The Hearts 226-day wait to exorcise a lingering demon

Cast your mind back to November 28, 2024 on a late autumn evening in Belgium. Hearts were trailing Cercle Brugge 1-0 in the Conference League when they were awarded a penalty. Shankland stepped up and blazed it over Maxime Delanghe’s crossbar into a baying mob of travelling fans behind the goal.

Shankland was told politely where to go by those supporters as Hearts went on to lose 2-0. It was a difficult period in the captain’s Tynecastle career, out of form and seemingly set to leave when his contract expired eight months later.

A lot has changed since then. Neil Critchley has left as head coach, replaced by Derek McInnes. The mood has improved at Tynecastle, helped by the arrival of new shareholder Tony Bloom and Jamestown Analytics. And Shankland remains. Hearts finished last season poorly in seventh place in the Premiership but optimism is growing already of a far better 2025/26 campaign.

Since that fateful night in Bruges, Shankland has not hit a penalty since. Jorge Grant assumed duties - even he missed a big one at Aberdeen - but the midfielder left last month. A new era, an old marksman from 12 yards. Hearts were awarded not one but two penalties as they opened their Premier Sports Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Dunfermline on Saturday and Shankland made no mistake with either of them to mark his new three-year deal.

“No, no, not at all,” said Shankland when asked if there was any doubt he would hit the first penalty, with the score tied at 1-1. “I think the last penalty I hit was in Bruges, and my brain kindly reminded me of that when I put the ball down! So I was probably concentrating on keeping the ball down so much for the first one, I didn't quite catch it right, but it was right in the corner. When they hit the net you're always happy.”

Facing a keeper he knew from before

He had another opportunity to beat Dunfermline keeper Deniz Mehmet from the spot a couple of minutes later. He mimicked the first effort, low to his left. “I just felt right at the time and if I'm being honest I took two steps towards the ball and I was kind of thinking where am I going here?” explained Shankland. “But I think when you're on a second penalty it's a wee bit of a mind game between you and the keeper.

“I've obviously played with Mehmet at Dundee United as well, so he kind of knows me and he's obviously gambled on me opening up twice and I just managed to wrap my foot round it at the last minute, so it's just good to see it hit the net.”

Plenty more are likely to come Shankland’s way this season and he will get more chances to make up for Bruges - although it is worth remembering he also missed a penalty in an Edinburgh derby. It happens to all takers.

“It's never been something I would say no to, hitting a penalty,” added Shankland. “It’s obviously disappointing when you miss them, but it's not the first one I've missed.

“It was just the whole thing around that night [in Bruges] and the season, how it was going at that time. That blew it out of proportion, but I've no doubts, my record overall is a good record from the penalty spot, and I'm always confident to step up, so no issues.”

Next opportunity might come in Cumbernauld on Tuesday, when Hearts face Hamilton Accies in their second of four group-stage matches.