2017–18 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

The 2017–18 season is the 121st season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian F.C. (Hearts) with the team participating in the Scottish Premiership. Hearts are playing their third consecutive season in the top tier of Scottish football, having been promoted from the Scottish Championship at the end of the 2014–15 season.[2] They also competed in the League and Scottish Cup.

Heart of Midlothian
2017–18 season
ChairmanAnn Budge[1]
Head coachIan Cathro
(Until 1 August 2017)
Craig Levein
(From 28 August 2017)
StadiumTynecastle Park
Murrayfield Stadium
PremiershipSixth place
League CupGroup stage
Scottish CupQuarter-final, lost to Motherwell
Top goalscorerLeague:
Kyle Lafferty (12)

All:
Kyle Lafferty (19)
Highest home attendance32,852 vs Rangers
Premiership
28 October 2017
Lowest home attendance 6,265 vs East Fife
League Cup
22 July 2017

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Friendlies

Hearts returned for pre-season training mid June,[3] with the first preseason friendly taking place against Livingston at the start of July.[4] They then headed to Ireland for a five-day training camp in Dublin and Belfast.[5]

Premiership

5 August 2017 Scottish Premiership Celtic 4 1 Heart of Midlothian Celtic Park
15:00 Griffiths  29', 63'
Sinclair  51'
McGregor  73'
BBC Report Gonçalves  84' Attendance: 58,843
Referee: Clancy
19 August 2017 Scottish Premiership Rangers 0 0 Heart of Midlothian Ibrox Stadium
15:00 Dorrans  50'
Kranjcar  87'
BBC Report Brandon  18' Attendance: 49,677
Referee: Collum
26 August 2017 Scottish Premiership Motherwell 2 1 Heart of Midlothian Fir Park
15:00 Bowman  37'
Moult  41'
BBC Report Lafferty  30' Attendance: 6,568
Referee: Beaton
9 September 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 0 0 Aberdeen Murrayfield Stadium
15:00 BBC Report Attendance: 24,248
Referee: Thomson
Man of the Match: Walker
30 September 2017 Scottish Premiership Dundee 2 1 Heart of Midlothian Dens Park
15:00 Waddell  44', 90+3' BBC Report Lafferty  71' Attendance: 7,028
Referee: McLean
28 October 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 1 3 Rangers Murrayfield Stadium
15:00 Lafferty  24' BBC Report Miller  43', 65'
Windass  72'
Attendance: 32,852
Referee: Craig Thomson
25 November 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 0 0 Ross County Tynecastle Park
15:00 Report Attendance: 15,601
Referee: John Beaton
2 December 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 1 1 Hamilton Academical Tynecastle Park
15:00 Walker  47' Report Tomas  69' Attendance: 15,357
Referee: Bobby Madden
9 December 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 1 0 Motherwell Tynecastle Park
15:00 Lafferty  39' Report Attendance: 15,984
Referee: Andrew Dallas
12 December 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 2 0 Dundee Tynecastle Park
19:45 Gonçalves  30'}
Berra  77'
Report Attendance: 15,566
Referee: Craig Thomson
17 December 2017 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 4 0 Celtic Tynecastle Park
12:30 Cochrane  26'
Lafferty  35'
Milinković  48', 76' (Penalty)
BBC Report Attendance: 18,555
Referee: Collum
31 January 2018 Scottish Premiership Celtic 3 1 Heart of Midlothian Celtic Park
19:45 Édouard  3'
Boyata  25'
Dembélé  36'
BBC Report Lafferty  67' Attendance: 56,296
Referee: Thomson
24 February 2018 Scottish Premiership Rangers 2 0 Heart of Midlothian Ibrox Stadium
15:00 Murphy  41'
Martin  88'
BBC Report Attendance: 49,927
Referee: Beaton
22 April 2018 Scottish Premiership Rangers 2 1 Heart of Midlothian Ibrox Stadium
12:30 Cummings  47'
Candeias  64'
BBC Report Berra  71' Attendance: 47,272
Referee: Thomson
For upcoming Scottish Premiership fixtures, see the official Heart of Midlothian F.C. website

League Cup

Heart of Midlothian are part of Group B in the League Cup group stages.[9] On 20 June, of the matches were announced by the Scottish Professional Football League[10] with Hearts drawn in North Group B, alongside Dunfermline Athletic, Peterhead, East Fife and Elgin City.[11]

18 July 2017[12] League Cup Group B Elgin City 0 1 Heart of Midlothian Borough Briggs
19:45 BBC Report Lafferty  60' Attendance: 1,303
Referee: Kirkland
25 July 2017[12] League Cup Group B Peterhead 2 1 Heart of Midlothian Balmoor Stadium
20:00 Brown  6'
McAllister  90' (Penalty)
BBC Report Lafferty  17' Attendance: 1,602
Referee: Northcroft

Scottish Cup

First team player statistics

Captains

Returning defender and former captain Christophe Berra was re-appointed captain for season 2017–18.[13] He took over from now former player Perry Kitchen.[14]

No Pos Name Country No of games Notes
6DFBerra[15]44Captain
5DFHughes[16]1Vice Captain

Last updated: 13 May 2018
Source: Competitive match reports.
Competitive matches only
Matches started as captain only
Country: FIFA nationality; No.: Squad number; P: Position; Name: Player name; No. Games: Number of games started as captain.

Squad information

During the 2017–18 season, Hearts have used forty-two players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.

Last Updated 13 May 2018[17]
Number Position Nation Name Totals Premiership League Cup Scottish Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Jon McLaughlin 36033+000+003+00
2 DF Michael Smith 38029+204+001+20
3 DF Ashley Smith-Brown 301+101+000+00
4 MF John Souttar 36131+012+003+00
5 DF Aaron Hughes 23017+201+003+00
6 DF Christophe Berra 44337+024+013+00
7 MF Jamie Walker 19214+223+000+00
7 MF Danny Amankwaa 1205+600+000+10
8 MF Prince Buaben 2209+804+000+10
9 FW Kyle Lafferty 421930+6124+042+03
10 MF Arnaud Djoum 20015+101+102+00
11 MF David Milinković 26615+960+001+10
13 GK Jack Hamilton 905+004+000+00
14 FW Steven Naismith 16412+240+002+00
15 MF Don Cowie 33225+304+010+11
16 MF Connor Randall 27022+200+002+10
18 FW Conor Sammon 100+100+000+00
19 DF Krystian Nowak 600+302+100+00
20 MF Ross Callachan 25418+540+002+00
21 MF Malaury Martin 400+100+300+00
23 FW Cole Stockton 1504+800+300+00
24 DF Jordan McGhee 300+003+000+00
24 DF Demetri Mitchell 1119+000+002+01
25 FW Rory Currie 200+100+100+00
26 FW Dario Zanatta 110+110+000+00
27 MF Rafał Grzelak 1609+402+100+00
28 DF Marcus Godinho 605+000+001+00
30 MF Jamie Brandon 13011+101+000+00
33 MF Lewis Moore 16010+500+000+10
36 DF Daniel Baur 201+100+000+00
38 MF Alex Petkov 100+000+100+00
41 MF Andy Irving 402+200+000+00
43 FW Euan Henderson 1303+900+000+10
46 MF Anthony McDonald 1405+800+001+00
47 MF Harry Cochrane 24114+810+002+00
48 DF Chris Hamilton 101+000+000+00
50 MF Connor Smith 100+100+000+00
52 FW Aidan Keena 100+100+000+00
54 FW Leeroy Makovora 100+100+000+00
55 DF Cameron Logan 101+000+000+00
66 MF Joaquim Adão 1209+100+002+00
77 FW Esmaël Gonçalves 25716+464+011+00

Appearances (starts and substitute appearances) and goals include those in Scottish Premiership, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Disciplinary record

During the 2017–18 season, Hearts players have been issued with one hundred and one yellow cards and four red. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player. The red card issued to Esmaël Gonçalves during the game versus Kilmarnock on 12 August, for an incident with Kirk Broadfoot[18] was rescinded on appeal,[19] with a yellow card issued for simulation to Kyle Lafferty during the game versus Dundee on 1 April 2018, also rescinded.[20]

Last updated 13 May 2018
Number Position Nation Name Premiership League Cup Scottish Cup Total
2DFMichael Smith60000060
4DFJohn Souttar1000010110
6DFChristophe Berra60001070
7MFJamie Walker50000050
7MFDanny Amankwaa10000010
8MFPrince Buaben20000020
9FWKyle Lafferty1110010121
10MFArnaud Djoum20000020
11MFDavid Milinković30000030
14FWSteven Naismith30001040
15MFDon Cowie40000040
16MFConnor Randall51000051
20MFRoss Callachan40000040
23FWCole Stockton10100020
24DFJordan McGhee00100010
24DFDemetri Mitchell10000010
27MFRafał Grzelak40200060
30MFJamie Brandon71000071
46MFAnthony McDonald10000010
47MFHarry Cochrane51000051
48DFChris Hamilton10000010
50MFConnor Smith10000010
66MFJoaquim Adão50002070
77FWEsmaël Gonçalves30000030
Total 91440601014

Goal scorers

Last updated 13 May 2018

Place Position Nation Name Premiership League Cup Scottish Cup Total
1FWKyle Lafferty124319
2FWEsmaël Gonçalves6107
3MFDavid Milinković6006
4MFRoss Callachan4004
FWSteven Naismith4004
5DFChristophe Berra2103
6MFJamie Walker2002
MFDon Cowie0112
7FWDario Zanatta1001
DFDemetri Mitchell0011
DFJohn Souttar1001
Total 387551

Clean sheets

R Pos Nat Name Premiership League Cup Scottish Cup Total
1 GK Jon McLaughlin 13 0 2 15
2 GK Jack Hamilton 2 2 0 4
3 GK Viktor Noring 0 0 0 0
Total 162219

Last updated: 13 May 2018
Source: Match reports in Competitive matches

Team statistics

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
4 Hibernian 38 18 13 7 62 46 +16 67 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round
5 Kilmarnock 38 16 11 11 49 47 +2 59
6 Heart of Midlothian 38 12 13 13 39 39 0 49
7 Motherwell 38 13 9 16 43 49 6 48
8 St Johnstone 38 12 10 16 42 53 11 46
Source: Soccerway BBC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification and second-stage group allocation).[21]
Notes:
  1. Teams play each other three times (33 matches) before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).

League Cup table

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification DNF PET HOM EFI ELG
1 Dunfermline Athletic (Q) 4 2 2 0 0 13 3 +10 10 Qualification for the Second Round 5–1 6–0
2 Peterhead 4 3 0 0 1 7 6 +1 9 2–1 1–0
3 Heart of Midlothian 4 2 0 1 1 7 4 +3 7 2–2p 3–0
4 East Fife 4 1 0 1 2 3 6 3 4 0–0p 3–2
5 Elgin City 4 0 0 0 4 2 13 11 0 0–3 0–1
Source: [22]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[23]
(Q) Qualified to the phase indicated.

Division summary

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAAAAHAAAAHAHHHHHHHHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAAHHA
ResultLWDLDWDLWWLLLDDDWWWDDDWDLWDLDLWDWLLLWL
Position128788777757767766555555555555666666666
Updated to match(es) played on 13 May 2018. Source: [24]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Management statistics

Last updated on 13 May 2018
Name From To P W D L Win%[note 1]
Ian Cathro[25] 18 July 2017 1 August 2017 4 2 0 2 050.00
Jon Daly[26] 2 August 2017 28 August 2017 4 1 1 2 025.00
Craig Levein[27] 28 August 2017 Present 37 13 12 12 035.14

Club

Staff

Management

Hearts began the season under the stewardship of head coach Ian Cathro, having signed a deal on his appointment until the end of the 2020–21 season.[33] With Hearts having exited the League Cup at the group stages, and with four days until the league started, Hearts sacked Cathro on 1 August.[34] Cathro had won only seven games out of thirty in all competitions since his appointment the previous season.[35] Hearts under-20 coach Jon Daly was appointed interim manager the following day.[36] He was assisted by assistant head coach Austin MacPhee and first team coach Liam Fox.[37]

On 28 August, director of football Craig Levein was appointed as first team manager,[38] with Jon Daly being promoted to first team coach alongside Liam Fox and Paul Gallacher,[39] with Austin MacPhee remaining as assistant nanager.[40] As manager rather than head coach, Levein retained some of his role as director of football and his place on the board.[41] He had previously managed Hearts between 2000 and 2004[42] and was awarded a three-year contract.[43] Andy Kirk become the club's under 20's coach replacing Daly.[44]

Stadium

The 2017–18 season Hearts will play in front of a new main stand. Construction began on the new stand during the 201617 season,[45] with demolition of the listed 1914 Archibald Leitch main stand beginning on 15 May 2017.[46] The new stand was expected to be partially open by September 2017.[47]

On 3 August 2017, it was announced that the stand would be unable to open on schedule and as such a small number of games would need to be played at Murrayfield Stadium.[48] This meant the opening of the stand would now be two months late,[49] although the overall project would be delivered on time.[50] During this time games against Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Rangers are to be played at Murrayfield, with a further fixture against Partick Thistle played away from home.[51] The reasons for the delay included adverse weather and the club not processing the order of seating for the new stand on time.[52]

Upon completion of the new main stand the ground will revert to its original name of Tynecastle Park.[53][54] The stadium had been renamed Tynecastle Stadium during the 1990s.[55]

Playing kit

Hearts kits were manufactured by Umbro for the 2017–18 season,[56] ending the club's two-year association with Puma.[57] The club's last association with Umbro ended with Hearts winning the 2012 Scottish Cup Final.[58] The club's new home kit went on sale on 15 June,[59] priced at £48.00[60] for an adults top with kids priced at £37.50.[61] The kit recorded one of the highest ever sales at launch, with over 1,300 sold in 24 hours.[62] The kit, a modern maroon version of an Umbro designed kit from 1977,[63] was sponsored by charity Save the Children,[64] as part of the three-year deal funded through philanthropy in 2015.[65][66]

The away kit for the 2017–18 season is a two tone light blue top, with maroon shorts and light blue socks[67] and features the cobbles from the Heart of Midlothian mosaic embossed into the fabric. The kit went on sale to the public on 7 July,[68] at the same pricing.[69] A third change kit was released on 10 August and features a dark blue top, shorts and socks, with a pink badge and trim.[70]

Both the home and away kit have “This is our story, this is our song” embossed into the neck of the shirt. This is a reference to the main stand mosaic and Hearts song.[67][63]

International selection

Over the course of the season a number of the Hearts squad were called up on international duty. Arnaud Djoum was called up to represent Cameroon,[71] Aaron Hughes to represent Northern Ireland,[72] Bjorn Johnsen to represent Norway[73] and Jack Hamilton to represent Scotland[74] and Nikolay Todorov was called up to represent Bulgaria at under-21 level.[75]

In addition a number of the Hearts squad were called up to represent Scotland at youth level. Chris Hamilton and Marc Leonard were called up to the under-17 squad.[76]

Deaths

The following players and people associated with the club died over the course of the season. Former defender Davie Laing,[77][78] 1998 Scottish Cup winner Stefano Salvatori[79] and former club physio Andy Stevenson.[80]

Awards

The club's annual award ceremony took place on 9 April 2018,[81] with club captain Christophe Berra winning both fans and players player of the year award.[82] The full list of awards are included below.

Club awards

Nation Name Award
Sean Ward Heart of Midlothian U17s Player of the Year[81]
Chris Hamilton Heart of Midlothian U20s Player of the Year[81]
John Souttar Heart of Midlothian Young Player of the Year[81]
Demetri Mitchell Heart of Midlothian Goal of the Year[81]
NA Heart of Midlothian 4 – 0 Celtic
17 December 2017
Moment of the year[81]
Christophe Berra Heart of Midlothian Fans Player of the Year[81]
Christophe Berra Heart of Midlothian Player's Player of the Year[81]
Craig Levein George Nicolson Memorial Award[81]
Ron MacNeill Doc Melvin Memorial Cup[81]

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