The former Scotland International believes the Gorgie side have had their best start to a season in 20 years
It’s been 65 years since the Jambos last won a Scottish top-flight title, but according to a well-known pundit, this season is their best chance to break the mould.
The last time Hearts won the league, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were battling it out for the US Presidency, The Beatles had their first ever live show and Coronation Street graced our screens for the first time, however as their current seemingly-unstoppable winning run continues, Derek McInnes has a great opportunity to emulate Tommy Walker’s success.
Two decades ago, The Jambos got off to a similar winning start under manager, George Burley, however, after going unbeaten in ten games he left the club the day after eccentric owner Vladimir Romanov announced a bid to take private control of Hearts. The Jambos ended up finishing second place, 17 points behind Celtic that year.
In what has been their best start to a top-flight league campaign since 2005, former Chelsea winger, Pat Nevin believes that Hearts can challenge the Old Firm clubs this season and believes this season is similar to the Burley era.
Hearts ‘closest’ they’ve been since Romanov
Speaking to OLGB, Nevin said: “Now and again there have been runs. I remember a couple of years back under Stevie Clarke, Kilmarnock had this amazing run and you thought actually you never know, they might get up there. Aberdeen had a great start to the season last season. But in actual fact the closest to this is Hearts themselves under Vladimir Romanov when he was the owner.
“George Burley was the manager and they went on this incredible run at the start of the season. They were actually a good distance ahead and everyone kept saying, ‘No, no, no, it can't happen’. It gets up to eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 and you think, ‘Actually it might. Actually everything's right. It doesn't look as if there's anything falling apart’. Then they sacked George Burley. You’re like, ‘What?’ Of course, it all came crashing down.
“So you ask a Hearts fan, ‘Can you do it this year?’ They're not having it. They'll just say, ‘We're just happy with where we are’. It's the right year to have a go. Rangers are miles off it. And they're already quite a distance behind. So there's a possible chance you can be second by the end of the season, you could actually be ahead of them.”
Hearts currently sit top of the SPFL Premiership, two points ahead of Celtic and eleven clear of Rangers. A win against Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon could see them momentarily go five ahead of The Hoops, who face Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday.
Jambos league title glory ‘possible’
“On Celtic, they're not as good as they've been. In the last three, four years there's been a dip there. Fans are not happy. There's a lot of dissension in the club with the fans. And that fan base, particularly at home, they're really important, the noise they make there. It's an incredible stadium that's so intimidating for all those Scottish teams. If that goes silent, because they've had some silent protests, they're not happy.
“They're not happy at all at the moment with the running of the club. So there's problems at Celtic. And if Hearts can keep themselves together, if you're looking for odds, it's still 10 to 1. It's still way out there. But they have dropped down from much, much higher than that. So the other thing that maybe is working in Hearts' favour has been a long, long period where nobody would lay a glove on Celtic and that's not the case now.
“A lot of Celtic's games are closer now. Would you be shocked if Hibs go and beat Celtic at Easter Road? No, you wouldn't. Hibs are a better team now. Aberdeen, well capable after a bad start to the season. Dundee United, when they lift themselves, are a really, really good team. There's the plastic pitches away from home that you need to take into account. So there's a lot of slips possible right now. So yeah, is it possible? Yeah, it's possible. I still don't think it's likely, but it's possible.”
Continue Reading