2006–07 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

The 2007–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian, and their 24th consecutive season in the top level of Scottish football, competing in the Scottish Premier League. Hearts also competed in the Champions League, UEFA Cup, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.

Heart of Midlothian
2006–07 season
Chairman Roman Romanov
Manager Valdas Ivanauskas
Eduard Malofeev
Anatoliy Korobochka
StadiumTynecastle Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Scottish Premier League4th
UEFA Champions LeagueQualifying Round 3
Uefa CupFirst Round
Scottish CupFourth Round
League CupQuarter Final
Top goalscorerLeague:
Andrius Velicka (9)
All:
Andrius Velicka (12)
Highest home attendance32,459 V AEK Athens Champions League 9 August 2006
Lowest home attendance15,912 V Inverness SPL 26 August 2006

Managers

Valdas Ivanauskas was confirmed as head coach on a permanent basis during the summer of 2006 following the Scottish Cup victory.

Following an inconsistent start to their League campaign, head coach Valdas Ivanauskas took a sabbatical from his role on 23 October. Eduard Malofeev was appointed interim head coach until Valdas Ivanauskas later in the season although he only resumed the role for a short time before becoming director of football once again an interim head couch was required and previous director of football Anatoly Korobochka took charge of the team.

First team squad
Squad at end of season[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  SCO Craig Gordon
2 DF  SCO Robbie Neilson
3 DF  GRE Takis Fyssas
5 DF  SEN Ibrahim Tall[2]
6 MF  LTU Nerijus Barasa (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
7 MF  SCO Neil McCann
8 MF  POR Bruno Aguiar (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
9 FW  LTU Edgaras Jankauskas
11 FW  CZE Michal Pospíšil
12 FW  CZE Roman Bednář
13 GK  ENG Steve Banks
14 MF  BIH Mirsad Bešlija
16 MF  LTU Saulius Mikoliūnas
18 MF  LTU Deividas Česnauskis (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
19 FW  CHI Mauricio Pinilla (on loan from Sporting CP)
20 DF  SCO Christophe Berra
21 DF  POR José Gonçalves (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
22 FW  SCO Calum Elliot
23 DF  SCO Lee Wallace
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 MF  LTU Kęstutis Ivaškevičius (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
25 DF  GRE Christos Karipidis
26 DF  LTU Marius Žaliūkas (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
27 FW  LTU Andrius Velička (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
28 MF  FRA Julien Brellier
29 FW  ISL Hjálmar Þórarinsson
30 GK  SCO Jamie MacDonald
31 DF  SCO Marco Pelosi
32 DF  NIR David Armstrong
33 FW  IRL Denis McLaughlin
34 MF  GHA Laryea Kingston (on loan from Terek Grozny)
35 FW  ENG Jamie Mole
36 MF  SCO John Neill
37 MF  SCO Andrew Driver[3]
40 DF  ISL Eggert Jónsson
43 GK  LTU Eduardas Kurskis (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
44 FW  POL Arkadiusz Klimek (on loan from FBK Kaunas)
45 FW  LTU Linas Pilibaitis (on loan from FBK Kaunas)

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
4 DF  SCO Steven Pressley (to Celtic)
10 MF  SCO Paul Hartley (to Celtic)
15 FW  FIN Juho Mäkelä (on loan to FC Thun)
17 DF  POR Tiago Costa (released)
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 MF  ENG Lee Johnson (to Bristol City)
34 MF  NIR Matthew Doherty (on loan to Cowdenbeath)
38 GK  SWE Milan Barjaktarevic (to Kalmar FF)

Matches

Pre season

Hearts travelled to Austria for a pre season tour

5 July 2006 Friendly LASK Linz 1–1 Hearts Stadion Windischgarsten
Muhlbauer  62' Beslija  83' Attendance: 400
Referee: Dietmar Drabek
8 July 2006 Friendly Spartak Trnava 1–3 Hearts Stadion Windischgarsten
Peter Duris  80' Cesnauskis  31' (36) Beslija  83' Attendance: 200
Referee: Thomas Prammer
12 July 2006 Friendly CluJ 1–1 Hearts Stadion Stainach
Zelemcz  92' Makela  77' Attendance: 80
Referee: Rene Eisner
15 July 2006 Friendly Preston North End 1–2 Hearts Deepdale Stadium
Whaley  33' Bednar  15' Mikoliunas  18' Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Chris Foy
19 July 2006 Friendly Hearts 2–0 Osasuna Murrayfield Stadium
Velicka  73' Tall  90' Attendance: 18,997
Referee: Craig Mackay
20 July 2006 Friendly Livingston 1–2 Hearts Almondvale Stadium
Weir  63' Neill  52' Beslija  54' Attendance: 900

Champions League
Main article: 2006–07 UEFA Champions League

Hearts played their home 2006/2007 European Champions League games at Murrayfield Stadium, rather than in their home ground Tynecastle. A combination of Tynecastle falling short of UEFA requirements in terms of pitch size and hospitality facilities, and Murrayfield's greater capacity, meant that Murrayfield was the preferred choice for the Tynecastle board. Hearts won their second round qualifying tie against Bosnian champions Široki Brijeg 3–0 on aggregate, but were defeated 5–1 on aggregate by AEK Athens in the final qualifying round. The Greek side won 2–1 at Murrayfield due to two late goals and then won 3–0 in the Athens Olympic Stadium. Hearts had one player (Bruno Aguiar) sent off in the first leg and two players (Julien Brellier and Neil McCann) sent off in the second leg.

26 July 2006 Champions League Q2 Hearts 3–0 Široki Brijeg Murrayfield Stadium
Branimir Anic  53' (og.) Tall  79' Bednar  84' Attendance: 28,486
Referee: Espen Berntsen
2 August 2006 Champions League Q2 Široki Brijeg 0–0 Hearts Stadion Pecara
Branimir Anic  53' (og.) Tall  79' Bednar  84' Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Viktor Kassai
9 August 2006 Champions League Q3 Hearts 1–2 AEK Athens Murrayfield Stadium
Mikoliunas  62' Kapetanos  89' Berra  93' (og.) Attendance: 32,459
Referee: Nicolai Vollquartz
23 August 2006 Champions League Q3 AEK Athens 3–0 Hearts Olympic Stadium (Athens)
Souza  79' (pen.), 86' Tall  79' Liberopoulos  82' Attendance: 45,000
Referee: Iouri Baskakov

UEFA Cup
Main article: 2006–07 UEFA Cup

The loss in the final qualifying round meant that Hearts dropped into the UEFA Cup first round against Sparta Prague. In this competition they lost 2–0 at a muddy Murrayfield in the first leg and they were eliminated after a 0–0 draw in Prague in the return leg on 28 September 2006.

14 September 2006 2006–07 UEFA Cup R1 Hearts 0–2 Sparta Prague Murrayfield Stadium
Kolar  33' Matusovic  70' Attendance: 27,255
Referee: Paolo Bertini
28 September 2006 2006–07 UEFA Cup R1 Sparta Prague 0–0 Hearts Letensky Stadion
Attendance: 16,505
Referee: Peter Sippel

League Cup
Main article: 2006–07 Scottish League Cup
20 September 2006 League Cup R3 Alloa Athletic 0–4 Hearts Recreation Park
BBC SPORT Makela  46' (82), 88' Aguiar  88' Attendance: 2,551
Referee: Charlie Richmond
8 November 2006 League Cup QF Hibs 1–0 Hearts Easter Road
Jones  32' BBC SPORT Attendance: 15,825
Referee: Calum Murray

Scottish Cup
Main article: 2006–07 Scottish Cup
6 January 2007 Scottish Cup R3 Stranraer 0–4 Hearts Stair Park
BBC SPORT Velicka  17' (43), 90' Bednar  79' Attendance: 5,100
Referee: Eddie Smith
3 February 2007 Scottish Cup R4 Dunfermline Athletic 1–0 Hearts East End Park
Wilson  90' BBC SPORT Attendance: 9,597
Referee: Mike McCurry

Scottish Premier League
Main article: 2006–07 Scottish Premier League

Following an indifferent start to their League campaign, head coach Valdas Ivanauskas took a sabbatical from his role on 23 October. Club owner Vladimir Romanov, who stated "I have full confidence in Valdas and look forward to his return",[4] appointed the club's sporting director, Eduard Malofeev, as interim head coach. Further off-field disruption ensued four days later when Romanov warned his players that they would all be put up for sale if Hearts did not win their match against Dunfermline Athletic the next day. Captain Steven Pressley, flanked by senior players Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon, responded with a statement voicing the players' unhappiness at affairs at the club, stating in a pre-match media conference ahead of Dunfermline's visit that there was "significant unrest" in the dressing-room.[5] The game was drawn 1–1.

The repercussions from the press conference stretched over several months and eventually led to the departure from the club of two of the so-called Riccarton Three.[6] Pressley was dropped for a match against Falkirk on 13 November[7] and named as an unused substitute for a 1–0 defeat by Rangers on 19 November.[8] Hartley was only used as a substitute in the former game. Pressley eventually left Hearts on 9 December, with accompanying press releases stating that this was an amicable agreement. He joined rivals Celtic on 1 January 2007 and captained his new squad to a 2–1 victory at Tynecastle on his first return to Edinburgh. Hartley also moved to Celtic during January 2007, in a £1.1 million transfer on 31 January. This only left Gordon, who was dropped for matches away to Dundee United and Rangers in December and January respectively, as the only member of the trio to remain at Hearts beyond the January transfer window.

Hearts failed to win a game under the management of Eduard Malofeev, who took control during Ivanauskas' sabbatical. Hearts lost at Celtic and Hibernian – a result which eliminated Hearts from the CIS Cup – and at home to Rangers. He remained as caretaker manager until late November 2006 when, despite media reports anticipating the appointment of Eugenijus Riabovas,[9] Ivanauskas returned to resume his duties as club manager.[10]

A 1–0 loss in the Scottish Cup at Dunfermline on 3 February 2007, with Gordon on the bench, ended Hearts' chance to retain the trophy. Later that month, Ivanauskas was moved to a director of football role,[11] with director of football Anatoly Korobochka assuming the role of interim head coach on 2 March. An improved run of form towards the end of the season witnessed Hearts challenge Aberdeen for third spot in the League and UEFA Cup qualification. The Dons scored a last minute equaliser in a head-to-head confrontation between the two teams at Tynecastle in May, and eventually finished four points clear in third place.

29 July 2006 SPL Dunfermline 1–2 Hearts East End Park
Stephen Simmons  62' Bednar  15' Pospisil  77' Attendance: 7,936
Referee: Brian Winter
6 August 2006 SPL Hearts 2–1 Celtic Tynecastle Stadium
Bednar  49' (87) Petrov  65' Attendance: 16,822
Referee: Stuart Dougal
12 August 2006 SPL Hearts 0–0 Falkirk Tynecastle Stadium
Attendance: 16,127
Referee: John Underhill
19 August 2006 SPL Rangers 2–0 Hearts Ibrox
Boyd  47' (pen.), 49' Attendance: 50,239
Referee: Kenny Clark
26 August 2006 SPL Hearts 4–1 Inverness Tynecastle Stadium
Pinilla  17' Mole  42' Driver  80' Aguiar  91' Bayne  29' Attendance: 15,912
Referee: Steve Conroy
9 September 2006 SPL Hearts 0–1 St Mirren Tynecastle Stadium
Kean  82' Attendance: 16,823
Referee: Douglas McDonald
17 September 2006 SPL Motherwell 0–1 Hearts Fir Park
Mole  68' Attendance: 5,931
Referee: Iain Brines
24 September 2006 SPL Aberdeen 1–3 Hearts Pittodrie Stadium
Daal  82' Berra  64' Pinilla  76' Mikoliunas  81' Attendance: 11,160
Referee: Stuart Dougal
1 October 2006 SPL Hearts 4–0 Dundee United Tynecastle Stadium
Velicka  29' Makela  39' Hartley  88' (pen.) Mole  89' Attendance: 16,849
Referee: Eddie Smith
15 October 2006 SPL Hibs 2–2 Hearts Easter Road
Zemamma  5' Killen  16' Velicka  29' (72) Attendance: 16,623
Referee: Charlie Richmond
21 October 2006 SPL Hearts 0–2 Kilmarnock Tynecastle Stadium
Invincible  28' Wales  35' Attendance: 16,849
Referee: Kenny Clark
28 October 2006 SPL Hearts 1–1 Dunfermline Tynecastle Stadium
Velicka  12' Hamilton  48' Attendance: 17,031
Referee: Brian Winter
4 November 2006 SPL Celtic 2–1 Hearts Celtic Park
Jarosik  86' Gordon  94' (og.) Velicka  72' Attendance: 58,971
Referee: Craig Thomson
13 November 2006 SPL Falkirk 1–1 Hearts Falkirk Stadium
Latapy  84' Velicka  65' Attendance: 6,289
Referee: Mike McCurry
19 November 2006 SPL Hearts 0–1 Rangers Tynecastle Stadium
Novo  78' Attendance: 17,040
Referee: Dougie McDonald
25 November 2006 SPL Inverness 0–0 Hearts Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 5,603
Referee: Iain Brines
2 December 2006 SPL St Mirren 2–2 Hearts Love Street
Kean  19' (21) Mikoliunas  1' Zaliukas  51' Attendance: 5,728
Referee: Charlie Richmond
9 December 2006 SPL Hearts 4–1 Motherwell Tynecastle Stadium
Fyssas  9' Quinn  55' (og.) Velicka  58' Aguiar  64' Foran  20' Attendance: 16,753
Referee: Craig Mackay
16 December 2006 SPL Hearts 0–1 Aberdeen Tynecastle Stadium
Lovell  87' Attendance: 17,274
Referee: Stuart Dougal
23 December 2006 SPL Dundee United 0–1 Hearts Tannadice Park
Hartley  54' (pen.) Attendance: 7,789
Referee: Charlie Richmond
26 December 2006 SPL Hearts 3–2 Hibernian Tynecastle Stadium
Hartley  2' Jankauskas  48' Mikoliunas  70' Killen  55' Shiels  61' Attendance: 17,369
Referee: Craig Mackay
30 December 2006 SPL Kilmarnock 0–0 Hearts Rugby Park
Attendance: 7,302
Referee: Charlie Richmond
2 January 2007 SPL Dunfermline Athletic 0–1 Hearts East End Park
Pospisil  15' Attendance: 7,004
Referee: Craig Thomson
14 January 2007 SPL Hearts 1–2 Celtic Tynecastle Stadium
Mikoliunas  28' Hesselink  59' Jarosik  81' Attendance: 17,129
Referee: Kenny Clark
20 January 2007 SPL Hearts 1–0 Falkirk Tynecastle Stadium
Bednar  74' Attendance: 17,247
Referee: Steve Conroy
27 January 2007 SPL Rangers 0–0 Hearts Ibrox
Attendance: 50,321
Referee: Charlie Richmond
10 February 2007 SPL Hearts 1–0 Inverness Tynecastle Stadium
Pospisil  82' Attendance: 16,631
Referee: Eddie Smith
17 February 2007 SPL Hearts 1–1 St Mirren Tynecastle Stadium
Kingston  71' O'Donnell  14' Attendance: 17,195
Referee: Dougie McDonald
5 March 2007 SPL Motherwell 0–2 Hearts Fir Park
Tall  37' Craigan  66' (og.) Attendance: 4,389
Referee: Stuart Dougal
10 March 2007 SPL Aberdeen 1–0 Hearts Pittodrie
Lovell  7' Attendance: 13,964
Referee: Steve Conroy
17 March 2007 SPL Hearts 0–4 Dundee United Tynecastle Stadium
Robson  51' (70), 78' Hunt  59' Attendance: 17,172
Referee: Craig Mackay
1 April 2007 SPL Hibs 0–1 Hearts Easter Road
Zaliukas  81' Attendance: 15,953
Referee: Kenny Clark
7 April 2007 SPL Hearts 1–0 Kilmarnock Tynecastle Stadium
Pospisil  78' Attendance: 17,019
Referee: Mark Ritchie
21 April 2007 SPL Rangers 2–1 Hearts Ibrox
Rae  52' Ferguson  79' Velicka  16' Attendance: 50,099
Referee: Iain Brines
29 April 2007 SPL Celtic 1–3 Hearts Celtic Park
Steven Pressley  63' Ivaskevicius  57' Driver  61' Pospisil  73' (pen.) Attendance: 59,510
Referee: Stuart Dougal
6 May 2007 SPL Hearts 1–1 Aberdeen Tynecastle Stadium
Velicka  14' Nicholson  90' Attendance: 17,208
Referee: Brian Winter
12 May 2007 SPL Hearts 2–0 Hibs Tynecastle Stadium
Pospisil  1' Driver  23' Attendance: 16,434
Referee: Stuart Dougal
20 May 2007 SPL Kilmarnock 1–0 Hearts Rugby Park
Steven Naismith  82' (pen.) Attendance: 11,030
Referee: Willie Collum

Final table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
2 Rangers 38 21 9 8 61 32 +29 72 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3 Aberdeen 38 19 8 11 55 38 +17 65 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
4 Heart of Midlothian 38 17 10 11 47 35 +12 61
5 Kilmarnock 38 16 7 15 47 54 −7 55
6 Hibernian 38 13 10 15 56 46 +10 49
Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.

Transfers

On the eve of the SPL season, Hearts announced the capture of Chile striker Mauricio Pinilla on a season-long loan. PAOK Salonika's Christos Karipidis and Tiago Costa, a full back from Benfica B were also signed, while in the final week of the transfer window three further Lithuanian players – Marius Žaliūkas, Kęstutis Ivaškevičius and Andrius Velička – joined on loan from FBK Kaunas. Hearts fans still anticipated the arrival of "two World Cup stars" but were left disappointed when the club announced that the final piece of business of the transfer window would be to sign the previously-loaned striker Roman Bednář on a permanent deal.

See also

References
  1. http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/scots/2006-2007/scotprm/hearts.htm
  2. Tall was born in Aubervilliers, France, but also qualifies to represent Senegal internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Senegal in 2003.
  3. Driver was born in Oldham, England, but also qualified to represent Scotland internationally and represented them at U-16 level before representing England at U-21 level in 2009.
  4. "Ivanauskas to take two-week break". BBC Sport. 23 October 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2006.
  5. "Romanov issues player ultimatum". BBC Sport. 27 October 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
  6. Riccarton being the location of Hearts training ground, where the contentious press-conference took place.
  7. "Pressley holds talks with union". BBC Sport. 15 November 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
  8. "Hearts 0–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 19 November 2006. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
  9. "Ribovas promises Hearts return". BBC Sport. 21 November 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2006.
  10. "Valdas Returns". Hearts F.C. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2006.
  11. "Ivanauskas set for change of role". BBC Sport. 28 February 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2007.
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