wonder if stalemates against Livingston or Dundee United could have been turned into wins. You could also point to some contentious VAR moments, the most noteworthy being Steven McLean’s decision to reject a penalty award for Alexandros Kyziridis a week ago at Motherwell.
Those are the ebbs and flows of a season. Injuries have been tough on Hearts, as they have been on Celtic. Craig Halkett, Harry Milne, Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland have all missed significant spells of the campaign. Even in the final match, against Celtic, there was a fitness blow when Beni Baningime went down clutching his hamstring. Hearts lost control of the game when he vacated the premises at the start of the second half.
This outing at Celtic Park was a microcosm of Hearts’ season. They started so well, looked assured and managed the situation with aplomb. As time wore on, they frayed but stayed largely intact until the bitter end. Devlin’s tank emptied, Celtic hit top gear and then first Daizen Maeda and then Callum Osmand struck.
Hearts did not deserve the conclusion. Their support have been passionately behind them from day one. The heartbreak and pain will be immense. For some it will bring back unhappy memories of 1986, when Hearts lost the title in the closing stages of the final match at Dundee. The ghost of Albert Kidd reared its head. Those 752 Jambos inside Celtic Park despaired at what was unfolding in front of them. Those inside pubs in Gorgie, in living rooms across the land, watched TV screens glumly.
The Celtic fans that invaded the pitch should be ashamed of themselves. This was no way for it all to end. Hearts, with players still in their kit, left the stadium within ten minutes of the full-time whistle. The club later revealed that it was investigating claims that players had received “serious physical and verbal abuse” on the pitch from home supporters. They were denied a proper farewell and thank you from their supporters. It was the most bitter ending.
‘This is only the beginning’
Later, upon their return to Tynecastle, a throng of supporters showed their appreciation. Hearts posted on social media on Saturday evening: “A connection between the stands and the pitch that is unrivaled, anywhere. Your support has been breathtaking, and we thank you. This is only the beginning.”
Those last words are important. Hearts do not want to stop here. They want to be front and centre for years to come.
When Brighton and Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom invested in Hearts last summer, he said that he wanted to disrupt Scottish football, he felt a top-two finish this season was achievable and that he would like to win the league within ten years.
Well, two out of three ain’t bad.
Hearts have been well-run behind the scenes for years with fan ownership and generous benefactors such as James Anderson. Bloom’s expertise, money and Jamestown Analytics database has taken them on to a new level. They are not going away.
Head coach Derek McInnes is exactly what Hearts need; an experienced, skilled manager who knows Scottish football inside out. He has adeptly meshed together players he inherited and those passed to him by Jamestown. He is a worthy manager of the year.
Hearts cannot allow to let the way this season ended derail them. Achieving Bloom’s ultimate ambition at the first shot felt fantastical to begin with but as the season wore on, as Celtic and Rangers’ cracks started to appear, the title truly honed into view. Sceptics will say that was Hearts’ best chance in a generation, as the Old Firm won’t both be as bad again, but they are not reckoning with the desire from within Tynecastle, and from Bloom. He doesn’t like coming second best.
There will be change at Hearts this summer. Key players of this season such as Frankie Kent, Devlin and Baningime are out of contract and are unlikely to stay. Suitors are sniffing around Kyziridis and player of the year Claudio Braga, two of the best Jamestown signings. Marc Leonard will return to Birmingham City after his loan. Craig Halkett is a long-term injury absentee. But already new players have been identified. Josh McPake’s arrival is already confirmed. Frenchman Tom Renaud is likely to follow.
There are Champions League qualifiers to look forward to in July. It may take weeks, and perhaps more, for the anguish to dissipate - but Hearts should be looking forward to the next chapter. This does not feel like a club prepared to be a one-hit wonder any longer.
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