Robert Snodgrass guided Hearts into the Scottish Cup quarter final with all the care and attention you’d expect of a player who has taken on the role of father figure to the excellent young side Robbie Neilson is building at Tynecastle.
Then the self-deprecating 35-year-old admitted it wasn’t too difficult to do so because he has actually played against team-mate James Hill’s dad, Matt, earlier in his career down south.
Hill senior, a stalwart defender for Bristol City and Preston back in the day, may have crossed swords with Snodgrass but the former Scotland midfielder is delighted to be on the same side as his son, currently excelling while on loan from Bournemouth.
He said: “James Hill has got aspirations to play in the Premier League. You look at that young kid and think, Jesus. He studies the game, he watches the game, he asks loads of questions and wants to get better.