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Bloom will be 'very disappointed' if he can't win a title with Hearts

And he says he will be very disappointed if they do not win the title in the next decade.

The Albion owner and chairman delighted fans of Hearts, where he has taken a 29% stake.

He is keen to challenge Celtic and Rangers and take the Edinburgh club back into European competition.

Bloom’s investment was confirmed during the close season.

At the end of last term he saw Royale Union St Gilloise, in whom he also has a minority investment, win their first Belgian top-flight title for 90 years.

Bloom told Hearts fans: "I think it's really important overall for Scottish Football is for it not to be a one or two club show and it's not going to be from now on, I assure you.

“I welcome the investment from other clubs outside the Old Firm, I think that’s really good for Scottish football.

"It’s not good at all that Scottish clubs, historically, have not been doing well in Europe. That lowers the co-efficient, so even if you win the league, like Celtic this year, you have to win knockout games to get into the group stage of the Champions League.

"I’m very confident that the co-efficient will change over the next few years, it will be really good for Scottish football. I hope it will be good news for Hearts.”

He added: “It means that, at the start of each season, the fans and media are not talking about it being a two-runner race.

"That will not be the case from now on.

“I'm supremely confident that over the next five years, Hearts will have an extremely good squad. It will be competing near the top of the SPL.

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"Whether we're actually good enough to actually win the title, there's obviously no guarantees on that.

“But I will be very disappointed if in the next ten years we don't win at least one SPL title."

Hearts kick off their league season when they host Aberdeen this evening.

RUSG opened their title defence with a 1-1 draw at Antwerp followed by a 5-0 win at home to OH Leuven.

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