Inside Hearts' major title weapon as Rangers fatal blow notion brushed aside

The Gorgie venue one of those that when the crowd is with Hearts, it becomes very difficult for opposing teams with a tight pitch and steep stands that overbear the players. Conversely, when the chips are down, the natives can get very restless. Just take last season, for example.

Stuart Findlay won at Tynecastle as a Kilmarnock player last term but in Hearts colours, he has yet to taste defeat at the stadium. The defender has played 17 league matches there and won 13 of them, drawing four. Only Motherwell, Killie, Celtic and Dundee United have left with something.

The only blot on the Tynecastle copybook came back in January when Falkirk defeated them on penalties in the Scottish Cup. The Bairns will be the final visitors to the capital venue on May 13. Before that, there is another huge match to think about: Rangers at home.

Hearts are top of the Premiership and lead second-placed Celtic by three points and Rangers, in third, by four. Just four rounds of fixtures remain. Hearts have not won the league title since 1960 but a generation of Jambos are very much daring to dream now.

Defeat Rangers and the Ibrox side are surely out of the race. Tynecastle will be buzzing with anticipation - even if we have the highly unusual kick-off time of 5.30pm on a Monday. Go undefeated in Gorgie for the full campaign and Hearts will give themselves such a good chance of being champions.

“I think we have shown how good we can be at home,” said Findlay ahead of facing Rangers. “We have shown different sides to us, there have been games we have won convincingly, there have games we have come back into it. So overall I think we have shown the qualities you would need to have a long unbeaten record.

“But definitely the biggest test is coming up on Monday night and we don’t want the record to fall so we need to make sure we get that positive result.

Hearts atmosphere ‘has been terrific’

“When Tynecastle is good, it is as good as it gets. We have been lucky enough to be successful this season, and the home atmosphere has been terrific. Hearts fans are known for their passion and thankfully that has been directed in a positive way.

“We have given them something to get behind and in turn they have tried to help us on the park. The two feed into each other and make this an intimidating place for opposition teams to come.

“It is not so much about putting them off, it is about giving us that little edge, about how it galvanises us. I think we have had moments this season when we go down – against Motherwell for example – and you hear the crowd, you hear what it means to them, and we have managed to come back and win the game. We have two home games to go and we know the atmosphere will be incredible. We know they will be there for us, and we know they will be fantastic, so we want to give them something back.”

Head coach Derek McInnes made a big play of making Tynecastle an uncomfortable place for teams to come when he took over last June. He has brought in players such as Findlay who are able to cope with the high demands of the Hearts faithful.

“When I signed the gaffer made a big play about that is what he wanted Tynecastle to be like,” continued Findlay. “It sort of enticed me because I knew how big the club was and how good the atmosphere could be. I can only go on what I have seen this season and that has been absolutely incredible.

“Fans can be proud not only of the team but also of themselves for the way they have come with us. Especially through the harder spells we have had this year.”

Hearts’ home record is the envy of the league - but so is their record against fellow top-six teams, a handy thing to draw upon after the split. Only Rangers and Hibs have beaten them in the league. They have beaten both sides of the Old Firm and their Edinburgh rivals home and away, most recently last weekend in a 2-1 triumph at Easter Road. So far, Hearts have stepped up to the challenge.

“We have got really good experience in the team and a lot of guys who thrive in the big occasion,” noted Findlay. “We have got Shanks [Lawrence Shankland] and [Claudio] Braga at the top end of the pitch and other guys who can pop up with big goals at certain moments. I just think every time it is a big game our mentality is to go out and get the business done.

“We understand it is four games against four top teams, that is the nature of the split. But especially after Hibs we believe we can beat anybody and that when we are on our game there is nothing that can stop us.”

Rangers’ chances of doing so would most probably take a fatal blow if they lose on Monday. Findlay prefers not to focus on what it could mean to them. “I don’t see it that way at all,” he added. “We are the ones who have managed to get ourselves in front with four games to go. We are past the point of worrying about other teams. It is about trying to drive home our advantage. That is the way we need to see it.”